| With any project there is always the planning stage. | | | | build your vegetable garden out of. If you use lumber |
| Planning a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden is no | | | | choose a treated lumber that is rated for ground use. |
| different. In this case there are questions that need | | | | Some treated lumber is only meant for outside but |
| to be answered before you start building your | | | | not with ground contact. A number rating will tell you |
| garden bed. Below are the questions and suggestions | | | | the intended use. There is also composite lumber that |
| you need to take into account before making your | | | | you can choose that will stand up to the elements. |
| decisions. | | | | Some people use concrete blocks to build there beds. |
| Questions and Answers on Raised Bed Gardening | | | | 5. What type of soil will I use? There are my |
| 1. What area in my yard should I place the garden | | | | mixtures of soil you can use. A regular top soil, |
| bed? You need to choose a spot that will allow your | | | | different blends or totally organic. The ground |
| vegetables to receive six to eight hours of sunlight a | | | | beneath your garden bed should be free from grass |
| day. You also want to make sure that you have an | | | | and debris before you plant. Tilling the soil will help. |
| available water source so your plants will stay well | | | | You can also use a barrier mat laid across the bed to |
| hydrated. | | | | reduce the amount of unwanted weed growth while |
| 2. What size garden should I build? This kind of | | | | raising your crops. |
| vegetable garden can be any size you choose. You | | | | 6. Do I build from scratch or buy a raised bed kit? If |
| want to make the width so you can easily reach the | | | | you like to build your own projects your decision is |
| middle from either side. The bed can be on the edge | | | | made. If you want a kit that you assemble then you |
| of your yard so not to take away from the interior. | | | | have many choices. Raised bed garden kits are made |
| Typically this type of garden is a square shaped that | | | | from materials made to last in all elements. There are |
| is four feet wide on each side. Some like a more | | | | many different designs you can choose from some |
| rectangular shape with the dimensions of 4x8 to | | | | allowing for esthetics as well as functionality. |
| accommodate more vegetables. | | | | Stake out the size of your bed plus add about a foot |
| 3. What vegetables should I plant in the raised bed? | | | | to each side so no weeds or grass will grow around |
| Different vegetables need different spacing. Knowing | | | | the garden space. The area you have chosen now |
| which plants you would like to grow before you build | | | | needs to be cleared of all grass and weeds. If you |
| gives you information on how many vegetables you | | | | want to save the grass you can rent a machine that |
| can plant in your garden bed that is raised. Some | | | | will enable you to use the grass somewhere else. |
| vegetables like tomato plants grow tall and | | | | You are now ready to build from scratch or |
| somewhat bushy, they need to be staked for | | | | assemble your vegetable garden kit. |
| support and should be spaced at least 14 inches | | | | With all your questions answered you now have all |
| apart. Other running plants like cucumbers should be | | | | your pre-planning done. You are ready to get the |
| placed on the end of the bed so they may have | | | | area ready for your vegetable garden. By knowing |
| room to flourish. | | | | what you need for Planning a Raised Bed Vegetable |
| 4. What material will I use to build the bed? There | | | | Garden in advance you can have all the material on |
| are many different materials that can be used to | | | | hand saving you time and money. |