(The soil in raised beds is usually a few inches below the rim of the bed. This gives your plants at least 18 – 20″ of soil. For best results, there should be another 12″ or more of good soil below the bed. (This is the height of two standard “2 x 6″ boards, which actually measure 1.5″ x 5.5”.) This height provides sufficient drainage for most crops. The most popular height for raised beds is 11″. How Tall Should a Raised Bed Be? Consider Drainageīesides the aesthetic appeal of raised beds and container gardens, they also provide good drainage for the soil within the bed.
#BACKYARD GARDEN 20X20 VEGETABLE GARDEN LAYOUT HOW TO#
For more information, read our article How to build raised beds on sloping ground. This is because the garden is on sloping ground. Note the beds are built with a taper to the sides. If you look carefully, you can see the aluminum cross-braces on the lower bed. Compost and fertilizer will be added to top up the beds. The soil in these raised beds is being prepared for planting. To learn more about building rich soil, see 6 Tips for Building Soil in Raised Garden Beds and Planters. These final amendments should be added within a week or two of planting, since you don’t want early spring rains to wash these valuable amendments too deeply into the soil. Once the bed is filled to within a few inches of the top, add fertilizer and compost. Now the raised bed can be assembled and topped up with soil. Rock phosphate can also be sprinkled in at this time. Since peat is acidic, add lime to balance the soil pH. Once you have prepared your plot and cleared away rocks, add peat moss as needed to lighten the soil. For example, if the soil appears clay-like, then it will need to be lightened with peat to provide aeration and improve drainage. (see our article How to Block Tree Roots from Entering Your Garden) Double-digging provides a reservoir of nutrients and water for your plants’ deeper roots.ĭouble-digging also lets the gardener see the condition of underlying soil so it can be determined which soil amendments to add.
Nearby trees, for example, may be sending roots as far as 50’ laterally underground in search of available nutrients. This is done to remove rocks and any debris, which would obstruct root growth it also gives the gardener a chance to see if there are any other roots encroaching into the soil space. This only needs to be done once and is much easier if done before the raised bed is assembled in place.ĭouble-digging refers to two shovel blade lengths, or approximately 24” in depth. When first setting up a raised bed, gardeners should ‘double-dig’ the soil beneath the raised bed. Raised garden beds (see options available in store) are open on the bottom which enables plant roots to access soil nutrients below ground level. Preparing the Ground for Raised Garden Beds ‘Double Dig’ the Ground Beneath Your Raised Beds
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