| Backyard Market - Build a Raised Garden Bed
Build a raised garden bed and grow your own groceries in style
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By Jenny Stanley
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   (5.5/10) Building a raised vegetable bed can bring a harvest of rewards. For starters, say goodbye to hefty grocery bills and hello to fresh, organic produce on the cheap. Then consider that a backyard garden can add style and character to your outdoor space. With this win-win project, you’ll be enjoying the fruits of your not-so-laborious efforts in no time. Read on to learn a few simple guidelines for building a raised garden bed; then get creative by choosing your own shape, style, materials and, of course, veggies. Planning makes perfect
First determine the location, size and overall look of your raised bed. The amount of space and light in your yard may dictate the location, as some plants require more sun than others. (If you’d like to grow some plants that require direct sunlight and some that thrive in the shade, consider a location that provides both.) Also research the spacing needs of the plants you’d like to grow. This will help you determine the appropriate size for the bed. When designing the border, you have lots of options for adding personal style. A few common materials used for raised beds include retaining-wall blocks, boulders, bricks and rot-resistant wood such as cedar. If you want an organic shape with few straight lines, blocks, bricks or boulders will offer the most freedom to create curves. However, if you prefer a geometric shape, wood boards will provide quick straight lines (Photo 1). Keep in mind that stones, bricks and blocks require mortar or landscaping adhesive to help hold them in place and to fill gaps, whereas wood requires sturdy, corrosion-resistant fasteners; plan your assembly steps accordingly. Because there are no strict rules about materials, this is a great project for recycling leftovers from previous projects. (Just think: You’ll finally have a use for that pile of concrete blocks you’ve stashed in the garage!) Layered effect
When you’re building an outdoor structure to last and produce delicious veggies year after year, it is important that you incorporate layers into the design, which will help promote stability, drainage and, ultimately, a healthy crop. To start, mark the shape of the bed using twine or spray paint. Remove the grass and dig about 6 in. deep within the markings. Flatten the dirt along the bottom of the trench, which will give you a solid foundation to build upon. Next, spread about 3 in. of gravel along the bottom; gently tamp the gravel to reduce settling later. Lay the base course of border material on top of the gravel, just inside the edges of the trench. Make sure that this layer is level; add or remove some gravel to adjust. Continue adding courses of the border material until the bed has reached the desired height. Remember to use mortar or landscaping adhesive or corrosion-resistant fasteners as you go, and stagger or alternate the seams with each course for strength. Using a mixture of the soil you removed when digging the trench and nutrient-rich potting soil, backfill the center of the bed to within about 2 in. from the top of the final border course. All that’s left is to plant your veggies and await the harvest. (OK, there is a little cultivating involved, too.) Depending on where you live, you may want to surround the bed with chicken wire or another form of fencing to keep critters at bay. Be sure to incorporate an accessible entry point so you can tend to your plants as needed — and, of course, harvest their produce.
Champions of the Raised Vegetable Bed
Because a raised bed has space limitations, it’s best to grow shorter, more compact vegetables and herbs, though taller plants such as tomatoes, if supported and allowed to grow upward as opposed to sprawling, can also thrive (Photo 2). To help set your plans in motion, here’s a list of raised-bed winners compiled by the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service:
Beets
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Collards
Green beans
Lettuce
Onions
Peas
Radishes
Spinach
Summer squash
Tomatoes
Turnips | |