Gardening Goodies
Rising Interest in Raised Gardens
Designing and Using Raised Gardens. Oh, My Aching Back!
What to do when you simply cannot or do not want to bend over to plant, pick or smell flowers and vegetables? Or maybe you just want to enjoy your tomato and cabbage plants before those pesky rabbits do. A raised garden bed may be the answer. A raised garden bed sits a comfortable height above the ground, so less stooping over. Think of the last time you went to a greenhouse, the beds are raised to a comfortable height and width, making it easier for you to make the selections. When creating your own raised garden, you chose the height, size, location, and the soil it contains based on what you intend to plant. Thus, you create a more ideal growing environment for your plants, hopefully without the diseases and insects that may be in your native soil and without knee and back pain. If you’re handy with a hammer or know someone who is, a raised bed is
by Guest Writer - Nancy Harper Gibson County Master Gardeners
relatively simple to make. But, before you swing that hammer, decide what you want to plant in this new bed. Is this a vegetable garden? Most vegetables want full sun at least 6 hours a day. If shade or semi-shade plants are your preference, place the bed accordingly. As you plan your design, think about the width making sure you can easily reach to the middle. Are the plants going to be 18 inches or 3 foot tall when ready to pick? This will help you decide how high you want the bed to be off the ground. Now it’s time to decide how wide and how long do you want this bed. A four foot width not only makes for easier reaching but also is more economic in cutting the boards. For example, to create a simple 4 x 8 foot bed, you need to purchase sufficient 2-inch x 12-inch weather treated boards and enough 3.5-inch deck screws to
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June 2017
Small Town Living