How to Build a Raised-Bed Garden
There are many ways to construct a raised-bed garden. Everybody Grows has adopted a simple method that we have detailed below. Happy gardening!
There are many ways to construct a raised-bed garden. Everybody Grows has adopted a simple method that we have detailed below. Happy gardening!
Nail or screw the 12 foot in length lumber onto the 4 inch by 4 inch post. Then, nail or screw the 4 foot length lumber to the same 4 inch by 4 inch post. Try not to split the lumber. Splitting is less likely if you do not nail or screw close to the edge, and instead place your nails into the center of the lumber.
We suggest cutting the grass before placing the newspaper on the ground. The newspaper should extend slightly beyond the frame, to help avoid grasses and weeds growing into your gardening space from the outside. Finally, we recommend wetting the newspaper or cardboard before adding the soil.
With good soil, sufficient water, and ample sunshine, most vegetables will prosper and supply the gardener with food. But every type of vegetable has its own peculiar characteristics and there is no single formula for proper care and maintenance.
Most vegetables should be watered either early in the morning or late in the day. When plants are watered in the middle of the day, particularly in the hot Washington D.C. summer, much of the water will simply evaporate and not reach their intended target: the roots of the plant. It is best to make sure that plants receive enough water to go deeply into the soil. It is also better to water once or twice a week, rather than watering lightly every day. This is because most vegetables prefer not to have their roots remain wet for extended periods.
If you planted in rich soil, your plants should not require repeated application of fertilizer. However, several types of vegetables, such as tomatoes, are heavy feeders and can use additional fertilizer when fruiting. Other plants that have long summer growing seasons , such a squash, beans, corn, or peppers, and can also benefit with “top dressings” of compost or other organic matter during a hot summer growing season. “Top dressing” means mixing the organic matter into the top layer of soil around the base of the plant.
Different types of pests are attracted to different types of vegetables. Although there is no “one size fits all” method of dealing with pests, certain types of vegetables and flowers actually repel the pests that are attracted to other types of vegetables and flowers. Thus, we try “companion planting” or “family planting,” where we place plants that tend to help each other near one another. Many garden catalogs describe these interactions and we can help provide more information on request. Newly, our winter garden intern Lea researched local pests and pest management so reach out to us to get access to what she worked on as well.
No matter where or how you garden, you are likely to have weeds. Pulling weeds is simply part of the gardening experience. However, there are several ways to reduce weeds and thereby reduce the time spent pulling them. First, planting vegetables closer together (than indicated on seed packets for instance) and thinning the excess plants (those that are too close and competing with one another) will shade the soil and reduce weed growth. Second, using a layer of mulch around the base of the plant, assuming the mulch used is clean of weed and weed seeds, will suppress weeds. Finally, when pulling weeds, make sure to dig deeply in order to remove the weed’s roots. Otherwise, the weed will simply grow back and sprout new weeds.