Garden beds

All gardeners and gardeners want to have nice and tidy beds on their plots. After all, the process of crop growth takes a lot of time, as well as physical and moral resources. It is for these reasons that we decided to analyze in this article what are the options for creating beds, their most common types for different types of land, as well as appearance and beauty. The task of the beds is to help us in planting maintenance, to provide ideal conditions for the plants and to create an aesthetically pleasing picture. Nowadays, people see in their personal plot not only an opportunity to grow a rich harvest, but also an opportunity to relax in soul and body, and for this it is necessary to equip the surrounding area accordingly. The information on creating a better bed will help to cope with this task.

Garden beds - varieties

It is generally accepted that those areas that are not suitable for industrial use were allocated for garden and summer cottages. Most often, this soil is poor or heavy, located in the lowlands. For this reason, the most rational in such areas will be the use of raised or, as they are also called, high beds. Now we will consider different types and methods of arranging such beds. With the correct design of the garden, it will solve many questions for you that you have not thought about until this moment, but the result will be on your face. For many gardeners, the main task is to reduce to a minimum the amount of work on the ground in order to facilitate or reduce the physical stress on the body while caring for the future harvest. But few people know that competently created beds will help improve the quality and structure of the land, as well as protect plantings from overheating and cooling, an excess of water and many pests. An important point is to lay a grid from rodents before laying the beds, and the base deepened into the ground, the frame of the garden will help to avoid weeds and reduce the time spent on weeding. In addition, well-made beds of this pattern will look very attractive in appearance and are much more convenient to use and maintain than the standard options that we are used to. Now that we have sorted out the general points. It's time to find out which beds are right for your site, what is the difference. What are the advantages and disadvantages, as well as how to make beds with minimal effort and resources. The basic principle is quite simple: on dry soil, the beds must be lowered below ground level, and in places that are prone to flooding, on the contrary, raised above the ground. Whichever option you choose to create a garden bed you need to fill it with organic ingredients, and later mulch. Caring for such a bed consists in weeding, however, given the peculiarities of our structures, these worries will not be much, since weeds will appear only from seeds brought in by the wind, without penetration from the inside, and competent watering. It is likely that this article will help you create the best conditions for your garden and planting in it, as well as free up time for rest or others. More pleasant things to do.

Bulk beds (high)

Fill beds, as the name implies, are located on an embankment and raised above the soil surface. Such structures warm up in much shorter periods of time, so they will be very useful in regions with late spring, cool summer, or if your site is located in a not very favorable climatic zone. Such beds will be especially appreciated by all melons, cucumber and tomato varieties, as well as tomatoes and peas. In addition, such structures are usually used on plots of land that are located in lowlands, along the banks of reservoirs, as well as marshy and groundwater-flooded soils. They are also suitable for growing crops with weak or painful root systems, such as bulbous or strawberry varieties. To create a fill bed is quite costly and laborious, since most often it is necessary to use imported soil for the fill. In areas located in the lowland, it is necessary to draw up the correct layout of the beds and provide all structures with drainage, in order to avoid stagnation of water and rotting of the roots. Fortunately, making drainage is as easy as shelling pears, small stumps, stones, and dry, hard stems. After creating the drainage, you can fill in the fertile soil.

Pluses of high beds

Bulk beds, in contrast to the classic ones, have a large number of positive aspects that you will undoubtedly appreciate.
-If your site is located near or in a lowland, on lands that are located on the banks of reservoirs, as well as marshy and subterranean waters, then a drainage cushion and an elevation of the beds will help grow crops. Which in a different scenario would not grow on your site or would not differ in quality. In addition, such beds at the beginning of the season warm up much faster and seedlings can be planted earlier than you are used to. And the crops will sing much faster and richer, which means that the harvest will please more than usual.
Of course, a lot depends on the preferences of the culture that you intend to grow, but for thermophilic plants, such a decision will be unambiguously advantageous.

Cons of bulk beds

As it is not surprising, but the beds about which we are talking have their drawbacks, like everything in this world. Therefore, at this point we will analyze what they are. In order for you to weigh everything and decide for yourself whether this option for the improvement of the site is suitable for you.
The first point is that you need to buy fertile land. This pleasure cannot be called cheap, and if a decision is made to use the soil from the site, for example, the one that remained from the improvement of the paths, then the beds cannot be made high, and the soil may not be as fertile as the purchased one. The second point is the possibility of drying out bulk beds, as well as overheating of the earth. So if it is not possible to be in the personal plot constantly or at least regularly, several times a week, this option will not work at all in hot weather. Or you can not raise the structures too high, limit yourself to twenty centimeters, such a rise will minimize the possibility of overheating, but will eliminate excess moisture. The next point is that such beds definitely need bumpers, otherwise, during watering and rains, the entire structure will wash away and the planted plants may suffer or die. But such a fate can be avoided if you use a garden bed in a box.

High beds in a box

The modernized version of the bulk bed is a bed in a box. The bottom line is that we enclose our high bed in a fence with a board. The frame structure can be made of completely different materials. For example, logs, pieces of boards or whole canvases, stumps, remnants of brick or stone, weave a thick wicker from branches.It all depends on financial capabilities, your skills and imagination. The optimal height of the bed is about half a meter, such a rise reduces the load on the body and helps to work faster. With great pleasure. In addition, pests and weeds will definitely not be able to reach such a height, but do not forget about the measures that we discussed above: a drainage layer and a protective mesh at the base of your garden must be mandatory.

Pros of a garden in a box

Such a bed will last for a much longer period of time than a conventional bulk structure. It is also much more convenient to work, during sowing, weeding and harvesting, you have to bend over much less and the body is not so tired. This is very important for all gardeners, but especially for people of the older category. There is no need to dig up such a ridge; loosening will be enough. Such structures will be perfectly warmed up by the sun's rays and you can start sowing much earlier than usual. The sides of the beds will store and retain water and protect the ground from erosion. Also, high sides will be an insurmountable obstacle for weeds, and arcs can be attached to their base for tying fruit crops and tensioning a warming film. When using a garden bed in a box, you can carefully change the drainage material once a season. And another big plus is the aesthetic appearance of such structures. They look neat, delight the eye and surprise with an unexpected design solution.

Cons of a garden bed in a box

The disadvantages of this method of ennobling the beds include the strength and resources, both physical and financial, that will be required to create structures. But all this will pay off, because having made one effort once, you can not think about the comfort when working in the garden and the aesthetic side of the moment for several seasons. The really important disadvantages of such structures include freezing of the ground in cold seasons. This phenomenon leads to the death of many microorganisms, which create a favorable environment for the growth of various crops. For this reason, such beds are not suitable for regions with harsh and frosty winters. However, you can do the warming of the beds for the cold season. Such beds, as well as simply bulk beds, are prone to drying out and dehydration, for this reason, a regular presence in the personal plot is necessary to control the situation. Be sure to mulch the top layer of the earth. As mentioned earlier, a wide variety of materials can be used to create a box, but people with experience recommend using wood raw materials, since this way you will get even more benefits from this method.

How to make a warm garden bed

One of the most significant differences between a warm bed is a significantly higher amount of organic matter at the base of the structure. After all, it is during the debate and decomposition of organic materials that heat is released. Such beds are especially suitable for regions with long springs and short cool summers, as well as all areas where the climate is not the most favorable. On such beds, it is very handy to grow the first spring greens, grow seedlings and grow whimsical, thermophilic varieties. In addition to heat, during the decay of organic matter, quite a lot of nutrient components for plants are formed, and this will undoubtedly increase the fertility of the land in the garden. And due to the abundance of nutrients, the earth will loosen up thanks to earthworms and bacteria. Insulated beds are best suited for harvesting cucumber crops, as well as marrow, tomato, pepper, eggplant, pumpkin and early greens. The most important point when creating a warm garden bed is laying organic materials in several layers. The bottom layer is a carefully selected drainage of branches, planks, hemp and rough natural elements.They will circulate air masses and prevent flooding of our structure. This is followed by a layer of food and vegetable waste, chips and sawdust. Next, we lay humus, as well as compost masses and manure fertilizers. This layer will serve as the basis for the release of heat and warming up the earth, a kind of biofuel. This is followed by the final, top layer of fertile soil. The height of the top layer must be at least twenty centimeters. Do not forget to properly tamp each layer and spill it with water. Now our warm bed is absolutely ready. The most important aspect in the lower, drainage layer, its creation must be treated especially carefully, since the bed should always be wet, but not flooded and water should not stagnate in it more than necessary. Another important point: in no case is it recommended to use the remains of plants affected by diseases or pests.

The ideal time to build warm beds is the fall season. Your time is relatively free, the harvest is harvested and a lot of plant residues that can be used for the benefit of future plants. By the start of the season, the debate will be over and the beds will be ready to receive new seedlings. In winter, we recommend covering such beds with a covering material to avoid freezing of the top layer of fertile soils and to avoid the application of weed seeds.

Types of warm beds

There are several types of warm beds. They are deepened, raised, a bed on a hill, or combined.
Let's take a closer look at each of the types presented.

Deep bed

The main difference between such beds is that the upper part of the structure, its top layer, is flush with the soil surface. Perhaps this is not entirely convenient from the point of view of maintenance of the structure, but at the same time, this type has a number of indisputable advantages. Such a structure must be watered much less often than raised above ground level. But do not forget that it is not recommended to make such a bed in areas with stagnant moisture. The improvement of such a bed is a more than time-consuming process, so we recommend doing this closer to autumn. Choose a place for the construction on a hill. For such a design, a ditch is first dug, approximately two bayonets deep of the shovel used, which is then filled with a layer of organic material. The walls of the dug ditch can be strengthened with stones and branches, but if the ground is heavy, this is not necessary. We put a drainage layer at the bottom of the ditch, if your original soil contains sand, then it is recommended to put a small layer of clay on the bottom to retain moisture. After the construction of the drainage, the thoroughness of the preparation and laying of which we have already mentioned above, then a layer of fertile land is laid on the drainage layer. Now comes a layer of matured compost material, a layer of humus. This is followed by watering and wait until the beds settle. After that, add another layer of soil. In drought and heat, the beds need to be mulched in order to avoid overheating and maintain a moist environment. In all other respects, such beds do not require maintenance, timely watering and processing of the inter-nuclear space. That's all.

Pluses of deep beds

Such beds create the best conditions for the preservation of moisture and nutrients, which are necessary for the correct and rapid development of a variety of fruit and non-fruit crops, especially in arid regions and places with high temperatures. This method of creating beds will save time on watering. Since water exchange occurs within the structure, it also helps to increase the level of fertility on unfavorable land.

Cons of deep beds

The disadvantages of this method of growing crops include the waste of time and physical resources to create the entire structure.And also the need to monitor the condition of the beds and in case of rains must be protected from excess water, otherwise the crop may die from flooding.
High warm bed

Such structures are usually used in areas with possible flooding and cool climates. There is no need to dig a ditch for these beds. The first, drainage layer is laid on the soil of your garden, the subsequent layers are laid on top. In all other respects, the technology is used the same as when creating an ordinary warm bed.

Bed on the hill

This type of bed is the simplest variation of raised beds. Since it does not need boards, it can be done very quickly and easily, in addition, this option is an excellent accumulator of warm energy. The creation of a bed-hill, like many other beds, is recommended to be tackled in the fall. The height of the ridge should be about a meter, the shape has a hillock, the width is about one and a half meters. This method of planting significantly increases the possibilities, since much more seedlings will fit on the slopes of our hill, and the whole structure, in terms of area, will take up much less space than with the classic options for creating beds.

Warm combined beds

This method of creating favorable conditions for plants is one of the most convenient and versatile. As with any warm bed, you need to monitor the moisture level, otherwise everything is quite simple. It is not a deep ditch that is dug, there are drainage layers in it, after which organic matter and then, as in the methods above, a layer of fertile soil. Do not forget to mulch the top layer, and after planting the plants, water, loosen and weed weeds in a timely manner.

Pros and cons of insulated beds

The pluses include the fact. That due to the use of a large amount of organic substances, such a bed already contains all the necessary nutrient and useful elements, which frees you and me from the need to make additional fertilizers. In addition, the earth on such a ridge will be absolutely always loose due to the presence of earthworms and microorganisms in it, which feed on decaying organic matter. Due to the fact that heat is released from the inside of the structure, planting work can be started much earlier than usual, and from many crops it will be possible to get two harvests per season.

The disadvantages of insulated beds include the fact that certain resource and power costs are required for the purchase of land and all the necessary materials... The insulated bed has been functioning for about five years, after which all organic substances are completely decomposed and it must be rebuilt with a new layer.

Conclusion

Now that we have reviewed some of the most popular types of garden beds for personal plots, it became clear that if you come to the country house only for the weekend and grow a bunch of dill and radish during the season, then you should not waste energy and resources on improving your small garden ... However, if you are determined to get a rich harvest and have the time and opportunities, then from this article you can get a lot of good ideas, draw conclusions for yourself, analyze the condition of your site and make an informed decision about which beds are suitable for your land.