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A dacha is not just a site for growing and harvesting crops. For many, this is a favorite place to relax and implement ideas for. Often the method of planting vegetable crops is relegated to the background, but this is not correct, because their interesting location and attractive appearance The appearance of the entire landscape largely depends. This article tells you how to make beds for the lazy at your dacha in the easiest way. Photos and descriptions of the most good ideas, as well as ways of their implementation should help make your site comfortable and well-groomed.
Tall board structures for planting crops will be the highlight of any area
A garden bed is most often a fenced plot of land intended for growing a specific type of plant.
The main thing for a good harvest is fertile soil, correctly chosen planting time, and high-quality processing. However, in some cases you should pay attention to other factors:
- Orientation to the cardinal points.
For most crops this does not matter, but for example, rows of tomatoes and cucumbers must be positioned from north to south for a good harvest.
- Height.
If you want to harvest earlier than usual, you should install tall structures. They are easy to make (for example, you can assemble them from boards with your own hands without special tools in a short period of time), and the earth in them warms up faster.
When planning future beds, you need to know several aspects:
- Productivity of the selected crop (that is, how many plants grow on 1m2 of area).
- Compatibility of plants that you plan to plant in one area.
- Slate.
Typically, this material is used only if it is available (for example, left after a roof repair).
- Plastic.
The main feature of plastic is that it can be molded into any shape, so it is great for round or other curved fit options. In addition, it is not exposed to precipitation and low temperatures, so it will last a long time without losing its original attractiveness.
Expensive and durable option.
- A natural stone.
It makes the most impressive sides that will last for many years. Unlike bricks, stones have an irregular shape, which will allow you to create an eco-style landscape design. Disadvantages of stone sides: high cost and gradual sinking into the soil under the influence of its own weight, so such a side must be periodically checked and corrected.
A well-made one made with your own hands from scrap materials will serve for many years, but for a good harvest, its correct location is also necessary.
Placing beds in the vegetable garden: how to arrange, photos, tips
The quality and quantity of the harvest depends on the proper arrangement of the beds at the dacha, so this issue should be given special attention. First of all, you need to know the following:
- Beds located on the cardinal points (from north to south) are a good solution only for low plants on a flat horizontal area.
- If the site has a slope that cannot be leveled, the beds should be across it regardless of orientation.
- It is advisable to make the rows of one plant the same size. This will make it easier to calculate the amount of fertilizer, the degree of watering and planting.
- If there are slopes in different directions on the site, choose the south side (the crop will ripen faster on it).
In small areas there is often a lack of free horizontal space for planting. If this is your case, try one of the following ideas:
- Create vertical structures.
- Use unused objects (for example, a wheelbarrow, a barrel, etc.) to plant plants.
- Attach the garden bed to the seating area.
How best to make beds in the garden - options
Beds are classified according to design features, with the following types being distinguished:
- Traditional (level with the rest of the area, dimensions allow you to easily reach the center from any side (right or left)).
- High (30-40 cm above ground level, contribute to the fastest ripening of the crop).
- Deep (when installing, a trench 20-30 cm deep is dug, thanks to which the ground most often does not freeze, and planting can be carried out earlier).
- Narrow (for example, according to the Mittlider method, described in detail in the next chapter).
- Vertical ( perfect solution for small areas, however, not all plants can be planted in this way).
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How to make beds from boards with your own hands
Now let's look at how to properly make garden beds from wood. This material is the most common when arranging beds. Board structures have the following advantages:
- Reliability.
The tree perfectly retains moisture inside the row, and also does not deform for a long time.
- Low cost.
This material is often left behind after construction. If you don’t have it, you can buy boards at a fairly low price.
- Easy to install.
The main thing is high-quality wood processing; if this is not done, insects and moisture will quickly destroy the structure.
- Attractive appearance.
Wood is a material ideal for eco-style beds.
The only drawback of board structures is their fragility (in comparison, for example, with plastic or brick). However, the ability to quickly and cost-effectively change them more than outweighs this.
How to make a bed from boards with your own hands: photos, dimensions, installation sequence
If you decide to make a wooden structure, first of all you need to choose the type of wood:
- Oak or ash– hardwoods, the boards of which are perfect for in this case, however their price is quite high.
- Pine– cheap, but short-lived. The service life of such a fence can be extended by periodic chemical treatment.
- Cedar or larch– the best price-quality ratio. Due to the presence of resin in the data coniferous trees, there is no need to process them.
- Acacia- Also great option for making beds.
What are the optimal sizes of board beds? First you need to decide on the height of the structure, which depends on the following factors:
- Features of the planted crop.
Some vegetables require a certain depth (for example, for potatoes, the planting depth must be at least 40 cm).
- Soil fertility.
If the soil is fertile, the sides can be made 10-15 cm high. If backfilling of fertile soil is required, 30 cm or more.
- Type of bed.
For example, warm ones are characterized by a height of 50 cm.
The most important parameter when arranging beds in a dacha is their width, since ease of use largely depends on it. If you make it too wide, it will be difficult to reach its center. Therefore, the maximum width is considered to be 100 cm.
In most cases (if the planned design does not have too much complex shape) it will not be difficult to make a bed from boards with your own hands. The size of the boards depends on the size of the future bed, but if you only have material of insufficient length, it doesn’t matter, several boards can always be joined along the length.
Procedure for constructing a wooden structure:
- Preparing the area.
On at this stage it is necessary to level and dig up the area for the structure.
For a rectangular structure, you need to connect 4 boards and attach support bars to them, which should be 20-30 cm longer than the future sides. They need to be sharpened a little with an ax on the free side (to make it easier to enter the ground).
- Installation of the structure.
We drive the structure into the ground, and it is important to use a level to achieve maximum evenness of the structure.
- Surface treatment of boards.
First of all, the surface is primed (to protect it from moisture and pests), then coated oil paint(optional, you can leave the wood color).
- Backfill.
The composition depends on the type of structure and the selected crop. But in all cases, the first layer should be drainage.
Most often, they try to plant only one crop in one area, but sometimes they practice planting vegetables together in the garden. However, it is worth remembering that not all plants get along with each other. Therefore, below is a table of compatibility of vegetables in the beds.
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Interesting ideas come to mind for many summer residents and owners of private houses. In the article we will look at original photographic examples and several instructions for creating such beauty.
Mixed planting of vegetables in the garden: examples, photos
More and more summer residents are interested in obtaining not only a large harvest, but also an environmentally friendly one. Therefore, the question arises, how to achieve a high-quality harvest without resorting to chemicals?
An excellent solution is mixed planting of vegetables. After all, some cultures have a beneficial effect on each other. However, in this matter you should be extremely careful, since not all plants like any kind of neighborhood at all.
Thanks to the science of “allelopathy”, a table of the proximity of vegetables in the garden has been compiled, using which you can significantly reduce the use of chemicals for pest control and fertilizer.
The proximity of vegetables in the beds - compatibility table
The table below reflects the compatibility of vegetables in the garden. Planting using this information will ensure a high-quality harvest with minimum investment funds.
Mixed planting of vegetables in the garden: examples with photos and tips
Each friendly or unfriendly neighborhood of vegetables in the garden has its own justification. For example, strawberries and onions make great neighbors. Onions protect the berries from rot and disease, and if you plant parsley nearby, they prevent the appearance of slugs.
Onions are also an excellent companion for most garden crops, as they protect them from pests. The most interesting neighborhood of this plant is with carrots. Both crops have their own pests - onion and carrot flies, and the first cannot stand the smell of carrots, and the second - onions.
Garlic is great for pest control and is therefore a good companion for most crops. However, it is not recommended to plant it next to plants of the legume family, since the latter are leaders in fence nutrients, and garlic needs quite a lot of them.
Growing crops together in the garden can be detrimental to other vegetables. For example, tomatoes cannot be planted with cucumbers, as they require different degrees of watering. Thus, the proximity of these two crops will create difficulties during processing (there will be a need for spot watering, which will take much more time and effort).
In addition to the properties of plants, it is necessary to pay attention to their size. For example, when alternating cabbage and radishes, the second crop will not receive enough sunlight, causing the quality of the crop to deteriorate significantly.
So, you have developed an ideal arrangement of all the vegetables in your summer cottage, but every year the harvest gets worse. What to do? It is necessary to ensure crop rotation.
Crop rotation table for vegetables in beds
Crop rotation is the organization of alternation of crops in the garden. Ideally, this process should be continuous and annual. However, in real conditions, achieving this is very problematic for the following reasons:
- There is insufficient information about soil contamination and the presence of pests in it.
- There is no time for precise calculations of the ideal landing option.
Why is crop rotation a must for a good harvest? Each crop has unique characteristics when it comes to obtaining nutrients. Someone is looking for them in surface layers soil (for example, a cucumber), someone, in search of water, sinks their roots several meters deep (for example, a watermelon). In addition, for the growth of each plant, it needs (to a large extent) different elements(for example, for tomatoes - phosphorus, for cabbage - nitrogen).
Now imagine that from year to year a certain layer of soil is depleted, and the content of precisely those substances that are necessary for a given crop decreases. To make it easier for you to decide how to alternate vegetables, below is a table of crop rotation of vegetable crops in the garden.
Important! The main thing is that the culture does not return to its original place for 3-4 years. During this time, the soil will have time to recover and accumulate required amount nutrients.
How to make a bed for cucumbers in open ground: photos, methods
Cucumbers are a rather capricious crop that requires special care. Many people believe that it can only be planted seedling method, however, thanks to many years of selection, there are currently several varieties that can be planted directly in open ground.
First of all, it is necessary to prepare the beds for cucumbers in the spring:
- Choose the right direction of the rows - from north to south.
- Fertilize the soil (the best solutions are cow dung or chicken droppings, but if they are not there, any mineral fertilizer will do).
- Place sides (preferably at least 25 cm).
The main secrets of growing cucumbers in open ground– choosing the right planting time (from May to mid-June depending on the region) and choosing the appropriate variety.
How to make beds for cucumbers - general features
In the case when seedlings are not used, grow a high-quality crop in the usual way(on standard beds) it won’t work. It is necessary to use one of the other methods of growing cucumbers in open ground:
- Arranging a bed with a bookmark.
- Installation of a warm bed (including a raised structure).
These methods are non-standard, so they are described in detail below to prevent errors during installation.
How to make beds for cucumbers in the garden with a bookmark
To arrange a bed for growing cucumbers with a bookmark, you need to dig a trench 30 cm deep and fill it sequentially with the following layers:
- Branches and sawdust.
- Straw, leaves and compost (all should be filled at this stage) warm water).
- Sand.
- Organic waste (leaves, bark, etc.).
- Straw.
- Fertilizer (manure is best).
- Earth and humus.
- No dirt from the beds due to the presence of sides.
- High yield.
- Aesthetic appearance (you can make beautiful identical beds).
- Even faster warming of the soil, which means the harvest will appear earlier.
- Convenient (no need to bend over to care for cucumbers).
The main thing is to thoroughly compact each layer, otherwise the soil will turn out to be too loose, and you should not expect a good harvest.
Advantages warm beds for cucumbers:
Raised beds for cucumbers in open ground
In unfavorable climate conditions, it is advisable to arrange raised (or high) beds 40-50 cm high (for convenience, you can make it higher). In this case, the sequence of layers remains the same as in conventional warm structures on the surface of the earth. Such designs have the following advantages:
A good harvest is impossible without good-quality, competently and efficiently created beds. Every experienced gardener and the gardener recognizes that in a model garden the beds should be beautiful and well-groomed; this not only ensures productivity, but also increases the aesthetics of the site. After all, most of us not only work hard on the land, but also relax next to lovingly grown plants.
Beds for cucumbers
A well-groomed and high-quality garden bed should be level and well-warmed by the sun. Experts recommend dividing plots in the north-south direction so that the earth is evenly warmed by the sun's rays, because every plant needs warm conditions. It would be great if each individual bed had low sides that protected it from crumbling and retained moisture when watering.
In cases of a flat area, the beds should be laid out across the slope, and if the slope is very large, terraces should be made, strengthening them with boards, logs or slate. This will protect the soil and plants from flood waters and rain.
The shape of the beds can be different; most often, gardeners prefer to divide the plot into even rectangular or square pieces, but if desired, it is quite possible to create round, oval, triangular and even arbitrary shaped beds, guided by their desires or the characteristics of the relief.
The easiest way to have a beautiful front lawn
Of course you saw perfect lawn in the cinema, on the alley, and perhaps on the neighbor’s lawn. Those who have ever tried to grow a green area on their site will no doubt say that it is a huge amount of work. The lawn requires careful planting, care, fertilization, and watering. However, only inexperienced gardeners think this way; professionals have long known about the innovative product - liquid lawn AquaGrazz.
Each gardener chooses the size of the beds according to his own desires, but here are some important tips:
- Width standard bed should not exceed 1.5 meters so that the middle of the area is easy to reach. Wider beds will become a real problem and a source of back pain. If the bed is adjacent to a wall or fence, then the width will be no more than 80 centimeters in order to easily reach the opposite edge.
- The length can be any, some prefer to limit themselves to 1-1.5 meters, others arrange long ridges, up to 10 meters.
- It is important to correctly calculate the width of the path between the beds so that it is convenient to walk on them and do weeding. As a rule, the width of the paths should be slightly larger than the size of garden shoes, because weeding and loosening the beds in the first ballet pose is not particularly convenient. Most often, a distance of 40-50 centimeters is left between the beds.
- Most often, the beds are raised above the level of the paths; their height depends on the wishes of the gardener and the characteristics of the site.
Narrow rows
The following types of beds are distinguished:
Traditional garden bed
A traditional garden bed is up to 2 meters wide and up to 10 meters long. The paths between them most often do not exceed 40 centimeters in width. With such a layout, it is not always convenient to reach the middle of the beds; moreover, in the center of the plot, the plants receive little light, get sick and deteriorate.
Large bed
Exceeds 12 in area square meters As a rule, in such large areas, plants are grown that rarely need weeding - beans, potatoes, herbs.
Knoll bed
Reaches a height of 80-100 centimeters, the length is chosen at the request of the gardener. To create it, you will have to work hard: to do this, you need to remove the top fertile layer of soil, lay the remains of building materials such as boards, chipboard scraps or brushwood on the site, and fertile soil is poured on top of them. In the middle of the resulting bed you need to dig a shallow ditch that will retain water after watering and replenish the soil. Such beds are great for growing vegetable crops, but when planting them, you need to remember that the tallest crops should be planted closer to the middle, and the short ones should be planted at the edges.
High bed
The place for its arrangement should be sunny and protected from the winds, so that the soil warms up quickly and evenly in the summer months, and the harvest ripens earlier. The sizes of high beds can vary, but the width is preferably up to 1.5 meters in order to easily weed the soil on both sides. When arranging high beds, it is necessary to remove the fertile layer of soil, lay hard natural debris (boards, brushwood, sticks, cardboard) on the ground, and cover it with quickly decomposing debris - grass, fallen leaves. Next, the bed is covered with a 30-centimeter layer of fertile soil. And the plot is ready for planting! But remember that raised beds need to be watered regularly. This option will be convenient in any greenhouse.
Traditional beds
Deep bed
Its arrangement is similar to the high one. To do this, a deep trench is dug in the area of the future bed, compost, peat, manure and other fertilizers of organic origin are placed in it, and soil is poured on top. The height of such a bed should not be higher than 25 centimeters, but thanks to the fertilizer the ground does not freeze in the winter cold and planting can begin much earlier.
Narrow bed
A narrow bed is the future of modern gardening; it is appropriate both for open areas, and in the greenhouse. The theory behind the usefulness of narrow beds is that the plant is an iceberg in which the above-ground visible part occupies a negligibly small area compared to the developed root system. And if you walk near the plant at least once a month for weeding and loosening, then the small tender roots will disappear, which will lead to crop disease and a decrease in yield. Therefore, many experienced vegetable growers suggest setting up highly raised narrow beds that can be cultivated from row spacing. Their width should not exceed 110 meters, so that the middle of the site can be easily reached from both sides.
High bed
The distance between individual beds should be at least 40 centimeters. Such beds are easy to process, weed and loosen without causing any harm to the root system. Also, narrow beds provide plants with maximum air and light, which is very useful for proper development. In addition, the row spacing of traditional beds must be constantly weeded and loosened, and narrow beds once created will last up to ten years. Another advantage of narrow, high beds is the rapid heating and drying of the soil in the spring.
While in other gardens they still plow the soil and dig through wet mud, narrow beds are already suitable for sowing and planting vegetables and even berry crops such as strawberries. Except high yield narrow beds look very aesthetically pleasing, because the spaces between the rows can be sown with lawn grass or covered with mulch, which will save the gardener from the eternal dirt on his shoes and make the area beautiful and well-groomed. And created in a greenhouse, they will allow you to get the harvest as early as possible.
Sizes of beds for various garden crops
Let's consider the sizes of beds for various garden crops.
Beds for cucumbers
For efficient cultivation For cucumbers, it’s not enough to just dig up the ground and sow the seeds. According to most gardeners, high beds are best suited for growing cucumbers.
The width of the cucumber bed should not be more than 110 centimeters, which will make it easy to weed from the path. It turns out that the roots of cucumbers are located close to the surface, and if you loosen and weed the plants while walking around them, the vital roots will die, which will lead to the loss of a third of the cucumber harvest.
Narrow bed
The length of the bed is not important and depends on the personal preferences of the vegetable grower, but the bed must be well lit for the plants to develop properly, abundant flowering and fruiting. It is also advisable to think in advance about the possibility of installing a net or lattice to capture cucumber shoots, which significantly improves the yield of the crop.
Increasingly, the use of so-called “warm beds” is practiced for growing cucumbers. They are made according to the tall principle, adding various herbs, plants and even peelings to the middle layer, they are sprinkled with soil and covered with black film on top. An increase in temperature activates the processes of decomposition of organic matter, and the area becomes very fertile. In addition, a high temperature is maintained under the film, which is very important for rapid growth cucumbers Such beds can be made both in open ground and in a greenhouse. The size may vary, but most often they make narrow and long beds.
Vegetable beds
When setting up traditional beds for vegetables, narrow beds are best suited, in which the width makes it easy to weed the area, and the plants receive the necessary amount of water and sun rays.
Vegetable beds
For effective growing of vegetables, narrow beds are most suitable, which give the plant maximum light and space. And if, when creating them, they also use the technology of “warm beds”, pouring organic waste under the fertile soil, then the soil becomes more fertile solely thanks to natural ingredients, and not the introduction of artificial mineral fertilizers.
Natural fertilizers make vegetables not only tasty, but also healthy. Also, the benefit of warm beds is the rapid warming of the soil and the speedy planting of vegetable seedlings. As practice shows, various vegetables grow and bear fruit better in such beds: carrots, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes and even berry crops such as strawberries.
With the arrival of spring, many summer residents begin to think about how to plan their plot in order to get maximum yield on the one hand and convenience on the other. There should be a good access to the plantings for watering, loosening, fertilizing, pruning, etc. The same dilemma can arise in the summer, when you need to quickly organize a bed for some crop.
Orientation to cardinal points:
- Regular beds with low-growing plants are best placed in a north-south direction. This rule should especially be taken into account in shaded and low-lying areas.
- Raised beds, as well as ordinary beds located on light, dry soils on the sunny side of the site or on hills, are best located from east to west. In this case, the plants will shade the row spacing, which means that more moisture will be retained in the soil.
- If there is a slope on the site, the beds should be made across the slope.
You should also determine which parts of your site receive how much sun. To do this, use the main picture for this material:
- The southern territory of the site, marked green, receives maximum sun rays throughout the year. It is better to plant heat-loving plants here.
- The central yellow area is also suitable for growing most garden crops. Moving across the sky, the sun will evenly illuminate every part of this territory. On some ridges it will shine actively in the morning, on others - in the afternoon. This way, each plant will be exposed to direct sunlight for a sufficient amount of time.
- The northern part of the site with the least amount of sunlight is highlighted in red.
Of course, all this division is very arbitrary. Your north end will be your neighbor's south end. Focus primarily on objects and large plants that can shade individual plantings, taking into account the movement of the sun.
Be sure to consider your region summer cottage. When placing the beds from north to south, the plants will receive maximum sunlight, but if in the Kuban this can cause them to burn out and dry out from an excess of sun, then in middle lane Russia - there will be the best option.
How to properly arrange beds on a site for high yields
Owners summer cottages Over time, they notice that certain crops produce greater yields when planted in certain place vegetable garden But there is an opportunity to receive bountiful harvest regularly if careful planning of the land is carried out.
Land preparation
Initially, the area that you have chosen for the beds needs to be processed, dug up and plant debris removed. If there was previously a building at the chosen location that you demolished, you need to remove all construction debris, and there will be a lot of it: glass, wood chips and nails.
Source: Depositphotos
Planning a site is not difficult if you have a compass or exact landmarks of the cardinal directions
Ideally, of course, bring new soil to such a site, because there is a possibility that the soil is no longer fertile.
The most important thing is to prepare the bottom layer of soil. If it is dense, then moisture will accumulate on it all the time, which is why the rhizomes of plants can rot. In order to loosen the soil, it is better to use a cultivator - this will be difficult to do manually. And give some soil for testing, so you will find out the acidity level, because there is a possibility that the soil is not suitable for growing crops.
How to arrange beds on the site
Correct placement of all crops on plot of land This will not only increase their productivity, but will also significantly reduce the number of sick and dead plants. This will also make it possible to reduce watering, and the ripening of vegetables, fruits and berries will occur much earlier. Many gardeners have also noticed that crops grown in a properly located area last much longer.
For proper zoning of land it is important:
- Draw up a schematic plan of the vegetable garden indicating all the buildings, shrubs and trees on it.
- List all types of crops proposed for planting and determine the best place for planting according to their soil and climate requirements.
- Take into account the admissibility and priority of the proximity of different cultures.
- Schematically indicate on the plan the size of the beds and the plants that will be planted there.
This kind of work seems difficult to do. For this, you can hire a specialist in the field landscape design, which can easily be required project. But it is not difficult to carry out such calculations independently. And having done this once, you can forget what a bad harvest is.
How to properly place beds according to cardinal directions
When deciding to arrange the beds correctly, taking into account the cardinal directions, the first question that arises is in which direction to extend them - from west to east or from north to south. It is important to take into account the region in which the land is located:
- In the central and northern regions, landing should be carried out in a direction from north to south. This way there will be enough light for all plants;
- In the southern regions, the direction of planting crops should be from west to east. This will allow the plants to provide a little shade for each other and prevent the soil from overheating.
But placing beds on a site oriented to the cardinal directions is not always advisable. For example, north-south beds work well for low plants and horizontal section. In this case, there will be enough light and the water will not stagnate.
If this tall plants, then suitable option there will be an arrangement from west to east, so that the morning and evening rays of the sun can freely penetrate the rows of plants and illuminate each of them.
Source: Depositphotos
Your garden is located in a regular spawn zone strong winds? Landing must be carried out across the movement of air currents
When the site has significant unevenness, the beds in these places should be located exclusively across the slope. At the same time, the south side will be ideal for growing vegetables.
What to consider when planning
You have completed the first stage, but to go further and plan the location of the beds, you need to take into account some factors.
Lighting
Most crops love the sun and well-lit areas. Only some plants can grow in partial shade, such as onions. That is, in the garden bed on which the shadow of a fence, house or other buildings falls, you can plant it and some types of herbs. The harvest, of course, will be small, but other crops are unlikely to produce anything in a shaded area.
Culture compatibility
By planting a cucumber next to beets, you will get a good harvest of these vegetables. But cucumbers will not get along next to tomatoes - they have different preferences for soil moisture levels. Dill extends the fruiting period of cucumbers, and garlic and onions protect against pests. Legumes stimulate the growth of cucumbers. But there is a catch here too. Beans also stimulate the growth of potatoes, spinach, corn, radishes, radishes and basil. By the way, basil also helps legumes and fights weevil.
Good neighbors for tomatoes are onions, celery, lettuce, corn, radishes, garlic, radishes and spinach. And if you plant tomatoes next to cabbage, the cabbage butterfly will stop spoiling the harvest, because it cannot stand the smell of tomato tops.
Cabbage grows well with other crops, but its best neighbors are onions and potatoes. Also lettuce and celery: they drive away flea beetles from cabbage, and dill drives away aphids.
For example, plant onions or garlic among strawberries and you will forget about gray rot and strawberry weevil. And parsley planted along the edges of the bed will drive away slugs. In general, garlic is considered a good helper against pests - because of its smell, pests will not spoil the crops. Aphids react especially sharply to it: plant garlic, and it will disappear in a couple of days.
Beets, in turn, have a positive effect on the growth and development of beans, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes. And all due to the fact that its root vegetables secrete a liquid that has antibiotic properties. That is, beets not only stimulate growth, but also improve the health of crops, especially carrots.
The best neighbors for carrots, in addition to beets, are tomatoes, radishes, peas, lettuce, sage, parsley, spinach and onions. The most interesting thing is that there is a carrot fly and an onion fly. But carrots cannot stand the smell of onions, and onions cannot stand the smell of carrots.
What crops used to grow on the site?
Firstly, only beans, potatoes, tomatoes and strawberries can be planted in one area for several years, but others need to be swapped every year.
Secondly, consider what crops you planted that season. For example, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and legumes are recommended to be planted in the place where cabbage used to be. But you can’t plant pumpkins, radishes, carrots and cucumbers in its place.
Planning your beds is half the battle. In addition, it is very important to know how to alternate crops.
This article discusses beds for the lazy: photos of the easiest structures to make for those who want to get a neat garden with a minimum of effort, the most common materials and technologies for creating structures based on them. The reader will learn how to combine vegetable crops in one bed and prepare the soil for planting cucumbers. The article contains practical recommendations for beginner gardeners.
Designing the right garden beds will solve many problems and open up new opportunities for the owner of a summer cottage:
- protection against soil erosion in the garden when there is a large amount of rainfall or watering the plants. The sides of the bed will keep the nutritious soil in place, preventing it from washing out onto the paths. In addition, the passages between the structures themselves will remain clean, no dirty puddles or streaks;
- the possibility of forming the basis for creating a temporary greenhouse for the spring period. By installing high sides as fences, a multi-layer bed can be organized inside the structure, which can be used as a greenhouse. To do this, it is enough to install special arcs and stretch the film. The result will be a neat greenhouse house;
- improving the appearance of the garden due to orderly and even plantings with beautiful framing;
- creating boundaries to prevent the spread of weeds.
Making beds with your own hands from boards and other materials allows you to clearly limit the planting area, thanks to which weeds and harmful plants do not have the opportunity to spread widely. If the garden fence is dug to a greater depth, the level of protection increases and perennial weeds, which are unable to overcome this barrier, can no longer penetrate into the garden bed.
Note! With the help of beds with well-buried fences, the spread of plants such as reeds and creeping wheatgrass is effectively blocked. Their root system is capable of covering large distances underground if left unconstrained.
Photo interesting designs beds, recommendations for their creation. Tips for designing unusual landscape design on the site.
The most best place is an area where the sun is present throughout the day. It is allowed to install beds where there is shade in the morning or during the day. If the proposed construction area is dark throughout the day, you should not use this place for arranging a vegetable garden.
How best to make beds in the garden: choosing the optimal design
The design of the beds is selected at an early stage of planning, when a place for the vegetable garden has already been selected.
Each type of beds has certain advantages:
- raised or - the most effective designs that are best suited for growing vegetable crops. Construction Materials they are not expensive to create, and the soil does not need to be dug up. The width and height of the structures determine how much effort and time will be required to build them. Most often, summer residents prefer wooden beds made of boards. On the Internet you can find photos of raised beds with your own hands; such structures do not have fencing. They also fall into the category of elevated structures;
- container beds - will be beneficial in cases where site space is limited. Small, large and medium-sized pots are suitable for organizing such beds. Garlic, peppers, lettuce and herbs feel especially good in containers. Mobility is another advantage of container beds, which can be moved to any location if desired;
- open ground beds are the oldest method of growing crops that are planted directly into the ground. In such conditions, it is more difficult to get a good harvest, so the technology of joint planting of vegetables in the garden is often used.
Helpful advice! If you plan to plant crops in open ground, it is recommended to determine the quality of the soil, fertilize it and check the compatibility of vegetables in the garden according to the table.
How to make beds from boards with your own hands: useful tips
Raised beds are most often made from wood. This material, in comparison with others, is considered the most practical and environmentally friendly. Such designs look very aesthetically pleasing in the photo. Do-it-yourself beds made from boards have other advantages:
- a simple maintenance system involving easy weeding, harvesting and watering of plants;
- the ability to grow vegetable crops even where the soil is completely unsuitable for these purposes. A frame is made on the basis of the boards, which is subsequently filled with fertile soil purchased in the store, so there is no connection to the quality of the soil and its composition. Thanks to this, plants can be grown even in areas with rocky surfaces;
- Box structures allow you to hold soil inside the bed. In addition, the presence of sides simplifies the process of installing arcs to form a greenhouse. It is much easier to secure these elements to the fence than to dig them into the soil;
- Even without knowing how to properly make garden beds, any summer resident can cope with the manufacture of wooden box structures. The boards are easy to process, and the construction and assembly of the frame does not require expensive tools;
- there is no chance that plants planted close to the sides will get burned in the summer heat. Wood, unlike metal, is not prone to overheating.
Note! The environmental friendliness of the material allows you not to worry about getting into the ground. harmful substances. Wood is much safer than asbestos-cement sheets (slate). The exception is boards treated with chemicals designed to double the life of the material.
Making practical beds from boards: how to make the right choice of material
Summer residents most often create wooden structures based on materials found on the farm. To make beds, timber, round timber, slab, and lining can be used.
When it comes to purchasing boards in a store, you should pay special attention to the type of wood from which they are made:
- a board made of ash or oak will last a very long time. Although the cost of such products is quite high;
- pine remains the most favorable in terms of price and processing. But this type of wood is highly susceptible to rotting while in the ground, so its service life is short. Due to impregnation and antiseptics the life of pine can be extended by a couple of years;
- boards made of cedar and larch wood are considered the most suitable material for making boxes. Larch is naturally impregnated with resin, thanks to which the product will retain its newness for many years without the use of additional impregnations. Cedar wood is characterized by a lower resin content, but it is not inferior to larch in terms of durability and at the same time has an affordable price;
- Boards made from acacia feel good in the ground. It is worth noting that this type of wood is durable and has a solid structure, so its processing will be more difficult. To work with acacia you will need a powerful electric tool.
Helpful advice! It is not recommended to skimp on the quality of the material. Boards made from poor wood are susceptible to rapid rotting. After a few years, holes will appear on the fences of the garden beds, through which fertile soil will be washed away during rains and watering of plants.
Making beds from boards with your own hands: photos, dimensions of structures
Box beds have a rectangular shape and are made of boards. The simplest design does not require special knowledge and skills, so any novice summer resident can handle its production. The main thing is to correctly calculate the dimensions of the boxes.
- height– many summer residents strive to create the highest possible sides. However, this approach is erroneous if it is not intended to build a warm bed for cucumbers or other types of crops, where a fence height of up to 0.7 m is acceptable. The technology for manufacturing such structures requires laying multi-layer insulation. For ordinary beds, such high fences are not required; it is enough to limit it to 0.15-0.2 m. Excessive height of the sides is also unprofitable in economic terms, because their construction will require a lot of boards. In addition, wood is susceptible to deformation changes under the influence of moisture, so there is a risk that over time high fences will swell and lose their attractive shape;
- width– experienced summer residents recommend choosing a width equal to half the height of the person who will care for the beds. Most often, this parameter is in the range of 0.9-1.2 m, because during work a person should be able to reach the middle of the structure from the side fence;
- length– this parameter is practically unlimited. Although excessively long structures reduce the level of rigidity of the side rails, it is therefore recommended to choose a length within 4-6 m.
Helpful advice! When choosing dimensional parameters for wooden beds It should be taken into account that between them it is necessary to organize passages with a width of 0.4-0.6 m. Only after this the layout of structures on the site is considered.
Creating mixed plantings of vegetables in the garden: photo examples and optimal schemes
The method of combining crops is very effective in practice if the companion plants are chosen well. Therefore, plot owners use a special table to calculate the proximity of vegetables in the beds before planting. Some types of vegetables have a depressing effect on each other, others can improve the growth and development of neighbors and provide them with protection from pests.
The correct proximity of vegetables in the beds: compatibility table
Many summer residents note that thanks to the proximity of beans as a seal for the beds where potatoes are grown, the number of Colorado potato beetles is significantly reduced. Marigolds effectively protect cabbage from the white butterfly. Despite this, a certain balance must be maintained. After all, an excessive amount of marigolds in the garden can stifle the growth of cabbage.
Table of vegetable neighbors in the garden that create a successful tandem:
| Name of vegetable crop | Plants for successful combination |
| strawberries | beans, spinach, marigolds, garlic, lettuce |
| kohlrabi | cucumber, lettuce, onion, beets |
| peas | carrots, corn, cucumber, calendula, eggplant |
| onion | tomato, celery, beets, savory, carrots |
| beans | potatoes, cucumber, tomato, strawberry, eggplant |
| cucumber | radishes, peppers, peas, cabbage, beans |
| carrot | lettuce, onion, sage, tomato, peas |
| salad | strawberries, cucumber, carrots, radishes |
| pepper | salad, cucumber, beans |
| tomato | calendula, basil, beans, nasturtium, parsley |
The following pairs of plants are characterized by poor compatibility of planting vegetables in the garden:
- cabbage and strawberries;
- onions and beans;
- carrots and celery, dill, parsley;
- cucumbers and potatoes.
Helpful advice! In addition to the main crops, it is recommended to spot plant herbs and ornamental herbs in the garden bed. Thus, the garden will not only be beautiful, but also useful.
Examples of mixed planting of vegetables in the garden: popular schemes
A good example of the compatibility of vegetables in the garden is the combination of onions and carrots. As an independent crop, onions can produce about 2.5 kg of yield from 1 m² of bed. Carrots on the same area yield approximately 6 kg of yield. When growing these crops together, 1 m² can produce 9 kg of vegetables. These plants create protective barriers against pests for each other, so the efficiency of the used area increases.
Of course, when planning to grow crops together in a garden bed, you need to group the plants based on their height so that none of them blocks the light for the other. This is necessary because vegetables can not only have different heights, but also grow at different rates. It is desirable that the compactors that are planted additionally be lower in height than the main vegetables. The principle of multi-tiered juxtaposition of vegetables in beds makes it possible to create favorable conditions for the root system of crops, and also promotes the rational use of solar energy.
High yields are collected from the beds where beets and late cabbage are planted. To do this, beets (9 plants) and cabbage (4 bushes) should be planted on an area of 0.8x0.8 m, not forgetting to fertilize the holes with a glass of compost and a handful of eggshells (grind first).
To obtain excellent result When planting beans and tomatoes, it is recommended to place the plants in a row with a step of 0.3 m. Along the row with bush beans, it is installed so that each plant is located at the dropper. Tomatoes are planted in the central part of the garden bed. As a result, the bean and tomato bushes should be arranged in a checkerboard pattern.
Helpful advice! It is better to trim tomato stems for the winter, and as low as possible. On the contrary, it is recommended to leave beans untouched.
Table of crop rotation of vegetables in beds by crop groups
Crop rotation can also affect the yield of beds. If the annual change of crops grown in the same bed is carried out in the correct order, the garden will produce good harvests.
Advantages of proper crop rotation:
- the likelihood of soil fatigue on the site is eliminated, since the same vegetable absorbs the same set of nutrients from the soil every year and does it from the same depth;
- the spread of diseases and pests that affect plants of the same family is prevented;
- it becomes possible to use fertilizers rationally.
The most primitive way of organizing crop rotation in a garden bed involves planting plants from different families in the same area every year. The easiest way is to divide cultures into four groups:
- Leafy crops – these include various types of cabbage, green onions, lettuce, and spinach.
- Fruit vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, pumpkin.
- Legumes - beans, chickpeas, peas.
- Root vegetables - potatoes, beets, radishes, carrots.
Table of the simplest crop rotation in the garden:
| Sequence of landing by year | Recommended crops for planting | |||
| 1st bed | 2nd bed | 3rd bed | 4th bed | |
| 1 year | fruit | roots | legumes | leafy |
| 2 year | roots | legumes | leafy | fruit |
| 3 year | legumes | leafy | fruit | roots |
Arrangement of beds for cucumbers in open ground: photos and recommendations
To grow cucumbers in open ground, beds are usually prepared in the fall. This should be done before the rains and temperatures drop. The planting area must be carefully dug up and saturated with organic fertilizers. Cucumbers like fertile, light soil that has a good level of air and water permeability. If the soil on the site is heavy, sawdust, peat or sand can be added to the soil to facilitate loosening.
Helpful advice! To get a rich harvest, it is recommended to add a tablespoon of superphosphate and a glass of ash per 1 m² of area. Instead of ash, you can use dolomite flour.
The process of preparing a bed for cucumbers in the spring includes the procedure for disinfecting the soil. To do this, the site of the future garden is spilled with potassium permanganate. The solution must be hot and strong. In addition, soil fertility can be increased by adding chicken manure or manure. This procedure is carried out locally, that is, the fertilizer is placed directly into the trench or hole. After this, the bed is covered with a small layer of soil, where the seeds are then planted.
How to make a bed for cucumbers: agrotechnical secrets
To get a rich harvest of cucumbers from the garden, you must adhere to the basic rules:
- There should be no irrigation canals, streams or flowing reservoirs near the beds.
- If the planting area is not protected, it is better to place the garden in a quiet place where there are no drafts.
- Procedures such as watering and loosening the soil must be performed on a regular basis. Otherwise, a hard crust will form on the surface, and the bed will dry out greatly.
- Cucumbers grown in open ground need to be fed much more often than those grown in closed beds.
- During harvesting, it is not recommended to change the position of the plant's vines or turn them over.
- Weeding plants in open beds must be performed more often than is done indoors.
- It is recommended to cover the entire surface of the bed with black film.
Cucumbers need a rich biological composition of the soil. Therefore, it is recommended to fertilize the soil with organic matter, for example, grass, humus, branches, rotted manure, and food waste. In the process of their decomposition, not only does the fertility of the soil increase, but also heat is released, warming the soil. So that the high temperature does not damage root system cucumbers, experienced summer residents advise abundant watering.
Interesting fact! Sometimes decomposition organic fertilizers occurs so actively that the soil in the garden bed warms up to 80° C. Under the influence of such high temperature Many pests, viruses and pathogenic fungi contained in the soil die. As a result, it happens natural sterilization soil.
There are several ways to grow cucumbers in open ground. For these purposes, you can form a long ridge bed, a hole, dig a ditch, or build a high structure.
How to make cucumber beds in the garden with a bookmark
To form a bed with a bookmark, you will need to dig a trench. The depth of the ditch should be equal to two shovels. Then branches are laid out across and sawdust is poured in. The next layer consists of straw and garden waste. You can add autumn leaves, cardboard or newspapers, and compost. The thickness of the fertilizer layer should be within 5-7 cm. The layer is filled with warm water and covered with a mixture of compost and soil.
A bed with a bookmark can effectively serve for 5 years. In the second year of operation there will be no need to add upper layer compost, because during the decomposition of organic components, the bed itself will produce nutrients.
Advantages of a bed for growing cucumbers with a bookmark:
- convenient watering system;
- stagnation of water is eliminated;
- In the spring there is no need to dig up the soil, just loosen the soil.
Plants can be planted on such a nutrient basis much earlier than is customary in conventional beds. It is not recommended to use beds with filling in low-lying areas and areas where water stagnates.
Warm surface beds for cucumbers in open ground
This type of warm beds for growing cucumbers is built on the surface of prepared soil. This technology will be the best option for areas located in lowlands. In order to enhance the heating process, the bed is covered with film. As a result, a greenhouse effect is formed, which has a positive effect on the growth of cucumbers and their productivity.
Surface beds also include structures in the form of boxes made of brick, slate or boards. The bottom of these containers is filled with sand, then with wood waste. Next comes a layer of organic waste and straw. After laying each component, the contents are carefully compacted and filled with liquid manure. Finally, the bed is filled with a mixture consisting of soil.
Helpful advice! Vegetable and fruit skins, fallen leaves, eggshell(ground into powder).
Cucumbers are planted in two rows. Plants are placed along the edges of the box bed, which ensures a sufficient level of illumination. If you plan to plant cucumbers in early spring, the structures can be converted into greenhouses. To do this, you will need to install plastic arcs and pull them on plastic film. Thus, heating is enhanced and it becomes possible to obtain early harvest. Moreover, the result is completely independent of weather conditions.
Raised beds for cucumbers in open ground
Warm beds with a raised structure are used in cases where the site is located in a region with a cold and humid climate. Due to this, the soil is fully warmed up, allowing for early harvesting. If they get too close to the garden groundwater, the bed is raised high, due to which the plantings do not get wet on soil that is oversaturated with moisture. Stone fruit trees, whose roots are severely affected by groundwater, are planted in a similar way.
As borders for these structures they are used various materials. The most popular of them are slate and wood. In rare cases, metal is used. This type of bed can even be installed in the middle of the lawn. If you frame it in the form of paving stones or tiles, a raised vegetable garden with cucumbers will become a worthy decoration of your summer cottage.
As alternative solution It is possible to build a bulk hill on the territory that does not have a fence. You can take any length for such a bed; the optimal width is 1 m. You should not raise the ornamental garden to a height of more than 1 m. The air that remains in the voids formed between the elements of large organic matter provides good ventilation and promotes rapid heating of the soil.
To speed up the decomposition process of fertilizers, the soil is spilled with a solution saturated with special bacteria. The procedure is carried out twice a year. The first time the soil is watered with bacteria is in the spring. After treating the beds, you should wait at least a week before planting plants. The second time the soil is spilled in the fall after the crop is harvested. When the soil has already been treated with the composition, it should be loosened so that the soil is saturated with oxygen and the drug itself is evenly distributed.
