| Hello again! Today I've decided to talk a little on | | | | Mike McGrath. This book has been compiled from |
| Raised Bed Gardening. You know there's so many | | | | many of the best organic gardening magazines and |
| ways to do gardening that work really well, | | | | edited by Mike. |
| consequently the decisions about gardening and the | | | | There's a couple chapters written in this book by a |
| how to becomes a bit confusing. Some of us rather | | | | couple authors that talk extensively about raised bed |
| not bother with it, because of lack of space, or | | | | gardening. They each give some real good advice on |
| maybe we're lazy. Maybe our jobs take all of our | | | | this subject. Now I realize this book may not be in |
| time and there's no time for anything else. Either you | | | | print as it is a older book. There are many organic |
| have the gardening bug or you don't. | | | | gardening books out there that are in circulation that |
| I can understand if it's a lack of space, because a real | | | | would give helpful advice along these lines. Back to |
| garden takes up a good amount of space, depending | | | | the poor soil situation, once you've figured out the |
| on what you want to grow, and how much. But | | | | size of your plots, take out the sod and at least 6 |
| maybe we want just enough garden to keep us | | | | inches of the soil. Next you want go to your local |
| busy helping things grow. This is where a raised bed | | | | developer or nursery to get your clean topsoil. You |
| garden can shine. There's a couple reasons a person | | | | may want to check out the nurseries compost |
| would want a raised bed garden. # 1 we already | | | | additive to put with your topsoil for best results |
| mentioned, Lack of space, 2. poor soil 3. using your | | | | Pile up your mix at least a good 10-14 inches in your |
| space more efficiently. | | | | bed. Make sure the edges are slanted up at a good |
| To begin with you can grow a lot more in a raised | | | | angle and tamped down as to keep erosion from |
| bed garden then you can in a traditional garden. Of | | | | happening as quick. Once you've gotten that done |
| course you need to decide if you want a long narrow | | | | you will want to find some type of mulch to go on |
| raised bed, or a square raised bed and etc. you get | | | | top of your soil. What that does, it keeps the weeds |
| the idea. You can plant things closer together in a | | | | down and holds the moisture in longer. I would use |
| raised bed garden because you don't need isle ways, | | | | straw, hay, leaves, grass clippings, anything that can |
| unless you have one big square garden. Then it would | | | | break down fairly quickly to form a mat like |
| be like a traditional garden. If you have a couple of | | | | substance. Then as time moves on it builds up the |
| these raised beds spaced a mowing width in | | | | humus in the soil making it even more fertile. |
| between them you should be good to go. | | | | Of course don't just rely on the rain to water your |
| Another thing would be to do a broad leaf application | | | | raised bed garden. You need to check it every day |
| on your lawn closest to your raised bed garden, as | | | | during hot weather and water and fertilize it at least |
| that will cut down on the potential weeds that tend | | | | once a week with organic fertilizers, such as fish |
| to make their home in the garden. When you plant | | | | fertilizer or liquid seaweed will give your raised bed |
| your veggies in your raised bed garden there are | | | | garden the nutrients it needs to produce. |
| different planting patterns you can use to maximize | | | | So there you go I hope it was beneficial to you, and |
| all of your space. You pretty much can grow | | | | with that keep on plowing ahead and do something |
| everything side by side with no spaces. I recommend | | | | successful in your life! |
| the book "The best of Organic Gardening" edited by | | | | |