Gardening is a favorite hobby of many of our fellow citizens. In other years, only having your own personal plot made it possible to keep the family budget afloat, and today the garden can be considered as a source of fresh and environmentally friendly products for the family table.
But in order to get a rich harvest, it is very important to master competent soil cultivation technology, since otherwise you will not be able to ensure a normal growing season for the crops you grow. In particular, it is very important to know how to properly make beds in the garden. This article is devoted to consideration of this issue.
Initial soil preparation
If you are going to use some area for garden beds, you need to process and dig it up as thoroughly as possible, simultaneously freeing it from debris, plant roots and trees. If you plan to make beds on an area where some kind of outbuildings previously stood, you will have to spend a lot of time clearing it of construction debris. As a rule, in this case a lot of glass, bunches and remains of boards remain in the ground. All this must be removed.
In addition, after this it is advisable to bring there a layer of normal soil, from which the beds will be formed. Of course, you can try to grow plants on the remaining soil, but its fertility will be in question.
What should you pay special attention to?
Before properly making garden beds, it is very important to prepare the bottom layer of soil. The fact is that with strong compaction, moisture will constantly be retained in the beds. This is good in dry years, but the rest of the time there will be a constant risk for plants, since their roots may simply rot.
It is advisable to use a cultivator for loosening, since it will be very difficult to properly loosen the soil manually. Important! If this is your first time making beds in this place, it is advisable to have the soil tested: perhaps it is too acidic or alkaline. It is better to immediately add appropriate additives to it, otherwise it will not be possible to grow a rich harvest.
Among other things, we would recommend planting green manure on newly cultivated lands. It is best to use alfalfa or other legumes. There is no need to sow rye, as it makes the soil very acidic. An exception can be made only for highly alkaline soils. Of course, in this case, all agricultural activities take much more time, but all costs are paid off.
When the soil issue is completely resolved, you can begin marking the beds.
Of course, creating beds always begins with delineating boundaries and digging, but it is important to remember that high yield crops may largely depend on other factors. Before making the right garden beds, it is also important to choose their location in relation to the cardinal points. This issue should not be approached lightly, since plant productivity depends on the correct choice of location.
Let's give some generally accepted rules that should be followed when creating sites for growing various crops. So, beds for vegetables are located in the direction from north to south. It is best to make them rectangular. It is believed that it is more convenient to process ridges if they have a width of 1.2 m. The length can be any, it all depends on your preferences and the size of the area.
They are made at least 40 cm wide, but it is preferable to provide even wider passages, since in this case it is possible to strengthen the edges of the ridges with the help of boards or slate.
Approximately the same requirements apply to the layout of flower beds or ridges. Of course, it is much better to make their corners rounded, since they look much better. Before properly making beds in the garden, it is best to outline their future boundaries using twine and several pegs. Don't forget to make indentations, otherwise you won't have room for aisles.
What to do if you are making a garden bed in a former meadow?
Important. In this case, it is necessary to carefully remove the turf. Make compost out of it: this fertilizer contains a huge amount nutrients that contribute to a significant increase Here's how to do it good garden bed with which you will receive excellent harvest!
You need to start digging the soil from the edge of the string stretched along the border. You need to work with a shovel so that you get a neat and clearly defined line. In this way we dig the entire border of the bed. Be sure to pay attention to how dense the soil is at the depth of the shovel bayonet. If there is a lot of clay there, you will have to dig two or three shovels deep. Or use a cultivator or even a tractor.
We use a hoe or a hoe!
After removing the layer of turf, you will find that underneath there is quite decent, but still somewhat dense, soil. If the soil is compacted too tightly, it would be preferable to cultivate it with a hoe, since in this case you break the roots of the plants, and the structure of the soil becomes much better. Since making a garden bed with your own hands can be difficult, you need to purchase everything in advance necessary tools for tillage.
In a word, creating beds is a rather troublesome and time-consuming task. Therefore, it is worth taking care of preserving the results of your work by strengthening the resulting ridges. The easiest way is to use boards and hammer in pegs to support them. But a blind area made of bricks or natural stone. Plus, she looks much more beautiful.
When making a vegetable garden with your own hands (including beds), do not forget about the accuracy of your work. Such a personal plot will give you a lot of positive emotions!
How to make beds in the garden if you want to get a harvest from them as early as possible, starting in April-May?
Making warm beds
So that in our conditions middle zone to get a rich harvest and cucumbers, the natural growing season is not enough, because the earth warms up too late and freezes quickly. So how to do it warm bed It’s not difficult, you can correct this annoying misunderstanding without spending money on building a greenhouse or even a greenhouse.
By the way, what is this? In this case, before starting to develop the site, you need to dig a ditch 40-50 cm deep, which completely follows the contours of the future bed. Layers of manure are laid there, which must be alternated with the remains of tops, rotten wood and similar organic residues. Kitchen waste can also be used.
Before making a warm bed, you can also purchase it. It heats up best. Having laid a layer of waste flush with the edges of the ditch, we lay fertile soil on top of it, and the thickness of its layer should be at least 40 cm, since otherwise the roots of the plants may burn.
Next steps
After this, cover the finished bed with film and leave it for a couple of days. When the ground warms up noticeably, you can plant the seedlings. It is better to combine this method with installing a film cover. In this case, planting can begin almost immediately after the snow melts and the strong morning frosts disappear.
Here's how to make garden beds. There are some difficulties with this, but as a result you will get an excellent harvest of your own vegetables.
Spring for all summer residents and gardeners begins the same way: dig up all the soil, divide it into beds, make a neat earthen roll for each. Then wait until the soil warms up, plant the plants and begin fighting weeds that occupy the entire area, including paths. But improvements can be made that will help produce a larger harvest at lower costs (labor, first of all).
Advantages and disadvantages of raised beds
Usually, having heard about the many advantages of such structures, people begin to wonder how to make one. How it differs from regular landings at ground level? We will list only the main advantages:
- The soil on your site can be absolutely anything; this will no longer affect the harvest. High design can be filled with a universal soil mixture or suitable for a specific crop. If your dacha is located in a damp lowland, then drainage can be laid as the first layer: broken brick Next, lay it in layers eggshells, branches and grass remaining after the autumn cleaning of the site, leaves and soil.
- After many years of use, the soil in the garden becomes less fertile and accumulates various pathogens. Having learned how to make a high bed and installing it on your site, you will be able to add fresh purchased soil and protect the plants from rotting and fungi.
- In spring, such structures warm up faster, which makes it possible to plant plants earlier. This gives you a chance to get two harvests instead of one.
- Productivity is 2 times higher than when using flat beds.
- Convenience of caring for the garden bed, as well as collecting the fruits of low-growing plants.
- Saving area and aesthetic appearance.
Everything has its downside. The downside of raised beds is the need for material investments and labor in their creation. They dry out quite quickly and require frequent watering. this won't do. The limited space of the garden bed requires regular fertilization as the soil becomes depleted.
What materials may be needed to create a raised bed?
If you have so far only used flat beds, then be sure to experiment by installing one progressive design. If we talk about how to make a high bed, the first question arises about necessary material. There is a lot of room for creativity here, it all depends on your skill level and the amount you are willing to spend.
- High beds made of brick. If you do not have experience in bricklaying, the design may not be very aesthetically pleasing. The advantages of this are long-term and safe use.
- High beds made of boards. They are the easiest to make. You need to have a sufficient number of long boards, corners, and cross beams on hand. As an option, you can use slats that are used to sheathe a wooden one. The disadvantage is obvious - the wood rots. Usually taken old slate, which was removed from the roof during repairs. It is believed that this harmful material, but the only damage to health can be caused by the dust generated when cutting it. The downside is fragility and the possibility of breaking the structure during gardening work.
- Stones and cement mortar- a very creative approach to gardening. You can create structures that will last forever, beautiful, durable, of arbitrary shape and size.
- Plastic bottles filled with colorful sand. You will get original beds with low sides.
Optimal bed height
Depends on features garden plot and planted crops. If in the garden good soil, you can make sides about 15 cm high. This will make it possible to solve the problem of weeds and soil diseases, make it easier to care for the bed and improve its appearance.
If the soil is poor and a high bed is created as a separately functioning structure, then it must be made higher, 30-90 cm. Sometimes the height is set at waist level, but then it should not be made wide.
Installation
Setting up raised beds is a creative process. Each gardener will create a completely unique piece of work, but the main thing is that the goals are achieved, the garden crops grow well and bear fruit, and the garden bed itself is easy to maintain.
Choose a location. It may be the most trampled and unsuitable for planting. Draw the size future design. The length can be any, but it is better not to make the width more than 110 cm. Drive pegs around the perimeter, this will indicate the size of the bed.
Now decide on the material. If it is wood, then it should be protected from dampness, coated with varnish or drying oil, and then assembled into a box using corners and nails. Raised beds made of slate are even easier to create. Using a grinder, you need to cut the sheets into strips of the required width (70-80 cm), and then, having dug a narrow groove around the perimeter, deepen them one by one and press them firmly. You can add strength to the structure using the same corners; in addition, you need to tighten it around the perimeter with steel wire.
Filling the bed
We assume that the height of your bed is 80-90 cm. Place a wire mesh at the very bottom so that your vegetables do not become prey for moles or shrews. Then about 25 cm can be taken up by all the waste from your garden plot: uprooted stumps, large branches. For better drainage Large pieces of brick can be added here.
The next layer occupies 40-50 cm. This is the source minerals and fertilizers. This can be small chips, grass, wood ash, lime, food waste (vegetable peelings, etc.). It is also worth adding rotted manure and compost, bird droppings with straw.
On top, in a layer of 10-20 cm, you need to lay high-quality garden soil. There is no need to mix the layers, just water them generously and give them time to shrink. Setting up raised beds is not as complicated as it might seem from the outside, but absolutely amazing results are achieved.
Features of watering
The design features are such that it absorbs more heat and, therefore, consumes a lot of moisture. High is good since the soil temperature here is almost 10 degrees higher, this stimulates the growth and development of the root system. In addition, this crop loves light and fresh soil and does not tolerate wetlands. But do not let the soil dry out. If it is not possible to install, water several times a day, especially in hot weather.
The effectiveness of these structures is so high that, having set one up as an experiment, you will soon decide: we will make high beds throughout the entire site.
Raised bed in spring and autumn
In the fall, after harvesting, you may notice that the ground level has dropped significantly. Collect a new layer of organic matter (plants, branches, grass, fertilizers), place it on the bed and cover it well with high-quality garden soil. If you still haven’t seen raised beds in person, a photo will help you imagine all the details. There is no need to dig, you just need to water and cover with film until the new year. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, your garden bed will be ready for planting the first plants. These can be greens and radishes, which will later be replaced by cucumbers, tomatoes or cabbage. A high location will save plants from fairly severe spring frosts, and good heat transfer from the bed stimulates rapid growth and abundant fruiting.
What is better to plant
The temperature of the soil in a raised bed is always higher than the surrounding soil. This is facilitated by the limited space, the elevated location, and the decomposition of organic matter with which the structure is stuffed. In the first year of use, it is better to plant “gluttonous” plants that like excess nutrients. These are tomatoes, pumpkin, cucumbers, cabbage. Only in the second year can you grow root crops, herbs and leafy vegetables. But now the soil temperature will be much higher, which will allow the harvest to be harvested sooner.
Let's sum it up
Now you know how to make a high bed, and you can put it into practice on your site. Minimum hassle available materials, and as a result, a neat, weed-free garden and excellent vegetables that ripen at least a month earlier. This is a strong enough motivation to try.
Traditional cultivation of the land requires a lot of time and physical effort, and the harvest does not always correspond to expectations. That is why more and more gardeners are setting up high beds on their plots, allowing them to special effort get an excellent harvest of vegetables every year. Anyone can make raised beds with their own hands, because this does not require special skills or special equipment.
Benefits of raised beds
Compared to ordinary beds Bulk has much more advantages:
- a vegetable garden can be planted even in an area completely unsuitable for farming;
- Digging and weeding of the garden are replaced by light loosening of the soil;
- on limited space easier to remove weeds;
- the high bed is easy to install and just as easy to disassemble;
- You can lay out paths between the beds 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 ensured;
- crops in the beds can be easily protected from frost by covering them with tarpaulin or agrofibre.
In addition, a vegetable garden made from raised beds can be very decorative, so you can plant it next to your house.
Fencing materials
A high bed is a frame of certain dimensions, interior space 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, and small logs are used. Disadvantages: wood requires wood, quickly darkens and loses its attractiveness, and is short-lived.
Vine and twigs - inexpensive and original solution. Wicker walls look very attractive; you can give the bed any shape. Disadvantages: weaving vines requires skills; the service life of such a frame is very short.
Stone and brick are an option for areas with classical architecture. Very reliable and durable material, gives the beds decorative look. Disadvantages: high cost, it will take more time to create a bed, difficult to dismantle.
Plastic is an excellent alternative to wood. Sheet plastic is easy to assemble and disassemble, it is quite durable, has an attractive appearance, is very durable and relatively inexpensive. Flaws: individual species plastic contains harmful substances, so they are not suitable for the garden. The environmentally friendly material has an appropriate certificate, which must be presented upon purchase.
Metal is a convenient and durable material, ideal for shaped beds. If necessary, moving the metal frame will not be difficult, as will dismantling it. Appearance The metal walls are neat, they can be painted in any color or decorated with ornaments. Disadvantages: welding skills are required to assemble a metal curb, the price of sheet metal is quite high, and high-quality surface treatment is required to protect against corrosion.
– great 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 extremely strong, durable, and has a neat appearance. Disadvantages: lengthy installation process, high cost of materials, additional requirements for the design of the drainage system.
Decorating beds with slate is a completely budget-friendly and simple option. The walls can be installed very quickly, this material lasts a long time, and for decorative purposes the slate can be painted in any color. The main disadvantage is the fragility of the material, so it should be handled with care during installation.
Each gardener selects the size and shape of the bulk bed at his own discretion. And yet, there are optimal parameters at which the bed will be most effective:
- height from the ground 15-50 cm;
- width 90-120 cm;
If the bed will be poured onto fertile soil, it is made 15-20 cm high. This is quite enough for good harvest. If the soil on the site is not suitable for farming, the bed is raised 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 over while cultivating the soil and planting plants, but this increases material consumption and requires more time to arrange a garden. In addition, with a large frame width, it is inconvenient to cultivate the soil at such a height.
The width of the bed should be sufficient 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 yield. More rows result in the average plants receiving less air, being shaded, stretched upward, and yields falling. It is also much easier to cultivate a bed of standard width 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 and look neat in the garden.
Proper arrangement of high beds
For example, a bed with a fence made of boards is taken; This option is the most convenient and inexpensive.
During the 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;
- construction mesh.
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 to prevent harmful substances from penetrating into the soil, after treatment it is recommended to cover the tree with film on one side. The lower edges of the boards, which will be in contact with the ground, are treated especially carefully. The timber is sawn into pieces 50 cm long and also impregnated with a protective agent. After that building material laid out to dry.
Step 2. Site preparation
The area for the garden bed should be illuminated by the sun for at least 5 hours a day. Mark the boundaries of the bed, remove stones and branches, dig perennials. If desired, you can dig up the soil together with fine grass - this will increase the permeability of the soil. If the soil is very dense and trampled, it is enough to remove the layer of turf around the perimeter of the marking to a small depth to make it easier to position the frame.
Step 3. Assembling the frame for the bed
The dried boards are knocked down in pairs into panels and connected to each other using bars. The height of the shields is equal to the height of the bed, 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, the edges of which are cut at an angle of 45 degrees, are placed around the perimeter of the frame. Finally, the frame can be painted on the outside.
Step 4. Installation of the structure
The finished frame is transferred to the installation site; align the structure according to the markings, make recesses for the legs, check the location of the bed building level. If necessary, place pegs or, conversely, remove excess soil. The structure should be as level as possible, with all corners at the same level. Finally, add soil around the perimeter of the walls and compact it so that there are no gaps left.
Step 5. Filling the bed
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 grow. Next, the beds are filled in layers:
- small branches, bark, large shavings, leaves;
- bird droppings, rotted manure or;
- fallen leaves, branches, bark, grass;
- mineral fertilizer;
- fertile land.
The thickness of each layer is 10 cm. There is no need to mix the layers, but it is necessary to level and compact well. If the soil on the site is not very good good quality, it is better to use purchased soil. After filling, the bed is well watered and left for a couple of days. During this time, the layers will settle a little and become denser. It is recommended to cover the frame with black agrofibre, which provides better soil heating 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 plant roots receive the maximum of useful substances. If the beds are installed in the spring, it is necessary to fill them at least a month before planting and pour plenty of water several times to compact them. It is easy to turn such a structure into a greenhouse: to do this, plastic or metal arcs are installed above the frame, the ends of which are secured to the walls with bolts. A polyethylene film or special agrofibre is attached to the arches on top.
Prices for various types of construction boards
Construction boards
Construction of beds made of slate
To construct bulk beds, you can use both flat and wavy slate. The technology for installing beds using this method is very simple and anyone can do it.
Table. Wave slate
To work you will need:
- slate sheets;
- Bulgarian;
- bayonet shovel;
- a piece of chalk or pencil;
- roulette;
- level;
- rubber hammer;
- drill;
- wooden pegs or metal rods.
Step 1. Marking
In the selected area, the boundaries of the beds are marked and beacons are installed. Narrow grooves are dug along the perimeter to the depth of a bayonet. If the soil is good, then remove the entire fertile layer inside the marking, pouring it near the future beds.
Step 2. Preparing the material
Slate sheets are laid on flat surface, measure the required length and draw a chalk line across the waves. After this, the slate is cut along the lines using a grinder. The pegs are soaked bitumen mastic or waste 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 corner of the marking. Next, place the next sheet with an overlap in one wave, level it, and beat it on top with a rubber hammer 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 one by one, the trench is filled up and the horizontal level is checked again. After this, the soil near the walls is compacted and the excess is removed.
Step 4. Filling the bed
At the very bottom you can put old newspapers, cardboard, pieces of wallpaper, the next layer is chopped brushwood, tree bark, sawdust. After this, small shavings are poured in, plant waste, peat or compost are laid. And all this is sprinkled on top with the soil that was taken out at the very beginning. Apply plenty of water to the bed to wet all layers and leave for several days. When the bed is compacted, you can begin planting.
Garden bed care
When the plants sprout, the plantings should be well watered and mulched. Weeds that break 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 down, leveled on the bed, covered with a layer of earth on top and covered with 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 crushed stone, gravel, straw, and sometimes seeded lawn grass. In such conditions, the garden always remains well-groomed, weeds do not grow, and dirt does not stick to shoes. If desired, you can use tiles and bricks, or pour concrete.
Video - DIY raised beds
Video - Raised beds made of slate
IN this material I will share with you information about beds, what they are, what they are for, how to make them proper beds in the garden so that the harvest grows excellent. The garden bed should be warmed by the sun, be perfectly level in order to be evenly moistened, but water should not stagnate on it.
Sides
The bed may have earthen or board sides along the edges. The higher and narrower the bed, the better it warms up, the drier, and the easier air exchange occurs in it.
Height of beds
On light, loose soil, you can make beds at the same level as the paths, but if the soil is heavy, then the height of the beds should be increased. The height of the beds is also increased in areas with close groundwater.
In addition, it is very important for the Non-Black Earth Region that high beds warm up faster in the spring. IN normal conditions in a high bed it is difficult to provide the required soil moisture.
Therefore, usually the height of the bed is no more than 10-15 cm (or generally at the same level with the soil) to ensure good humidity.
Beds for carrots and radishes
Higher beds are also used for vegetables with a deep root system, such as carrots. But for radishes, with their weak root system, it is more important to ensure constant soil moisture, so the bed should be low and level.
How wide should the bed be?
The optimal width of the bed is 0.45-1.2 meters. This is primarily so that you can reach the opposite side with your hands from either side.
Most owners land plots wants to grow not only flowers, but also vegetables and fruits. Is it possible to place all this on a small front lawn? See for yourself!
Option 1 - Vegetables in high beds
Why not set up a vegetable garden on raised beds? Of course, this will require some physical and material costs, but then you can sow, weed, loosen and harvest the crop without bending over backwards.
A strip of turf about one and a half meters wide was removed around the vegetable garden, which was used to fill the boxes for the beds. The ground has been dug up and planted berry bushes. You can enter the garden through an arch entwined with roses. A lattice fence on the border with neighbors also serves as a support for climbing beans in the summer.
Organic waste is placed in a wooden compost box located in the right corner. Along the other border there is a ridge with flowering perennials. Opposite the entrance to the garden there is a seating area with a bench and an arch, also covered with roses.
How to make a raised bed
To frame a bed 70-90 cm high and 130 cm wide, you will need boards or beams 4 cm thick. To protect against voles, lay a wire mesh on the bottom of the box. It’s a good idea to line the inside with film. Now fill the box with thick branches, grass clippings, plant scraps, leaves, half-ripe compost and garden soil.
Option 2 - Meadow with fruit trees and flower beds
The desire to have even small garden fruit trees quite understandable. However, they require a lot of space and light, so we recommend planting trees along the boundaries of the site. At the same time, they will protect your garden from the prying eyes of neighbors.
A free central garden area can now be designed to suit your needs and tastes. The solution proposed here visually enlarges the garden. This impression is achieved by laying diagonally paved path, to the left and right of which square beds are laid out.
You can plant vegetables, flowers, herbs on them. To prevent the soil from becoming depleted, you should annually change the crops in the beds, to the left and right of which square beds are laid out. You can plant vegetables, flowers, herbs on them. To prevent the soil from becoming depleted, the crops in the beds should be changed annually.
On the old wooden bench at the entrance to the gazebo it is pleasant to relax after righteous labors and admire the garden.
Option 3 - Strict order in everything
This is not only beneficial for the plants, but also looks much more attractive than ordinary narrow and long beds, especially if you place an obelisk or a simple pyramid for clematis, or any climbing annuals, in the center.
A wide arch-arbor was built between the right flower bed and the border of the site. It can be made of wood or metal and covered with roses, clematis or (in warm regions) wisteria, or you can use climbing vegetable plants such as decorative pumpkins, beans, and cucumbers for the same purposes.
Working with beds in spring
In early spring, when all the snow has not yet melted and only thawed patches have formed, warming up our greenhouse bed and after a week we plant tomato seedlings there. Between the rows of tomatoes we sow rows of early radishes or stick already sprouted bulbs into the soil. Green onions We're eating at full capacity within two weeks.
After another 2 weeks, we remove the radishes. After harvesting the onions and radishes, we immediately sow kibrai leaf dill in strips in all row spaces. It will grow weak, because by that time the tomato seedlings have already grown well and are blocking the light. But a small bunch of dill is enough for the table until the time when it begins in the open garden.
After transplanting tomatoes to permanent place When the greenhouse is completely empty, we dig up the soil in it with the addition of fertilizers and plant cucumber seedlings. Now this is a cucumber bed for the whole summer.
We are preparing such a bed in the fall, We always prepare the bed in the same place. Crop rotation is not needed here, since in the fall, after harvesting the cucumbers, we dismantle the ridge, take all the soil into potato strips, treat the area with Bordeaux mixture and cover it with ash. Only after this we begin the construction of a new ridge. This place is sunny, out of the wind.
The bed is buried 20 centimeters (on the bayonet of a shovel). We also install a 30 cm high frame made of logs around the perimeter. We line the inner walls with used film.
We lay a 10-centimeter layer of cut raspberry stems on the bottom of the bed.. This is very desired layer, which in the spring isolates the denser upper layers from the frozen soil and makes it possible for the ridge to warm up faster.
Then we pour in foliage and plant residues, layering them with sawdust and earth. Pour a 10-centimeter layer of earth on top. We try to compact everything well.
The bed is poured flush with the sides of the logs. Pour water and cover with several layers of film. Then we cover the bed around with rags soaked in tar or carbolic acid, or sprinkle with bleach. This is to prevent mice from getting into the garden bed.
In the spring, all that remains is to remove the film and water the garden bed thoroughly. hot water 2-3 times and wrap with film for 3 days. The bright spring sun will do its job - it will warm up the bed, and overheating will begin.
In other years, already in the third ten days of April, we make holes about a liter jar deep, fill them with humus soil and plant seedlings. First we cover it with lutrasil without any equipment, and on top plastic film, then we place arcs over the bed and cover them.
Bed width 1 meter, length 6 meters. We usually grow 55-60 roots of tomato seedlings and plant 35-40 cucumber bushes in two rows.
Before choosing a place for vegetable beds, it is worth analyzing the location of all buildings and structures that exist or are planned to be erected on the site. After all, it depends on them temperature regime, lighting, wind protection and other factors that affect the full growth of garden crops. In conditions of small plots, it is important to take into account not only large objects on your territory, but also on neighboring plots. In this article we will tell you about planning a vegetable garden and give advice to beginning gardeners and summer residents.
Choosing a location for garden beds
Often gardeners set aside for a vegetable garden the area that remains after placing all the structures. But you need to take care of the quality of the crop long before planting it and choose suitable place. It should be the most illuminated, protected from the wind, and provided with irrigation. These issues need to be resolved in parallel with the planning and development of the territory.
They start by orienting the site according to the cardinal directions. Lighting depends on this. For the garden, choose the sunniest place. According to the rules of architectural development, buildings and structures are located so that their shadow occupies the minimum area of the site. It’s good if the house is on the north side, then its shadow moves from northwest to northeast, and the south side is illuminated from dawn to dusk. In this case, the garden can be located in the southwest, south, and southeast directions.
The location of the water source for irrigation is also important. If it is not possible to build a well or well near the garden, then it is better to provide a water storage tank. Its volume depends on the area of all plantings that require watering. In addition, the reservoir serves not only to collect irrigation water, but also to regulate the temperature, which should be +18 0 - 25 0. This is especially true if the source is a deep artesian well with cold water.
Dimensions of the garden and location of the beds
The size of the garden is determined by the number of vegetables that need to be grown. In small areas, 500–700 m2 is most often allocated. An example of calculating the size of a vegetable garden, taking into account the range of vegetables grown, is shown in the table:
| Name of culture | Area m2 |
| Potato | 500 — 700 |
| Cabbage | 40 -60 |
| cucumbers | 50 |
| Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers | 80 |
| Melons (zucchini, squash, pumpkins, watermelons, melons) | 60 — 70 |
| Onion, garlic | 25 |
| Root vegetables (carrots, beets, celery, parsley, radish, parsnips) | 50 |
The size of the vegetable garden may vary depending on the total area of the plot and the conditions suitable for growing vegetables. In addition, the direction of planting to the cardinal points is important. The beds are positioned so that tall plants did not shade the low ones. For this reason, the row is oriented strictly from north to south or from southwest to northeast, then the plants receive maximum quantity light and warmth.
This has a beneficial effect on the quality of the crop, because chlorophyll, sucrose, starch and other complex organic substances are synthesized in vegetables with the help solar energy. Therefore, the distance between plantings should be sufficient so that there is no competition for nutrients.
On the east side of the garden, plant the tallest crops, for example, cucumbers on trellises, tall green beans. Towards the west, the size of the plants decreases. In the final row, place low-growing root vegetables, such as carrots.
How to determine the width, depth and height of the bed
Basic soil preparation is carried out to a depth of 25 - 30 cm (per shovel bayonet). This is the layer of fertile soil that most vegetable crops need. Traditional farming suggests annual digging of the soil with the addition of mineral fertilizers. This means that these substances need to be distributed over the surface of the bed, and then mixed evenly with the soil to its full depth.
For such work, it is important to determine the convenient width of each row. Usually a line from 30 cm to 1 m is formed, this makes it possible to approach the bed from all sides and greatly facilitates plant care and harvesting.
Tip #1. Paths of 30–40 cm are left between the rows; this width is enough for the free movement of one person.
Raised or mounded beds are sometimes formed. This method is practiced by supporters of organic farming. They arrange boxes and fill them with soil or organic matter. With the help of effective microorganisms, for example "Emochek", this substrate quickly turns into fertile humus.
If it is not possible to place all the beds in one place, some can be designed as a decorative vegetable garden. The area set aside for this purpose is planned in the form of a flower garden, only filled with vegetables. Paths between crops are made in the form of figured paving. Such a garden looks elegant at any time of the year, even when empty.
The extent to which plants get along with each other can be judged by their attitude to growing conditions. Most vegetable crops prefer a sunny, wind-protected location and light, neutral soil. But, each plant requires nutrients for which it fights, sometimes to the detriment of its neighbors. In addition, as a result of biosynthesis, waste products are released, which have a beneficial effect on some plants and are poisonous for others.
Tip #2. It is important to take into account the timing of crop ripening, while late-ripening ones are gaining strength, early ones are ripening and making room for those that continue to grow.
The compatibility of garden crops is indicated in the table:
| Name of culture | Compatible |
| Carrot | Green onions, radishes, peas, beans, tomatoes, parsley, spinach, marjoram |
| Potato | Cabbage, eggplant, onion, spinach, peas, garlic, horseradish |
| Tomatoes | Asparagus, basil, carrots, spinach, savory, dill, watercress - salad |
| Beet | White cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, pumpkin |
| cucumbers | Dill, peas |
| Cabbage | Tomatoes, celery |
| Radish | Head lettuce, leaf lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi |
| Brocolli | Parsley, head lettuce |
| Brussels sprouts | Cress - lettuce, peas, radish |
When planning to plant vegetables, you can divide your garden into four conventional sectors:
- in the first, crops that require a lot of nutrients are placed - cabbage, cucumbers, pumpkin, garlic. Before planting add organic fertilizers in the form of slurry and dolomite flour;
- in the second, vegetables with lower organic requirements are planted; compost is enough for them. These are carrots, beets, kohlrabi, radishes, and melon peppers.
- the third is reserved for plants that do not need additional fertilizers, because they themselves enrich the soil with nitrogen. These are legumes - peas, beans.
- in the fourth, perennial plants are grown - asparagus, rhubarb, and garden strawberries.
Joint proximity helps plants fight pests. When carrots ripen in the lower tier, you can “add” onions, which have a shallow root, to them. In such a union, plants protect each other from onion and carrot flies. Some gardeners practice planting schemes, combining crops according to ripening dates:
- 1st row – onion + radish (with seeds);
- 2nd and 3rd rows – carrots;
- 4th and 5th rows – parsley.
The radishes ripen first, followed by the onions. When they are removed, the carrots and parsley grow to take their place. There is a combination of crops that increase each other's yield. Sow dill between the rows of cucumbers and around the perimeter of the bed. The harvest of greens will increase significantly. But there are a number garden plants which are extremely incompatible.
Incompatible plants and vegetables
Some plants require so much nutrition that no other crop can compete with them. For example, sunflower and corn can be compared with medium-sized shrubs in terms of their requirements for useful substances. They leave no chance for weaker plants to survive. Therefore, they are planted separately or placed around the perimeter of the garden, but so that they do not shade light-loving crops.
- Sometimes corn is used as a support for cucumbers, but the cucumbers are placed at a distance of 30–50 cm from the powerful stalks of corn.
- Potatoes prefer to be surrounded by their own kind and do not tolerate other types of plants. Cucumbers are especially actively crowding out cucumbers; this is one of the unfortunate neighborhoods.
- Placing carrots and beets in close proximity is also not a good idea. Due to the same periods of growth and maturation, they compete with each other for nutrition and moisture.
- Tomatoes and cabbage are not compatible.
- The proximity of legumes to onions and garlic is undesirable.
- Cabbage is not planted with carrots, tomatoes, or parsley.
Rotating crops in garden beds
The plant is taken from the soil useful substances, but return the products of their vital activity, that is, they deplete the earth. This process occurs at different soil levels. Therefore, crops are changed every year to reduce one-way soil use. In the place where powerful root crops grew, plants with shallow roots are planted. And the crop is returned to its original place no earlier than after 3–4 years.
The most common changes are:
- cabbage, pumpkin, zucchini, beans, beets, carrots, dill are appropriate after tomatoes and potatoes;
- cucumbers, zucchini, squash are replaced by cabbage, radishes, beets, onions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes;
- It is better to plant garlic, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes after carrots, parsley, and celery.
Mistakes gardeners make when planning a site
Mistake #1. Placing a vegetable garden without taking into account the surroundings.
Often large structures shade plantings. This would not happen if the garden was located in a place that is not shaded by tall objects.
Mistake #2. Not correct placement crops by height.
Affects the quality of the crop if large plants cast shadows on lower ones.
Mistake #3. Neglect of water storage.
Owners of small plots regret space for a tank. It can be placed in the economic zone by burying it in the ground. Comes to the surface concrete ring and a manhole cover. But the garden and vegetable garden will always be provided the right amount water with optimal temperature for watering.
Category “Questions and Answers”
Question No. 1. I chose the brightest place between the house and the fence for the garden, but the harvest is very modest and it is clear that this place is not suitable for vegetables, although the soil is good. What could it be?
Fertility and lighting will not help if the garden is located in a wind tunnel, that is, in a draft. And this is true if the distance from the house to the fence does not comply with building standards. Try moving the garden to another place protected from the wind.
Question No. 2. Our site does not have such a large area that would accommodate one large vegetable garden. What can be done in this case?
Plant each type of plant separately. This way you can avoid the unfortunate juxtaposition of cultures and achieve decorative originality.
A cabbage bed planted with annuals will look like a flower garden. Question No. 3. If you follow the advice on placing a vegetable garden in the brightest place, it turns out that we have it right at the entrance. I want to plant something beautiful here. What to do in such a situation?
We need to set up a decorative vegetable garden. Plan the shape like a flower garden and combine it vegetable crops and ornamental plants.
Question No. 4. Is it possible to plant tomatoes next to potatoes?
Both crops belong to the nightshade family; they have common pests and diseases. It is better to avoid such a neighborhood.
Question No. 5. What is better to plant in the place where there was corn last year?
Green manures, plants that restore the soil after severe depletion. You can sow clover, rye, and mustard.
