How to Build a Raised Flower Bed
Raised flower beds have many advantages over ground level gardens. The fact that you won't have as far down to bend when tending to your garden is reason enough for many gardeners to build a raised bed. Other benefits not immediately obvious include better drainage, improved control over soil quality, better weed prevention and warmer soil earlier in the spring allowing for a longer gardening season. Enhance your garden landscape by building a raised flower bed. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Design your flower bed. Decide where its location will be in your garden and determine the height and width that will work best for your growing requirements and aesthetic preferences. Consider a multi-layered bed with a smaller one on top of a larger one to create a step-like appearance. Remember practical elements such as hours of sunlight per day when selecting your location.
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Select your materials. Flower beds can be made from anything that will remain in place and contain soil. Wood or brick are two examples that work well. For smaller beds, try an old tire, wheelbarrow or hollowed out tree trunk. Decide between purchasing a kit from a nursery or hardware store, or building a raised flower bed from scratch.
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Construct your flower bed frame. Measure, cut and join wood pieces. To add sturdiness to your wood corners, add a small block of wood on the inside of each corner and nail the adjoining planks to the block of wood. If your corners are not perfectly square, modify the shape of your blocks to fit. If your bed will be tall with walls that are two or more planks high, use corner posts instead of blocks. If you are using stone or brick instead of wood, place them in position and cement them together, and then allow sufficient drying and curing time. As you are constructing your bed, ensure that is it level to prevent excessive water run off.
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Line the inside of your completed flower bed shape with landscape cloth, which will allow air and water to pass through while discouraging the growth of weeds. Newspaper or cardboard works to discourage weeds as well. Add drainage materials such as pebbles if your bed is deep enough to allow for it and still have room for an adequate amount of soil. Next add soil. Order compost or potting mix to be delivered, purchase bags yourself or simply transport soil from another location on your property. If you use old soil from your yard, add compost mulch or fertilizer to feed your plants. Once your soil is in place, you are ready to plant your flowers.
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References
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