Tired of working bent over in the garden? We will tell you some simple ways to make beds that will greatly facilitate your work as a summer resident. Think about what problems you face in your garden in the first place, and choose the solution that will help you.
How to make beds: do-it-yourself warm beds
If after each weeding you get the feeling that only a three-ton press can straighten you, then this idea is for you. Comfortable high beds require a certain amount of money and effort at the initial stage. 
The first step is to assemble a box that will hold the soil. If you are planning a long bed, then every meter you need to install a stiffener from a wooden plank inside the box so that the side walls do not crack under the weight of the soil.
It is advisable to make a metal mesh bottom for the formwork (it is sold in hardware stores). This net will protect your landings from attacks by moles and mole rats.
At the bottom of the beds we put old branches, tops and other organic waste. Then we fill our beds with organic fertilizers and earth, and we can plant seedlings.
We got such beautiful warm beds.
Little advice. If your garden is regularly ruined by cats, arranging a toilet in it, then here is a reliable way to keep them away from the beds. Put a net on top - cats won't like it, and plants won't hurt.
As you can see, to make beautiful beds, you need to work a little. But the advantages of such beds are very significant, because they are easier to process. And they will serve you for many years if you responsibly approach their construction and carefully do all the work.
Sides can be made from a wide variety of materials.
Some gardeners even lay them out of brick. That is to say, forever!
And here is an example of a bed of the original form.
How to make beds that do not require weeding
But if all these ideas seem complicated to you, and the costs of their implementation are excessive, then here is perhaps the easiest way to make your garden work easier. Use agrofibre.
It prevents weeds from growing by blocking light from reaching the soil, and also helps retain moisture by preventing the sun from drying out the soil. First, spread the agrofibre on your garden bed, and then make cuts with a knife, and plant seedlings in these cuts.
This is especially convenient when growing strawberries, as the agrofibre prevents the tendrils from growing to the ground.
How to make beds from improvised materials
If you need to fit your vegetable garden in a minimal area, then vertical beds are exactly what you need. With a vertical approach, plants are planted not in open ground, but in containers located above the ground in several tiers. Vertical beds can be made both from ready-made modules for vertical gardening, and from improvised materials.
For example, for a vertical bed of wooden boxes, you will need to sheathe the boxes on the inside with foil using a stapler and then fill them with soil. At the bottom of the box in the film, it is necessary to make holes so that water does not stagnate. Excess water will fall on the lower tier.
Vertical beds are easy to care for, but care must be taken to water them properly as there is little soil in such beds and it dries quickly. The most popular solution is a drip irrigation system - a small pipe with holes is laid throughout the garden, from which water flows.
At the same time, the constructive part of the vertical garden can be made even from improvised means.
There are many unexpected options for vertical beds when plastic bottles come into play. For example, holes are made in the lid of each of the bottles and only the upper and middle rows of the beds are watered, while water enters the lower rows from the holes in the bottle caps. 
How to make vertical beds from pipes.
PVC pipes are an excellent material for vertical beds. You can use them both as a large-scale vegetable garden and as an ornamental vegetable garden.
In addition to PVC pipes, roof tides can also be taken as the basis for the beds. In fact, any container similar in shape to a pipe is suitable for vertical beds.
Properly cultivated soil and crop care play an important role in obtaining a rich harvest. Therefore, you should know how to rationally and accurately arrange the beds in the summer cottage.
Before you start arranging the beds, you should decide and take into account such parameters as:
- the form;
- the size;
- location;
- layout.
In most cases, many gardeners build right-angled beds.
This is not a fundamental condition for growing a rich crop. The beds can be anything: rectangular, square, round, in the form of a trapezoid, etc. The shape can be selected taking into account the features of the relief.
Non-traditional forms of flower beds and will allow rational use of the area of the site.
The size of the beds can vary depending on the individual desires of the owner and the landscape. It is important to observe some conditions: they should not be too narrow, wide and deep.
The optimal width of the beds is 60-100 cm.
Given these parameters, caring for vegetable crops will be easier. The length of the beds can be any. If the bed is located along the fence, then its height should not exceed 80 cm.
The distance between the beds should be 40-50 cm.
This size is quite enough to carry out the care and collection of vegetables.
The beds in the summer cottage are best located from south to north.
In this case, the soil warms up better, and the crops grown receive the necessary amount of light. There are cases that is located on a gentle slope. The optimal placement of the beds in this case is transverse to the slope.
If the site is uneven, then it is best to place the beds on the south side, and place garden plantings on the northern part.
When planning beds, some features should be taken into account.
Box beds and terraces are the best option when making beds on a site with a strong slope. In the northern part of the garden, it is better to place tall plants so that they do not obscure low vegetable crops.
All these features should be taken into account when constructing beds in a summer cottage.
Basic rules for creating beds
After the shape, size and layout of the beds are determined, you can begin to create them.
It is best to create beds on damp and clay soils, in lowlands where water can linger after rain. Having decided on the length and width of the beds, you can begin to arrange.
When arranging the beds, loosen the earth with a hoe or chopper
First you need to mark up future beds. Then they should be dug up, processed and cleaned of foreign debris. The soil can be treated with a solution of copper sulfate. It will protect vegetable crops from various diseases. Soil with a hoe or chopper. If there are lumps, then they should be broken.
There are several types of beds:
- High garden. It is the most common among gardeners. Such a bed significantly improves the warming of the soil, which ensures a high intensity of growing vegetables. To create such a bed, you need to make a frame. The width of such a bed is 150 cm, and the length can be different.
- Knoll bed. Its height is 80-90 cm, and its width is about 200 cm. To avoid sprawling beds, a small border must be made around the edges.
- Beds according to the Mitlider method. A distinctive feature of these beds is a wide path of about 90 cm and narrow-sized beds no more than 45-50 cm wide. This method of arranging the beds provides simplicity and ease of care, and there is also no need to dig up the whole.
The first layer of the beds is branches and branches that must first be processed. Next, a layer of small wood residues is laid, then plant residues. After that, a layer of peat is laid out. The final top layer may consist of mature compost and fertile soil. All components should be taken in equal quantities.
It is necessary to dig up the earth along the entire length of the beds. Next, using a shovel, pour the earth into the center of the bed, and then make a recess of 10-15 cm. After that, you can proceed with the installation of the sides. They can be built from different materials: boards, slate, bricks, etc.
The borders on the bed prevent it from spreading. In addition, such beds are easier to care for.
A simple and affordable way to make garden beds is wooden boards. The optimal thickness is 4-5 cm. Before installation, it should be treated with an antiseptic to prevent decay.
The wooden frame after installation should be sheathed with plastic wrap. This avoids the outflow of water and washing out of the soil from the constructed frame. The height of the side should be selected individually. Here it is important to consider the depth of the rim in the soil.
A modern person needs a dacha not only to satisfy the instinct of a peasant and provide his family with vegetables and fruits, but also as a place to relax from city problems and bustle. And no one doubts that it is always more pleasant to relax in a conveniently equipped beautiful area. The topic of our article is "smart" beds from the point of view of organic farming.
The main goal of organic farming is to preserve and increase soil fertility. And the technology of arranging "smart" beds will help us learn how to properly plan and decorate a personal plot.
Organic garden beds may look different, but the basic principle of their formation is to make the most of small areas.
"Smart" paths should be at least 40 centimeters wide - so it will be convenient to walk along them, carry a wheelbarrow, carry water, and so on. The most inconvenient thing in the garden is right angles. Therefore, when laying "smart" beds and "smart" paths, you will have a wide field for experimentation and creativity. You can equip oblique, triangular, radial beds, in this case, everything depends on the convenience of their use and maintenance.
"Smart" beds can be raised above the ground or deepened into it, can be "bordered" and filled with humus. The height of the raised beds ranges from 20 to 80 centimeters, and the width can be different, it all depends on what is planned to be grown on such a bed.
Organic farming is constantly evolving. Practicing gardeners from year to year improve the methods of creating "smart" beds, come up with various forms and configurations. The main thing here is to understand the basic principles, to understand the essence of the process, and then everything will depend only on your desire and capabilities.
Raised container beds
The vegetable container is one of the varieties of raised beds that are used in organic farming. The width of this structure, as a rule, is about a meter, the length is any, and the height is from 30-40 cm to 70-80 cm. . In the center of the beds, you can install a trellis for climbing crops. And ideally, such a “flower bed” must be covered with a transparent roof, this will protect vegetables from various diseases.
Thin materials (plywood, slate, thin boards, and especially iron) are not suitable for the walls of a vegetable container, since such a bed will get very hot in hot weather. And it is impossible to equip it in the shade - there will be no good harvest. In this case, the frame must be done thoroughly, because strong winds can damage it, and the weight of the plants during the fruiting period is not small (50 kg per linear meter). It is best to use timber or logs, brick or wild stone.
The lined vegetable container is filled in layers only with organic matter. At the very bottom, you can put rotten large tree branches, shavings, wood chips. Next, coarse, unripe organic matter is placed, which is watered with bacterial fertilizers to accelerate maturation. We will talk with you in more detail about these fertilizers in the following articles. Unripened organic matter is sprinkled with humus and earth. Further, to the very top, the bed is filled with a layer of finished compost. It is important that this layer is at least 15-20 cm. Sand or earth should not be mixed with the finished compost, because of this it compacts and settles. Loosening such a bed is not required, in the spring you just need to add a layer of ready-made humus on top, and when the planted plants grow up, the soil must be mulched with straw or other suitable materials.
Watering a vegetable container is best done internally. To do this, when laying the beds, you need to evenly dig in several containers with holes (pipes or plastic bottles), which should be filled with water as needed. Under the humus, you can also bury leaky hoses wrapped in nylon stockings or other synthetics that let water through. The end of the hose is brought out and connected to a water source. The main thing is not to forget to turn off the water after 15-20 minutes, so as not to overmoisten the bed.
A vegetable container is best made with a roof made of transparent materials (polyethylene film, cellular polycarbonate). This, of course, slightly increases the cost of the structure, however, the roof reliably protects plants from diseases. There is practically no dew under it, which provokes the appearance and development of phytophthora, peronospores and other dangerous diseases.
The vegetable container is raised high enough above ground level, so the soil in it warms up and ripens earlier. Any heat-loving crops on such a bed can be sown earlier than usual. If you correctly calculate the time and location of the plants, then here you can first harvest radishes and watercress, then build a trellis for tomatoes or cucumbers in the middle, and plant beets, onions or carrots in place of the radishes. After collecting the root crops in the fall, you can re-sow radishes and lettuce in a vegetable container.
As you can see, the vegetable container is convenient and beautiful. Such a bed saves space in the garden and allows you to harvest various crops within one season. A large volume of nutritious compost allows you to minimize watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening. There are many advantages, however, there are also disadvantages.
A vegetable container needs to be built, and for this you need to find strength, time and money. For such a bed, a lot of organic matter is required, which also needs to be taken somewhere and ensure that it is of good quality. These three tangible shortcomings determine the moment that a vegetable container is rarely found in personal plots.
Experienced gardeners, taking the arrangement of a container bed as a basis, came up with simpler and cheaper options, but no less effective and convenient. For example, some crops can be grown directly on a compost heap. To do this, an additional compartment is attached to the place where the compost ripens. In the spring, half-finished humus, which has lain under the film all winter, is thrown into this compartment. On such a bed, you can plant zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins and tomatoes.
Beds-boxes
Raised box beds are very popular among organic farmers due to their ease of arrangement and high efficiency of use.
A box is a stationary bed, the sides for which can be made from available material. In this case, any boards, slate, plywood and the like are suitable. The height of such a bed, as a rule, is 15-20 centimeters, the width is 1-1.2 m, and the length can be made at your discretion. The bed-box is filled with organic matter: a layer of half-ripe manure or compost is poured on the bottom, and on top, with a layer of at least 6-7 cm, ready-made high-quality humus is laid.
If the box is wide, then the rows can be arranged both along and across. In order for the plants to receive more sunlight, the rows on such a bed should be arranged in a north-south direction.
In the middle of the box-bed, a trellis is made for climbing crops; such a bed can be covered with a roof. That is, simply put, a box is a low container. And its main advantage in this case is the fact that a lot of organic matter is not needed to fill the beds. However, a thin layer of compost quickly loses nutrients and moisture, and in the heat such a bed needs to be watered more often. This can be done with a hose, or with buckets from a large container. A fairly thick layer of mulch is required to retain moisture. To feed the crops growing in the box, it is recommended to use various organic fertilizers, which will be discussed in detail in the following articles.
If the soil on the site is good, then loosening the box is not necessary. The earth will loosen under it independently to a sufficiently large depth (in the first year it is already twenty centimeters). As we already found out in the article “Stop destroying the earth by digging and weeding”, soil inhabitants — earthworms and bacteria — will take care of structuring and loosening. Next spring, you just need to pour a few wheelbarrows of ready-made compost into the garden, and plant vegetables directly into it. If the organic matter is of good quality, then there will be few weeds, and those that appear are removed quite easily.
With the help of a simple frame or wire arcs, a box-bed can be quickly turned into a greenhouse, in which it is convenient to grow seedlings of various crops in spring.
When using this type of "smart" beds, the main thing is to fertilize them correctly and water them in a timely manner. Then in boxes, as well as in a vegetable container, three or four crops of different vegetables can be grown per season.
Deep trench beds
As you have already noticed, our list of "smart" beds is built on the principle - from expensive and productive, to cheap, but no less effective in use. Practicing farmers on their plots combine the advantages of all types of beds, reduce the cost of their laying and adapt to the conditions of a particular site.
If the groundwater is low enough on the site, and it never gets flooded, a narrow compost bin can be deepened into the ground. Thus, a kind of garden trench is obtained.
The main advantage of deep beds is that they can be dug directly into the virgin soil. To do this, they dig a trench in the sod with a width of two bayonets of a shovel and a depth of a bayonet. The length, as in previous cases (vegetable containers, box-beds), depends on your desires and capabilities. Even the sides of the boards are not needed here. Half-ripe manure is laid right on the bottom of the trench, and on top is a layer of finished compost, at least 6-7 centimeters high.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage, beans can be planted on such beds ... After the plants have grown, the trench must be mulched with any available material. About what materials can be used as mulch, we will describe in detail in the following articles.
In the future, all care will consist in timely watering as needed. And you will also have to mow the grass between the rows with a sickle a couple of times during the season. In order not to do this, the aisles can be covered with burlap, and covered with gravel on top - it’s beautiful, and the weed does not grow.
The main advantage of deep trenches is that they retain moisture remarkably, and plants grow well here, even with moderate watering. And the main drawback is that you certainly can’t get away from the classic pose of a gardener when caring for such a bed.
Ornamental vegetable garden basics
As already noted, modern man needs a dacha not only to grow vegetables and fruits. Most people use their gardens as a place for the whole family to relax. Let's figure out how to decorate a personal plot without spending a lot of space, effort and time.
Structures such as gazebos, fences, as well as southern walls can be used to equip beds. If the fence is made of mesh, then in itself it will be an excellent trellis for tall climbing crops. You just need to dig a trench nearby and fill it with organic matter. This bed is ideal for growing cucumbers and beans. The advantages are obvious - you don’t need to build a trellis, and it doesn’t take up space, and flowering plants, with skillful care, are also a wonderful decor.
In the same way, you can surround the gazebo with a trench. In this bed, you can plant various types of decorative pumpkins and beans that bloom in red, white, and even purple flowers (hyacinth beans). A gazebo decorated in this way will become the highlight of your summer house and a favorite place for family gatherings. It should be noted that planting a gazebo with cucumbers is not recommended, sometimes they get sick and lose their decorative properties.
The southern and eastern walls of various suburban buildings are able to warm up well during the day and give the plants reflected light and heat, which helps to accelerate the growth and development of heat-loving crops. Such walls can be an excellent support for cherry tomatoes, and below you can plant such attractive varieties of cabbage as kohlrabi and broccoli.
In order to give the backyard a well-groomed appearance, all the free spaces between the "smart" beds need to be mowed regularly - this will turn the weeds into a motley grass lawn.
We develop virgin lands
You have become the proud owner of a summer cottage. But here's the bad luck - the land on it has never been cultivated or has been cultivated for a long time, and you do not see any possibility of growing a crop in the first year, since the development of virgin lands is an unusually time-consuming task. Do not despair, on the contrary, you are lucky - you have received a plot with living land and, with a skillful approach and proper processing, you will be able to maintain its fertility for many years. What to do in order to be able to grow your own crop this season?
Experienced gardeners, in the process of studying and understanding the principles and techniques of organic farming, came up with several ways to use virgin lands for beds in the first year. We have already talked about deep trench beds.
According to the principle of deepened beds, you can arrange a place for growing various melons and gourds. You don't even need to dig trenches for this. To arrange such a bed right in the sod, it is enough to dig a hole about a meter in diameter and two bayonets deep. We fill the pit as usual - half-ripe manure will go to the bottom, which can be mixed with coarse, immature organic matter. From above, with a layer 6-7 centimeters thick, we pour fully ripened humus. Pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini, melons and watermelons grow well in such pits.
All subsequent care for such a bed will consist only in timely watering. In order to prevent weeds from growing here, the virgin land around should be covered with burlap or some other material (cardboard, old rugs, etc.), and covered with organic mulch (straw, sawdust) on top. Under such a carpet, the weeds will die, and next spring you will only have to loosen the soil with a flat cutter.
Another great way to easily and effectively treat turf is a special mulch for the development of virgin lands and weed control. This technique is considered one of the most "smart" techniques used for many years by permaculture gardeners and organic farmers. Its essence is as follows.
In early May, fresh weeds poured with juice are trampled down - this is a wonderful food for soil organisms. A layer of immature humus mixed with manure and a small amount of compost are scattered over the weeds. To speed up the process, all this from above can be treated with special bacterial fertilizers. Newspapers and magazines are laid on humus with manure in 2-3 layers; packaging cardboard can be used for these purposes. A layer of nutritious organics is poured directly onto the paper, 10-15 cm thick (this can be unripe manure and unripe humus). From above, this entire “pie” is covered with straw, foliage or hay. With such a coating, paper or cardboard cuts off weeds, and the organic layer holds moisture well and provides nutrition.
Of course, you can’t sow seeds on this bed in the first year - therefore, seedlings of large plants (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, as well as various melons and gourds) are planted here. They plant in a certain way - they dig up a little straw and manure and pierce a layer of paper with a scoop, and the roots themselves will find their way down. Then watered and again buried with a layer of mulch. If it rains relatively often, then it is practically not necessary to water such a bed.
The next year, this whole "pie" will settle and turn into high-quality compost, the soil will loosen from below, and the happy gardener will have a new fertile and weed-free bed. The only thing left is to add humus every year - and you can sow whatever your heart desires.
So, let's sum up our conversation about laying organic beds. What is needed to plan and organize a comfortable and beautiful garden plot for a long time and without significant time and financial costs. Let's highlight a few basic principles:
- we always use the geometry of narrow beds;
- in dry areas we lower such beds into the ground, and in flooded areas we raise them above the soil surface;
- we fill any beds with organic matter, and later we mulch well;
- We periodically mow all the paths between the beds to prevent the growth of weeds.
By following all these not very complicated rules, you can not only grow a good harvest, but also turn your garden into a conveniently organized and beautiful place for the whole family to relax.
The garden bed is the basis of the garden, the harvest, the effort and time spent on processing and agricultural technology for growing crops depend on its laying. When thinking about how to arrange the beds on the site correctly and conveniently, it is important to take into account a set of factors: location and topography, climate, soil features, cardinal points and a number of other factors. Study the theoretical aspects in advance to avoid problems in practice and increase the yield of each hectare.
Basic rules for creating beds
To optimize garden work, even before the start of field work, it is necessary:
- determine the types of vegetables to be grown, as well as their quantity;
- using special tables to calculate the required area;
- draw up a plan of the site and the location of the beds on it.
The right beds are functional and beautiful
Such simple preparation will help to avoid unnecessary labor costs and, perhaps, will allow allocating a place for recreation, or fruit and berry crops, on the territory.
Area and location of the site
To determine the required area of \u200b\u200bthe garden, first of all, decide whether you will grow vegetables only for the family, or also for sale. Kurdyumov N.I., the author of the book "Encyclopedia of a smart summer resident", claims that a family of five people will have enough 90 square meters of landings, without taking into account the paths between them. He uses ridges 0.5 m wide with wide passages of 1 m, that is, the area of the occupied site is about 4 acres.
It is not necessary to rely on other people's advice. Using special tables, calculate the annual need for vegetables per family, as well as the required area for their cultivation. To save space as well as increase yields, grow crops such as cucumbers, tomatoes, beans and the like on a trellis, or tie them up.
Table of the needs of vegetables and the area of their cultivation
Having calculated the size of the garden, proceed to its location on the plan. Consider here:
- grow vegetables on the south side of the cottage, there is more sunlight and the earth warms up better;
- trees and buildings should not obscure the garden, place them on the north side of it;
- the relief of the allotment should be as even as possible, if this cannot be achieved, take care of drainage grooves in low-lying places, or consider a terraced garden.
An example of a site layout on paper
The shape of the allotment for growing vegetables can be any, do not go in cycles in standard rectangles. However, keep in mind that when processing it is undesirable to walk between plantings, so do not make the beds too large. Ideally, if standing on the path, you can process the plantings across the entire width, or at least more than half.
If the backyard area is small, consider high, vertical or multi-level landings. They are especially popular for growing strawberries, wild strawberries, herbs. Keep in mind that it is better to make vertical structures with perennials mobile in order to be able to hide them for the winter, otherwise the vegetables may freeze.
Non-standard multi-level beds
Rules and features of the layout
A serious approach to growing vegetables requires a little preparation and competent planning of beds in the garden and their location.
- Prepare a separate notebook where you will write down how to distribute the beds on the site.
- Make a summer cottage plan in a notebook, mark the location of the ridges on it.
- Number the ridges.
- On a blank sheet, write the year of sowing and the numbering of the islets with the crops that you will grow.
Such a notebook and diagram will serve for many years, preserving important information for the gardener. It helps to navigate between crops, adhere to sevosmen and correctly select neighboring plants, which is extremely important even for a small area. After all, non-observance of crop rotation of vegetables and ignoring their compatibility threatens with soil depletion and a significant reduction in yield.
For the convenience of the seed shift, conditionally divide the territory into four zones, where you will grow crops with different requirements for soil nutrition, as well as perennials.
- Very demanding - cabbage, cucumbers, pumpkin, potatoes, garlic.
- Moderately demanding - onions, carrots, beets, lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi, radishes, peppers, potatoes, melons.
- Undemanding - the legume family.
- Perennials - strawberries, wild strawberries, rhubarb, perennial herbs.
Proper layout facilitates crop rotation
When planning your garden layout, be sure to mark the location of the compost heap. If you do not want to spoil the appearance of the landscape, put a composter. The remains of plants and other organic matter, stacked here, are processed better than in a regular pile. To enhance the effect of decay, use special bacteriological additives.
The layout of the cottage on the slope
The location of the cottage on a slope is not an obstacle to growing garden crops. Practical advice from experts will facilitate this process:
- Position the beds across the slope to reduce erosion.
- On a slope up to 50, place vegetables in its upper part. Plant shrubs at the bottom or make high beds, with excessive soil moisture there.
- On a slope with a steepness above 5.10, equip terraces on which you already place plantings. The recommended ratio of their length and width in this arrangement is 4:1 or 5:1.
- On a slope steeper than 70, make ditches up to 20 cm deep in the middle of the garden and at a distance of 1 m from the edge of the terrace. This will further protect the soil from erosion.
Terraced vegetable garden
Creation of new beds
Raised or recessed fenced plantings are very popular with modern gardeners. They are easier to process, you can use special earthen mixtures with the right composition, it is easier to calculate the required amount of fertilizer, and a fine mesh at the bottom will protect you from rodents. Make these beds "warm" and harvest two crops a year, because vegetables will ripen a couple of weeks faster.
If you plan the location of the garden on an unplowed virgin land, use one of the methods:
- Remove the layer of sod, but don't throw it away, chop it up and compost it. Dig up the bare earth, if possible, add new fertile soil. Reinforce the edges with ribs.
- Less time-consuming method: Dig up a vegetable garden and plant it with potatoes. The number of weeds will decrease significantly, but don't expect a bountiful harvest in the first year.
- Make raised beds: dig a place for a vegetable garden or just trample (mow) the grass. Equip the sides of the desired height. Put branches, thick stems of plants, cardboard, paper at the bottom, cover with quickly distilled organic matter and soil. In dry climatic conditions, such ridges are best deepened into the ground.
Creating raised "warm" beds
There is a wide variety of techniques for arranging beds:
- high - very popular with American farmers;
- hillock;
- according to the Mitlider method;
- multi-tiered and others.
In each case, be sure to put bumpers around the edges, this prevents the soil from spreading and prevents weeds from spreading to them from the paths. For edging, purchase ready-made garden borders or use any available materials:
- tree, pre-treat it with an antiseptic;
- concrete;
- plastic;
- metal;
- brick;
- slate.
Be sure to follow the order of planting the beds marked on your layout plan. To save space and increase yield, plant new plants in the areas vacated after the collection of predecessors. This way you can grow not only vegetables with a short growing season, but also, for example, potatoes, if you dig them up young.
Bed parameters - a little geometry and mathematics
Professional gardeners are advised to abandon the traditional continuous planting of land in favor of separate rather narrow beds with wide paths. It is claimed that the yield of crops in such a garden is higher, because, thanks to a well-thought-out arrangement, the illumination of each plant is significantly increased. In addition, properly selected planting parameters make it easier to care for them.
Comfortable wide aisles are a must
How to calculate the optimal width
The recommended optimal width of the beds in the garden differs in different sources. The only thing that all farmers agree on is that it must be such that it is easy to process vegetables without entering the soil.
Thus, the width of the last strip should not exceed 1 m. Between plantings, it is necessary to have passages with an optimal width of 90-100 cm. You should not make a distance between the beds, because the sprawling tops of plants will significantly reduce this area.
Narrow beds along the Mitlider are also popular. This American farmer developed the "ideal garden" system, which alternates 45 cm wide beds with 90 cm aisles. Plants planted in this way receive maximum sunlight and are well ventilated. These factors, together with a balanced top dressing, guarantee a high yield even in the absence of good weather conditions.
Location in greenhouses
What should be the ideal length
Focus more attention not on the length, but on the fact that all the tapes are the same size, this will greatly simplify the care of crops. However, some amateurs ignore this point, creating whole compositions from landings of different lengths, thus ennobling the design of the site.
Original approach to form
What height to choose
The height depends on the climatic conditions and the characteristics of the soil on the site. On light sandy loamy soil, you should not raise the plantings, especially if the climate is dry. High beds warm up better, but also dry out faster, so they will require frequent watering. In such conditions, make a “warm” bed deep, not raised.
Heavy clay soils, especially in places that are often flooded with water, or with a close occurrence of groundwater, need raised structures. The optimal height for processing is 40 cm, but sometimes they are made even higher - 60-70 cm.
In small areas, it is possible to place a vegetable garden at different levels. At the same time, make the lowest landings on the south side, gradually increasing their height, so the plants will not shade each other.
Raised beds are easy to handle
Raised beds have a number of advantages:
- convenient watering;
- water does not stagnate;
- hilling is not necessary;
- if mulched, weeding is not needed;
- no need to dig, it is enough to loosen by 7 - 10 cm;
- early planting of vegetables is possible;
- easy to do crop rotation;
- when planting, it is unnecessary to fertilize the hole;
- with the smart use of organic matter, there is no need for inorganic fertilizers;
- can be used forever.
The location of the beds relative to the cardinal points
Experts recommend drawing up a diagram of beds in the garden, taking into account the characteristics of the site, the climatic factor and orientation to the cardinal points. Given the latter, many often violate the standard arrangement along or across the site, replacing it with an oblique or diagonal placement of beds in relation to the sun. The unfamiliarity and aesthetic imperfection of such an arrangement is compensated by a number of advantages.
What gives an accurate calculation
The correct orientation of landings contributes to:
- reduction in the number of diseased and underdeveloped plants;
- uniform illumination of crops;
- reducing the frequency of watering;
- increase in productivity by 10-15%;
- reduction of the ripening time of some crops by 3-5 days.
Orientation from north to south with a predominance of cloudy days
In addition, some gardeners claim that vegetables grown in the correct direction of planting are better stored.
Planning features for different regions
So, residents of the northern and central regions, where there is less sunlight and more cloudy days, as well as with insufficient heat and excess moisture, are advised to orient plantings from north to south. Plants planted in this way will not shade each other.
Vegetable gardens in the southern hot and dry regions need beds oriented from west to east. With such a planting, crops shade the ground between the rows, respectively, it dries less, in addition, the negative effect of overheated soil decreases. Farmers' experiences show that in conditions of lack of rainfall, the yield of corn sown in this way was 20-25% more than that which grew in rows from north to south.
The location of the beds on the cardinal points is not always justified. The presence of strong constant winds in the region or the location of the site at an angle significantly correct this scheme. So, the negative effect of dry winds on plants is compensated by planting across the direction of air currents. In this case, plantings dry out less and retain more carbon dioxide, which contributes to photosynthesis. Ridges on an uneven area are made only across the slope.
Mitlider layout
Paths between beds
The width of the paths between the beds is described above (at least 90 cm), but it is important not only to correctly calculate the parameters of this zone, but also to equip the passages to exclude weeds. It can be both capital paths and temporary flooring. Such floorings not only prevent the growth of weeds, but also make the work of the gardener more convenient.
What to make garden paths
What to put between the beds so that the grass does not grow:
- wide boards or flooring from narrow boards, knocked down for strength in one line;
- fiberboard sheets;
- ruberoid;
- mulch from sawdust, hay, grass from the lawn. It is important to remember that fresh sawdust oxidizes the soil;
- a mound of pebbles, rubble, broken bricks - such paths between the beds are very decorative and decorate the landscape;
- old linoleum;
- carton boxes.
Tree cuts
If the location of the landings does not change and the paths always remain in place, it makes sense to make capital paths. The most reliable covering between the beds from weeds is concrete. Concrete passages can be monolithic, under an artificial stone or under a tile.
You can also lay out the tracks with tiles and not only concrete. The rubber tile looks very nice, in addition, it does not slip, which makes the movement of the summer resident safe.
Passages decorated with tree cuts look spectacular, but grass will still grow between the cuts if the recommendations below are not followed.
capital approach
How to prevent weeds from sprouting
This method is suitable for the design of permanent passages, that is, for those who do not plan to change the location of the beds.
How to make paths between beds so that weeds do not grow:
- Having worked out a clear plan of the garden, mark the passages.
- Remove the top layer of soil in the aisles. If the beds are raised or with high curbs, you can not remove.
- Lay cardboard, layers of paper, rags, black film for beds or geotextiles - a special material from grass.
- Cover with sand or sawdust.
- From above, make a hard and rain-resistant coating, for example, fill it with pebbles or broken bricks.
Beds-hills, located taking into account a complex of factors
As a result, capital passages will be obtained, on which nothing will grow. In the case of redevelopment, all this must be removed and the passages filled with fertile soil.
To figure out how to place the beds on the site and how to close the paths from weeds, you do not have to spend a lot of time. Consider the climatic conditions of the region, the cardinal points, the features of the soil and relief, as well as the developments of famous farmers, and as a result, collect good crops without wasting effort, energy and time for processing.
Traditional cultivation of the land requires a lot of time and physical strength, and the harvest is not always as expected. That is why more and more gardeners are equipping high beds on their plots, allowing them to get an excellent harvest of vegetables every year without much effort. Anyone can make high beds with their own hands, because this does not require special skills or special equipment.
Benefits of raised beds
Compared to conventional beds, bulk beds have many more advantages:
- a vegetable garden can be set up even on a plot that is completely unsuitable for agriculture;
- digging and weeding the garden are replaced by light loosening of the soil;
- in a limited space it is easier to remove weeds;
- a high bed is easy to mount and just as easy to disassemble;
- between the beds you can lay out paths and walk along them in any weather;
- plants ripen faster, which is especially important for cold regions;
- when arranging a high bed, good drainage is provided;
- crops in the beds are easy to protect from frost by covering with a tarpaulin or agrofibre.
In addition, a garden of bulk beds can be very decorative, so you can break it up next to the house.
Fencing materials
A high bed is a frame of a certain size, the interior of which is filled with soil, compost and fertilizers. Most often, the frame is made of a rectangular shape, and it is assembled from boards, slate, branches, plastic and other materials.
Wood is the most affordable, easy-to-install and environmentally friendly material. To assemble the beds, boards, timber, small logs are used. Disadvantages: wood requires, quickly darkens and loses its attractiveness, short-lived.
Vine and rods are an inexpensive and original solution. Wicker walls look very attractive, you can give the garden any shape. Disadvantages: weaving a vine requires skills, the service life of such a frame is very short.
Stone and brick - an option for sites with classical architecture. Very reliable and durable material, gives the beds a decorative look. Disadvantages: high cost, it will take more time to create a bed, it is difficult to dismantle.
Plastic is a great alternative to wood. Sheet plastic is easy to assemble and disassemble, it is strong enough, has an attractive appearance, is very durable and relatively inexpensive. Disadvantages: certain types of plastic contain harmful substances, so they are not suitable for the garden. Environmentally friendly material has an appropriate certificate, which must be presented upon purchase.
Metal is a convenient and durable material, ideal for curly beds. If necessary, it will not be difficult to move the metal frame, as well as dismantle it. The appearance of the metal walls is neat, they can be painted in any color or painted with ornaments. Disadvantages: to assemble a metal curb, the skills of a welder are required, the price of sheet metal is quite high, high-quality surface treatment is required to protect against corrosion.
- an excellent solution for multi-tiered beds or arranging a vegetable garden on a slope. The walls can be made monolithic or assembled from separate ones. The concrete surface is easy to decorate, it is as strong as possible, durable, has a neat appearance. Disadvantages: lengthy installation process, high cost of materials, additional requirements for the drainage system.
Making beds with slate is quite a budget and simple option. You can install the walls very quickly, such material lasts for a long time, for decorativeness the slate can be painted in any color. The main disadvantage is the fragility of the material, so when installing it should be handled with care.
Each gardener selects the size and shape of the bulk beds at his own discretion. And yet, there are optimal parameters for which the garden bed will be most effective:
- height from the ground 15-50 cm;
- width 90-120 cm;
If the bed is poured on fertile soil, it is made 15-20 cm high. This is quite enough for a good harvest. If the soil on the site is not suitable for farming, the bed is raised up to 30 cm. Compost beds are made even higher - up to 0.5 m. Sometimes the walls are raised very high, which allows you not to bend down during tillage and planting, but this increases material consumption and takes more time to arrange the garden. In addition, with a large width of the frame, it is inconvenient to cultivate the soil at such a height.
The bed should be wide enough for two rows of plants. With this planting, all plants will receive the same amount of air and sunlight, which has a very positive effect on productivity. More rows causes average plants to get less air, shade, stretch upwards, and yield drops. It is also much easier to process a standard-width bed than one that is too wide.
The length of the bulk bed does not play a special role, therefore it is limited only by the size of the plot. The most common option is beds with a length of 1.5 to 3 m; they are compact, look neat in the garden.
The right arrangement of a high bed
For example, a garden bed with a fence made of boards is taken; this option is the most convenient and inexpensive.
In the process of work you will need:
- bayonet shovel;
- roulette;
- drill or screwdriver;
- building level;
- circular saw or jigsaw;
- self-tapping screws;
- boards 50x200 mm;
- timber 50x50 mm;
- primer;
- building network.
Step 1. Wood processing
The boards are cut to the size of the frame, after which they are coated on all sides with antiseptic impregnation. You can use used oil for these purposes, and so that harmful substances do not penetrate the soil, after processing, it is recommended to cover the tree on one side with a film. Especially carefully process the lower edges of the boards that will be in contact with the ground. The beam is sawn into pieces 50 cm long and also impregnated with a protective agent. After that, the building material is laid out to dry.
Step 2. Site preparation
The plot under the bed should be illuminated by the sun for at least 5 hours a day. Mark the boundaries of the beds, remove stones and branches, dig up perennials. If desired, you can dig the soil along with fine grass - this will increase the permeability of the soil. If the soil is very dense, trampled down, it is enough to remove the turf layer around the perimeter of the marking to a shallow depth in order to more conveniently expose the frame.
Step 3. Assembling the frame for the beds
Dried boards are knocked down in pairs into shields and interconnected with the help of bars. The height of the shields is equal to the height of the beds, the long sides of the frame are additionally reinforced with transverse bars in the center. Since the length of the bars is greater than the height of the walls, they should protrude 10 cm above the frame. These will be the legs of the frame. To improve the appearance of the structure, boards laid flat are stuffed along the perimeter of the frame, the edges of which are cut at an angle of 45 degrees. In conclusion, the frame can be painted from the outside.
Step 4. Installation of the structure
The finished frame is transferred to the installation site; expose the structure according to the markup, make recesses for the legs, check the location of the beds with a building level. If necessary, put pegs or, conversely, take out excess soil. The structure should stand as evenly as possible, all corners on the same level. Finally, soil is poured around the perimeter of the walls and compacted so that there are no gaps left.
Step 5. Filling the beds
First, the bottom is covered with a construction mesh and nailed along the edges to the walls of the frame. The mesh will protect the structure from the penetration of moles and mice. Then geotextiles are laid, which will not allow weeds to germinate. Next, filling the beds is performed in layers:
- small branches, bark, large chips, leaves;
- bird droppings, rotted manure or;
- fallen leaves, branches, bark, grass;
- mineral fertilizer;
- fertile land.
The thickness of each layer is 10 cm. It is not necessary to mix the layers, but it is necessary to level and compact well. If the soil on the site is not of very good quality, it is better to use purchased soil. After filling, the bed is well spilled with water and left for a couple of days. During this time, the layers will settle a little and compact. From above, it is recommended to cover the frame with black agrofibre, which provides better heating of the soil and prevents weeds from germinating.
It is recommended to make high beds in the fall or at the end of summer, so that the layers are well rotted and the roots of the plants receive a maximum of useful substances. If the beds are mounted in the spring, it is necessary to fill them at least a month before planting and pour plenty of water several times to compact. It is easy to turn such a design into a greenhouse: for this, plastic or metal arcs are installed above the frame, the ends of which are fixed to the walls with bolts. A plastic film or a special agrofibre is attached to the arcs from above.
Prices for different types of building boards
Building boards
The device of beds from slate
For the device of bulk beds, you can use both flat and wavy slate. The technology of mounting the beds in this way is very simple and everyone can do it.
Table. wave slate
For work you will need:
- slate sheets;
- Bulgarian;
- bayonet shovel;
- a piece of chalk or a pencil;
- roulette;
- level;
- rubber mallet;
- drill;
- wooden pegs or metal rods.
Step 1. Markup
On the selected site, the boundaries of the beds are marked and beacons are installed. Narrow grooves are dug around the perimeter to the depth of the bayonet. If the soil is good, then they remove the entire fertile layer inside the markup, pouring it out not far from future beds.
Step 2. Material preparation
Slate sheets are laid on a flat surface, measure the desired length and draw a line across the waves with chalk. After that, the grinder cuts the slate along the lines. The pegs are impregnated with bituminous mastic or used oil, and if scraps of metal rods are used as racks, they are treated with anti-corrosion compounds.
Step 3 Installing the Frame
The first sheet of slate is installed vertically in the groove from the marking angle. Then they put the next sheet with an overlap in one wave, level it, knock it out on top with a rubber mallet so that both sheets are at the same height. Check the location of the upper edge of the slate with a building level, if necessary, add or remove soil from below. The walls are reinforced with metal rods or pegs, which are driven in on both sides to a depth of 0.5 m. So, all the sheets of the frame are placed in turn, the trench is covered and the horizontal level is checked again. After that, the soil at the walls is rammed, the excess is removed.
Step 4. Filling the beds
At the very bottom, you can lay old newspapers, cardboard, pieces of wallpaper, the next layer is chopped brushwood, tree bark, sawdust. After that, small chips are poured, plant waste, peat or compost are laid. And from above all this is sprinkled with the soil that was taken out at the very beginning. Plentifully water the bed to wet all the layers, and leave for several days. When the bed is compacted, you can start planting.
Garden care
When the plants sprout, plantings should be well watered and mulched. Weeds that have broken through the mulch layer are immediately removed. After harvesting, the surface is loosened and sown with green manure. Before the onset of cold weather, all vegetation is mowed, leveled in the garden, covered with a layer of earth on top and covered with a black film for the winter. Periodically, it is necessary to inspect the walls of the frame, replace or repair individual sections.
The soil between the beds is most often covered with small gravel, gravel, straw, sometimes sown with lawn grass. In such conditions, the garden always remains well-groomed, weeds do not grow, dirt does not stick to shoes. At will it is possible from a tile and a brick, or to fill in concrete.
Video - Do-it-yourself high beds
Video - High slate beds