home · Measurements · Making raised beds. Raised beds at the dacha. Bed-box made of boards

Making raised beds. Raised beds at the dacha. Bed-box made of boards

Working in the beds requires a lot physical strength and time, and the harvest does not always correspond to the efforts made. Therefore, more and more summer residents are installing high beds on their plots, which can significantly reduce labor costs and grow a good harvest.

Benefits of raised beds

A high bed is a box with a height of 10–15 cm and up to half a meter, which is filled with earth, compost, and rotted manure. The size and shape of the box can be any. Most often it is made rectangular. The width should be planned so that it is convenient to care for the plants. The usual width is 50–80 cm. The passages between the beds are sown with lawn grass, covered with sand, sawdust or concreted. As a result, weeds do not grow in the aisles, the mowed grass is used for mulching, and the entire garden looks beautiful and tidy. This is far from the only advantage of raised garden beds. There are many advantages here:

  • Any area is suitable for setting up a vegetable garden, even one completely unsuitable for farming;
  • tedious digging and weeding is replaced by light loosening of the top layer of soil;
  • high beds warm up faster in the spring, which allows you to get a harvest much earlier and plant crops that do not ripen in a given area in ordinary beds;
  • in a high, mulched bed, weeds almost do not grow, and water does not spill under the gardener’s feet when watering;
  • it is not difficult to make drainage on it; this is necessary when growing garden crops that cannot tolerate high groundwater;
  • It is easy to strengthen covering material on the sides to protect plants from frost;
  • if there are shrews or shrews on the site, cover the bottom of the bed plastic mesh with a dense cell, and voracious pests will not reach the plantings;
  • The bed itself can be easily disassembled for moving to another location, resizing or repair.

All gardeners will appreciate the convenience of a high bed, because during work you will not have to bend down almost to ground level.

Attach a wide transverse board to the ends of the bed, and you will have a comfortable bench on which you can place your equipment or sit down to admire the results of your labors.

How to turn the disadvantages of raised beds into their advantages

The creation of such beds brings the greatest benefit in a damp, cool climate. But in dry conditions southern regions their advantages are not so obvious - the earth in a raised box overheats and dries out faster. This is their main drawback. However, even in such conditions, the construction of high ridges will be justified if the soil on the site is infertile - rocky, clayey or sandy. The box for protection against overheating is built from light materials and filled with imported soil. In the midday heat, a white cloth or agrofibre cloth is pulled over the box. This canopy reduces the temperature of the soil and air in the garden bed and reduces water evaporation.

In the southern regions, construction from inexpensive natural stone- shell rock. If you build sides from it, the bed will last a very long time, and the soil in it will be cool in any heat. This building looks extremely beautiful.

See for yourself how attractive the raised beds look in the photo, built with your own hands from natural stone at the dacha.

What materials are suitable for construction

Raised beds don't have to be so monumental. Almost any device is suitable for their device. Construction Materials. The main thing is that they do not let water through and keep their shape.

Raised beds made of slate are popular. Slate does not rot, is waterproof, and almost does not heat up in the sun. To arrange a raised ridge, it is not necessary to buy new slate; one removed from the roof after its repair is quite suitable.

It’s even easier to make raised beds from plastic panels. Unlike slate, plastic does not splinter from a slight blow, and installation does not require great care. A border made of light plastic along the edges of the bed looks neat and attractive.

High beds in a greenhouse are very convenient. Already in April, they can harvest the first radish harvest.

It is always difficult in greenhouses, since they are usually used for growing a limited set of vegetable crops - tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants. Therefore, they have to change the soil more often. It is much more convenient to do this on high beds.

How to make raised beds from boards with your own hands

If the idea of ​​building raised beds with your own hands has inspired you, step-by-step instruction will help you do everything without errors.

For construction wooden box for a high bed measuring 4000x60x30 cm we will need:

  • edged board 2.5 cm thick and 15 cm wide – 18.4 linear meters;
  • galvanized square pipe or corner 2x2 cm;
  • self-tapping screws

You also need to prepare tools - a saw, a screwdriver, an angle grinder, a drill, a square, a pencil.

We measure 4 pieces of 4 m each for the long sides of the box and 4 pieces of 0.6 m each for the end sides and cut them off.

Sawn boards should be coated with an antiseptic on all sides and wait until completely dry. The products “Ognebioshchit”, “Senezh”, “Pinotex” and others are suitable. Without such wood treatment, raised beds made from boards will not last long.

We cut the metal profile using a grinder into pieces of 0.4 m for the corners of the box and 0.6 m for the screed of the long sides. Screeds must be made every 1–1.5 m so that the bed is not bursting with earth. For one box you need 4 pieces of 0.4 m each for the corners. For the ties, you will need approximately 4 pieces for the vertical tie and 2 more for the horizontal one. Horizontal sections are fastened to vertical ones at the level of the top board.

We drill holes in the profile for self-tapping screws. There must be at least two of them for each board. After this, we attach the profile to the end boards with self-tapping screws. Next you need to connect end elements assembled with long boards in the same way. One side of the profile will be 10 cm longer than the width of the box. It will be recessed into the ground to stabilize the box.

On each long side, at the same distance, mark the places for the ties. Short pieces are screwed to the boards, and long pieces are fastened to short pieces. Each tie looks like the letter “P”, screwed to the long sides of the box with vertical bars.

If the high bed is planned to be covered with film or other covering material, the structure is supplemented with arcs. The most reliable ones are metal ones, so that they can withstand the weight of tied tomatoes or cucumbers. For this purpose, an iron rod with a diameter of 8 mm and a length of at least 3 m is used. Each section of the rod is shaped into a semicircle in its central part, leaving the ends straight. The arcs can be structurally connected to the ties by fastening them with staples.

The finished structure is transferred to permanent place, which was cleared and leveled in advance.

The tops of the arcs can be connected with strong twine if desired. This way the covering material will stick better and tying up the plants will become easier.

Now you know how to make raised garden beds with your own hands. Using the same principle, it is easy to make them from any other suitable material.

How to make a raised bed warm

We have already seen the benefits of installing raised beds in the country. But such a bed can become twice as effective if you make it warm. All heat-loving crops grow faster in such a bed and bear fruit better. Setting up a warm bed resembles a layer cake:

  • coarse organic matter is laid down - branches, leaves, bark;
  • semi-rotted compost or manure goes into the middle layer;
  • The top of the pie is covered with a layer of garden soil.

Under top layer organic matter begins to decompose with the release of heat, that is, it warms up the plants from below, from cold earth. If such a bed is mulched after planting, caring for it will come down to rare watering and harvesting, which will invariably please you, because all plants love warmth and an abundance of organic matter in the soil.

Video instructions for making a raised bed

Reading time ≈ 12 minutes

Cultivating land at a summer cottage always requires a lot of time and effort. Every plant and vegetable crop requires a certain degree of moisture to ripen well, and groundwater is often higher than normal. The solution to this problem is raised beds; you can make them yourself with step-by-step instructions from specialists.

Features of raised beds

Tall and smart - this is a real godsend for summer residents; they are suitable for growing any plants: vegetables, herbs, berries, fruit trees and garden flowers.

High raised fences have many advantages:


The disadvantage of raised structures is the need for frequent fertilization, increased fertilizing with minerals and watering the beds, since the soil inside such structures dries out quickly. You can cope with this problem by organizing an automatic watering system or mulching the soil.

Optimal sizes:


The optimal perennial height should be up to 20 centimeters, otherwise the soil will freeze during winter frosts.

Construction of similar structures on its own suburban area does not require large financial investments, which is why they are so popular among summer residents. Making raised beds with your own hands is shown in the video with step-by-step instructions.

Types of beds

To organize a vegetable garden in a suburban area, several types of beds are used:


High bulk beds are also available:


How to choose material

What to make it out of? high design in your garden? First you need to choose a material suitable for a specific area. Raised beds can be:

  • Made of wood. The advantage of this material is its availability, convenience and environmental friendliness. To assemble the structure, you will need boards, bars and logs different sizes. Before use, the wood must be treated with special antifungal and water-repellent solutions to protect the bed.

  • Made from slate. The assembly is like this lightweight design and fast, the material is available and inexpensive. Slate is quite fragile, so it requires care during installation and further operation. The fence can be painted and decorated with ornaments of different colors.

  • Made of brick. The advantage is the durability and strength of the structure. Brick or stone beds fit perfectly into any landscape, but are characterized by high cost And complex process manufacturing. The constituent elements must be connected concrete mortar. However, in installations that are too massive, the earth warms up more slowly, so you cannot overdo it with the layer thickness.

  • From twigs and vines. The borders for the beds can be woven from small branches and twigs of trees. This design looks original and elegant and can be used as decoration. Such wicker structures should be covered from the inside with a layer polyethylene film so that water does not leak. The downside is their fragility; their service life will be no more than one season.

  • Made of metal. Such structures have a long service life, are durable and stable. Manufactured by constructing a welded frame metal elements. The material must be coated with an anti-corrosion compound to comfortable use and long service life.

  • Made of plastic. The material is strong, durable and easy to install. However, some types plastic sheets can release substances that are toxic and harmful to plants.

  • Made of concrete. Used for the construction of multi-tiered structures. The fence can be made either from separate blocks (as in the photo) or be monolithic. Concrete beds are durable and can be decorated various decor. The installation process is complex and lengthy.

  • Made of metal mesh and pebbles. You can make a bed using the gabion technique, which is used for constructing flower beds. Such a backfill fence consists of a double frame of mesh, the inner wall is covered with film, and small stones and pebbles are poured between the posts of the frame.

    Gabion technique

To make the structure, summer residents sometimes use improvised budget materials, For example, plastic bottles, old empty boxes and small pieces of plastic fencing.

Making raised beds with your own hands is shown in the video.

How to choose a place

It is extremely important to choose the right place for the construction of a high bed on a summer cottage. It is necessary to carefully study the territory and draw a diagram of the location of structures.

What you need to consider when setting up a vegetable garden with raised beds:

  • The soil surface should be flat and, preferably, without strong slopes.
  • The place should be well lit by the sun.
  • It is necessary to take into account the shadow from nearby trees.

Creating a frame is only a small part of the work; it is also important to correctly fill the structure with soil. This work needs to begin in the fall. The internal filling consists of several layers of different widths. The dimensions of each layer depend on the height and bed.

How to fill the structure with soil:

  • On the bottom it is necessary to place small metal mesh or geotextiles to protect the garden from small rodents and pests.
  • Then the first one is laid drainage layer from pieces of crushed bark, branches, dry leaves, plant stems and shavings.
  • The second layer is various fertilizers, for example, manure.
  • The third layer is usually formed by a waterproof material: cardboard, clean paper or old natural burlap.
  • To create the next fourth layer you will need organic matter in the form of plant remains and a small amount mineral fertilizers.
  • Fertile soil serves as the last fifth layer; the layer is laid at a thickness of 10 centimeters. The soil should be selected depending on the crops grown.

As soon as the raised bed is completely filled with soil, it must be watered abundantly and left for 3 days, during which time the layers will settle a little. Then the structure is covered with polyethylene so that the soil warms up well. And only in the spring can you start sowing seeds or planting plants. Step by step process The construction of such a bed is shown in the video below.

Bed-box made of boards

Most often, summer residents prefer wood when it comes to making sides for high beds. The advantage of this material is the fact that the wood does not overheat and is easy to process.

It is better to use boards made of ash, oak, cedar or larch. Budget option Pine is considered, since this type of wood is more susceptible to rotting.

Do-it-yourself high bed-box

Required Tools and materials:

  1. Wooden boards 50*200 mm.
  2. Metal grid.
  3. Nails and hammer.
  4. Protective mixture for impregnation.
  5. Shovel.
  6. Tape measure for measurements.
  7. Miter box for cutting.

Manufacturing process:



To create a structure, both smooth and wavy slate are suitable. At the end, the material can be painted in any color with special acrylic paint.

Materials and tools:

  1. Slate sheets.
  2. Grinder (can be replaced with an electric jigsaw).
  3. Shovel.
  4. Chalk or a simple pencil.
  5. Drill (can be replaced with a screwdriver).
  6. Tape measure for measurements.
  7. Rubber mallet.
  8. Building level.
  9. Wooden pegs or metal rods.

A bed of wavy slate on a summer plot

Manufacturing technology:



Raised beds have different design, shape and dimensions. With the help of such designs, you can bring any ideas to life and transform your home beyond recognition. country cottage area. The garden will look well-groomed, and the harvest will delight you with its quality!

Raised beds are ideal for growing vegetables, fruits, berries, flowers and herbs. They have incomparably more advantages when compared with ordinary beds:


  • you are no longer dependent on soil imperfections on the site, since you can use perfectly balanced purchased soil for bulk beds;
  • good drainage is guaranteed;
  • thickness fertile soil can be easily picked depending on the root system of the plants being planted;
  • with purchased soil you will rid plants of weeds, fungal diseases and rotting;
  • a tall garden is much more convenient to dig up, weed, fertilize, not to mention more convenient to harvest from such beds;
  • warm, high beds make it easier to grow plants in regions with cold and short summers;
  • You can set up raised beds at any site convenient for you;
  • Since wood is a short-lived material, many recommend pre-treating it with antiseptics. Others reasonably believe that such processing is incompatible with the concept of organic vegetables, and it is better to use wood that is not susceptible to rotting, for example, oak boards. Ultradizz recommends using treated wood only when creating flower beds either in as a last resort, use thick plastic film from inside the bed to prevent contact of the soil with the chemically treated wood.

    Required tools and materials:


    • bayonet shovel;

    • pre-sawn into desired length boards;

    • roulette;

    • building level;

    • drill, screwdriver or screwdriver;

    • wood screws;

    • construction sand-concrete mixture;

    • Master OK;

    • hard brush;

    • crushed stone for drainage;

    • priming;

    • tree bark mulch.

    How to make raised wooden beds on your lawn

    Stage 1. Construction of the first row


    First, remove the turf in strips wide enough for installation. wooden board on the ground. The sod is removed around the perimeter of the bed.


    Then you should install the boards on the ground, carefully checking that they are at the same level. To level the structure, you can place planks under the lower planks.




    Then you should check that the diagonal dimensions match. If the bed is skewed, level it and recheck the diagonals and levels.


    Use a rubber hammer to knock the boards together so that there are no gaps; make sure again that the horizontal and vertical levels are set correctly. You can remove some of the soil under the boards if necessary.


    To make it easier to fasten boards with self-tapping screws, you can first drill a hole with a diameter slightly smaller than the fastener, and then screw in self-tapping screws that firmly connect adjacent boards.




    Stage 2. Building the bed to the desired height


    The next one or more rows of boards are fixed so that they overlap the joints of the bottom row to ensure high structural strength. The photo clearly shows how this should be done correctly. After checking the levels, secure the boards to each other.




    Stage 3. Filling the bed

    You can immediately fill the bed with drainage, but it’s even better to first put geotextiles on the bottom to prevent weeds from sprouting, as well as protect the raised bed from the danger of infection by fungal and other diseases from the underlying soil. For drainage, you can use crushed stone and pebbles, fragments of stones and ceramics.


    Then fill the high bed with weed-free soil or purchased ready-made soil so that its height is approximately 3 cm below the top edge. Plant seedlings in the bed, then fill the gaps with wood mulch hardwood, especially if a high bed is made in the country. Thanks to mulch, you can keep the soil moist longer and also protect the roots of the seedlings from frost.

    Stage 4. Construction of a blind area around the bed


    The blind area is laid on the sides where you mow lawn grass. Remove the turf and soil around the ridge to a depth of the thickness of the brick or tile plus 2.5 cm. The width should correspond to the length of the brick. Use bricks to mark the area with pegs and string.



    Cement-sand mortar laid on the bottom of the trench in a layer of 2.5 cm, and bricks are placed on top with a small gap.



    Using a level and rubber mallet, set all bricks level with the lawn soil.



    Fill in dry cement-sand mixture in the spaces between the bricks, compact it with a trowel, and sweep away the excess with a stiff brush.



    As a result, you will get a neat, high bed for garden or ornamental plants.

    Setting up raised beds with your own hands on a paved or concrete area is even easier, since you don’t need to make a blind area. If you need to create warm beds, we recommend raising the sides to a height of 50 cm to place the compost between the drainage and the soil.

- bulk, raised above the ground earthworks intended for planting and growing herbaceous plants. Apply to garden plots under garden crops and for planting flowers.

Advantages and disadvantages

A raised plot of land has a number of advantages and disadvantages:

pros Minuses
No shedding of the side walls of the soil, with structures protected by partitions. Through the side walls made of “breathable” material, it goes away faster. soil moisture, as a result of which the frequency and volume of watering has to be increased.
Independent of the soil located on the site - you can use purchased chernozem. Periodic costs are required to purchase black soil.
Creating a favorable climate for plant growth - elevation above the general ground level significantly reduces the risk of cold damage during frost periods. In addition, the bed can be easily protected from external influences by covering it with a tarpaulin or covering material. The limited interaction with the total mass of the earth forces an increase in the use of mineral fertilizers.
More early period growing crops - in the spring the snow melts earlier, the soil warms up faster. There is a risk of insects breeding that will harm the planted plants.
The possibility of creating a greenhouse or mini-greenhouse, which is dismantled with the onset of the warm season. On initial stage creating high beds, you have to incur material costs and make additional physical efforts to create a land structure.
Good drainage to optimize watering and soil moisture. Thanks to this, there is no risk of soil swamping, moss growth, and plant rotting. Limitation on plant assortment - not all plants tolerate an open, ventilated area.
Deep digging of the soil is carried out once every 3-4 calendar years. The rest of the time it is enough to carry out shallow loosening.
Convenience when working with low-growing plants, this is especially important for older people or those with limited mobility.
Obtaining a larger yield compared to traditional methods of growing plants.
The high level of the ground allows you to reduce the physical effort required when cultivating the soil, caring for green spaces, harvesting - for example, you can use a folding chair.
Optimal garden layout.
Creating beds with unusual shape and design.

From the above comparative data, it is clear that the idea of ​​​​high beds has the right to life. Measures aimed at reducing negative factors, will contribute to this.

How to eliminate the disadvantages?

Ways to reduce negative factors:

  1. Reducing the amount of mineral fertilizers applied to a raised plot of land is facilitated by the expanded use of organic fertilizers:
    • bird droppings, manure from cattle, creation on their basis of tinctures for liquid nutrition;
    • the use of ash from burning wood in stoves or fireplaces;
    • creation of your own on the site compost pit for processing residues from plants and human food, which will reduce the amount of purchased black soil;
    • using sludge from a septic tank.
  2. A “drip” mode device will help reduce dependence on irrigation: Such designs can be found in abundance on the Internet.
  3. Reducing the material costs required when creating high beds is facilitated by:
    • use of materials left over from construction country house or arranging a fence, for example, or corrugated sheeting;
    • the use of industrial substandard material, which is sold at significant discounts;
    • leftovers construction products that appear during the demolition of dilapidated housing, or in other similar cases.
  4. Appearances harmful insects and weeds can be avoided by preliminary preparation soil:
    • treatment with chemicals,
    • removing roots.

Kinds

Raised beds differ from each other in several ways:

  • geometric dimensions - length, width and height above the general level of the site;
  • finishing of the side walls.

Wooden


Wooden raised beds

As side supporting walls wood material used:

  • boards;
  • plywood of moisture-resistant varieties, for example, OSB-3;
  • log structure;
  • materials with the presence of wood, for example, wood concrete sheets (wood concrete) - a mixture of cement and shavings;
  • wicker rods.

Main advantage this material is its availability and ease of processing. But common deciduous (birch, aspen) and coniferous (pine) types of wood are susceptible to rotting and are worn down by bugs. The use of resistant species, for example, larch, is associated with its higher cost and difficulty in processing. But this type of wood improves its properties over time (part of old Venice still rests on Siberian larch).

Plastic


For fencing, products made of dense plastics are used:

  • plexiglass;
  • , including cell phone;
  • corrugated polymer sheeting;
  • plastic pipes, for example, used for sewerage installations with a diameter of 100–200 mm;
  • containers - plastic boxes with perforated walls.

Dignity– plastic is one of the “eternal” materials, it does not rot, does not decompose, and is resistant to water and exposure to bacteria and insects.

But in winter it becomes brittle, so during this period of the year it requires careful handling.

Easy to give in machining, easy to install. Plastic products have a variety of color scheme, which helps to decorate the garden area.

Metal


To construct an earthen embankment, finished products and semi-finished products are used:

  • galvanized a metal sheet, for example, going to the roof;
  • corrugated sheets and other metal products.

Basic requirement for metal– absence of corrosion, therefore, in the absence of protection, it is necessary to take measures to cover the surface of the products with anti-corrosion compounds. Externally, the beds can be made in the classic rectangular shape or give it a designer look - model an oval structure reminiscent of a large bathtub.

In addition to the above materials, slate sheets, bricks, concrete products, gabions and many other products that fall under the requirements for earthen embankment fencing.

Technology

Before considering the technology of constructing a high bed, you need to familiarize yourself with a number of rules.

Creation Rules

Requirements for beds are necessary for proper placement on the site; they must take into account local climatic conditions and the range of plants grown.

  1. Bed sizes. The length of the earthen embankment is limited by the size of the site and ease of passage. From here: optimal range 2–5 m. Width – up to 1–1.2 m; a larger value will create inconvenience when processing the middle part. The height of the structure should not exceed 1 m, otherwise it will also create problems with plant maintenance and require significant costs when using purchased soil. The minimum level is 25–30 cm, determined by the climate and the size of the fence available “at hand”.
  2. The soil. The purpose of creating high beds is to increase fruiting and speed of harvest. Chernozem is one of the components. Therefore, saving on the quality of the land means wasting your efforts, time and finances in vain.
  3. Location. Abundance sunlight– one of the keys to normal plant growth and fruiting. It is advisable to place the beds in open, unshaded areas. But the overall layout of the site should be taken into account - not to the detriment of other plants and outbuildings.
  4. Fencing material. You should not chase ultra-modern products - boards left over from formwork, or old brick will fully perform the functions of enclosing walls. And money will be saved.
  5. Protection of green spaces. Most of the country is located in difficult climatic conditions, in which frosts are not uncommon at the beginning and end of summer. A pre-installed protection system, for example, a structure for a greenhouse, will help reduce the risk of plants being damaged by cold air.

Construction of an earth embankment

Stages of work:


Planting planning

It is advisable to set up high beds in late summer or early autumn - this will contribute to additional overheating of organic matter and the creation of your own local microflora. If it is necessary to create a planting site in spring or summer, if possible, the soil must be filled in at least 1 month before planting the plant material.

On raised soil plots you can grow most vegetables, berries and flower crops. Moreover, they can be successfully placed in one fenced area. For example, cold-resistant: radishes, green onions, lettuce, can be planted around heat-loving plants - in the summer all these plants will be comfortable, and the tomatoes will get additional protection when the air temperature drops.

Berry and vegetable crops on such raised embankments in favorable conditions temperature conditions and timely watering, they ripen 1-2 weeks earlier, so it is necessary not to miss the harvest time, otherwise it will begin to rot and simply disappear.

You can evaluate the advantage of high beds even from one initial experience - just start with simple crops - onions, radishes, carrots and gradually expand the experience to other plants.

The so-called high beds for growing vegetables and flowers are an innovation that came to Russia from Canada. They have been cultivating the land in this way for many years now. And, importantly, we have long been convinced of the effectiveness of this method. How to make raised beds with your own hands at your dacha? And what advantages do they have over a traditional flower bed?

The easiest way to make raised beds is to prepare special frames for them from boards. You can also purchase ready-made plastic boxes for this, but, as practice shows, they are less resistant to mechanical damage and do not hold soil well.

The standard width of a high bed is 1.2 m, its length is not limited. However, you should not make it more than 2 meters in length. It is better to make such a flowerbed divided into several parts by fences. If necessary, one of them can be replaced as soon as possible.

The height of the raised bed is 30 cm or more, which corresponds to the thickness of the fertile soil. The boards fit together tightly at the edges, but Under no circumstances should they be covered with film., since this will only block the access of oxygen to the roots of the plants, and will also accelerate the rotting of the tree. If standard wooden frame will serve you for about 3 years, then with film - only 1 year.

You can also make high beds from brick, but the structure will be too heavy. In summer, in the sun, its walls will become very hot. If the roots of the plants also warm up to 40-50 degrees, the plants will inevitably die.

Boards that will be used for raised beds must be processed. To do this they need:

  • completely remove bark;
  • remove knots;
  • make sure there are no wormholes;
  • treat with soil emulsion ( clear liquid mixed with pesticides);
  • treat with water-repellent components.

All this is necessary to prevent rotting of the boards, as well as to increase their service life. How to connect the frame at the corners? It is recommended to use an ordinary block with a 3-4 cm edge (depending on the planned load on the walls).

Installation of raised beds and soil preparation

Beds made of boards are arranged in any convenient way along the width. The main thing is that you need to leave access for the gardener (so that you can roll a hand wheelbarrow) and for the automatic watering system. On average, all this will require from 30 to 50 cm. The frames can also be made in any shape, even triangular.

Having placed the frames in their places, their bottom is covered with a metal or plastic mesh for fencing. This is done in order to prevent small rodents and moles from entering inside. They may not be on the site at all, but it is better to worry about this in advance so that later you do not have to completely tear up the bed.

Cardboard must also be laid at the bottom of the high bed. It retains moisture, prevents soil from spilling, and at the same time rots over time, turning into valuable humus. The beds in the greenhouse are mounted in a similar way. If necessary, 2 or 3 racks are installed on top, and a frame with stretched film or polycarbonate is attached to them. This will protect the plants from harmful ultraviolet radiation during the sunniest hours. Agrofibre can also be used for this purpose. Its advantage over film is that the internal volume of the bed is easily blown, and watering can be done through it.

You can also make raised beds inside a flower bed with climbing flowers. This will provide additional shade for the plants and protect them from the scorching sun. But lighting will still be required to ensure the normal process of photosynthesis. This factor must be taken into account.

Preparing the soil and planting plants

How to make soil for raised beds? The top will be covered with mulch. It means that no weeds will grow here. Accordingly, all nutritional components will be available to the planted plants. Therefore, you should not stir the soil with large amounts of manure or humus. If chernozem is used, then it is enough to simply plow and sift it, after which it can be filled in for planting.

Under no circumstances should the soil be compacted! The best option- when the finger easily sinks to its entire length. Over time, the earth will still settle under the influence of watering. This also applies to raised beds in a greenhouse.

For high beds, any watering option is suitable.

You can build a drip irrigation system, install diffusers, and autonomous watering.

For irrigation, it is advisable to use rain or river water. Water from a well or tap water is not the best The best decision. The first is too cold and can cause late blight, the second contains sulfates.

Mulching is done after planting the seedlings. When the plant reaches a height of at least 10-15 cm, everything around the stem must be covered sawdust or straw. This is necessary to prevent accelerated evaporation of moisture and germination of weeds. The mulch is changed once a year. There is no need to remove the old one, as it rots quite quickly.

The design of a high bed can be changed at your discretion, however, its basis will be the same for all structures. The main advantage of such a flower bed is its visual appeal, ease of access (it will be especially appreciated by those summer residents who have back problems), high yield, almost complete absence of pests.

Do-it-yourself raised beds: step-by-step production (video)

Gallery: raised beds (15 photos)

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