How to Make a Raised Organic Backyard Vegetable Garden
Raised beds overflowing with fresh vegetables provide your family with healthy and nutritious foods and bring the satisfaction of knowing you have grown them yourself. Not only do you have the opportunity to prepare fresh vegetables right from the garden, preventing the loss of nutrients that occurs naturally as harvest vegetables sit, you get to control the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well. Creating an organic raised bed puts you in charge of what goes inside your family's body. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Raised bed kit (optional)
- Lumber, 1-by-12 inches
- Measuring tape
- Handsaw
- 16 Screws, 2 1/2 inch
- 4 Corner brackets, 2 inch
- 4 Wooden braces, 2-by-4 inch ends (optional)
- Screwdriver
- Landscape fabric, plastic or recycled newspapers
- Well-rotted manure
- Compost
- Organic fertilizers
- Organic pesticides (optional)
Instructions
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Choose a location for your raised bed in an area that receives six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day. Hours of sunlight do not need to be consecutive, but do need to add up to at least six hours. A few hours of morning light, midday shade and several hours of afternoon sunlight works well. The site should be well draining.
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Determine the overall size of the raised bed before beginning construction. Typical raised beds range from 4 to 8 feet in length and no more than 4 feet in width to allow the gardener to reach the center from both sides of the bed. Measure and cut the wood to the desired length and assemble to form either a square or rectangle. Secure the ends with metal braces or insert a block of wood inside the corners where the sides of the bed join the ends. Nail or screw the side and end pieces to the block of wood so that they fit snugly and form a right angle. Nailing or screwing into the ends of the lumber used for the frame will split the wood.
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Line the bottom of the bed with landscape fabric, recycled newspapers or plastic to create a weed barrier. If using plastic, puncture holes every 4 to 6 inches in all directions to allow water to drain easily.
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Fill the raised bed three quarters full with sandy loam, for best results. Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of well-rotted manure or compost and work it in well with the soil. Organic matter improves aeration, promotes drainage and provides slow-release nutrients to the soil.
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Plant seedlings or seeds to their recommended depth, spacing them to the recommended spacing in all directions. Disregard the suggested space between rows. For example, plant onions 4 inches apart in all directions. Because you do not till the soil in a raised bed, and do not need room for walking, there is no need for spaces between rows.
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Fertilize vegetables with fish emulsion, compost tea, manure tea or other organic fertilizers as needed throughout the summer. Typically, applying a good source of organic fertilizer once or twice a month is sufficient; however, the need for fertilizer varies among plants and according to their rate of growth. Adapt as necessary.
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Hand pick pests whenever possible. With daily monitoring and quick action, many pests can be controlled by hand. Encourage natural predators in your garden, such as toads and birds. They provide good protection against bothersome insects. Use organic pesticides as a last resort. There are many pesticides available that are made from natural plants.
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Tips & Warnings
Hang bird feeders or install birdhouses near the garden to attract birds to help with pest control. Create a hiding spot for toads by placing an inverted plant pot in a shady section. Prop one side open to create a doorway. Toads crawl into shaded spots during the heat of the day and come out in late evening or early morning to devour insects.
Use caution when using natural pesticides. Just because they are made from plants does not mean they are harmless. Read precautions carefully and observe safe handling procedures.
References
Resources
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