Keeping Your Soil Healthy In Raised Bed Gardening

By Andrew Cowell

When you've finished building your raised bed either from a kit or from scratch, you'll be ready to start raised bed gardening. Though your chosen spot might be looking a little empty right now, there are plenty of things you can do to populate your garden with beautiful plants and make sure that those plants stay alive for a long time.

Using proper soil, watering carefully and maintaining your garden to prevent disease and weeds will do a lot to keep your garden looking fresh and clean.

Being Careful About pH Levels

There are numerous soil packages available from every store under the Sun, but my personal favorite is a bit more down to earth. Try this simple recipe: mix one quarter yard soil with a solution of compost and sand. This unique combination will provide a great starting point for your bed. Also watch your pH levels. If they're too high, nothing will grow.

Getting Rid Of Weeds

Raised bed gardens typically get the better of weeds, but that's not to say that no one ever experiences the occasional weed here and there. Put in some organic mulch and use whatever weed guarding stuff you have in the house. If this doesn't get rid of your weed infestation, remove them by hand. It's simple and not really time consuming. Throw some more mulch over the top and see what happens overnight. Keep in mind this is an ongoing fight, so there will be victories and there will be losses.

Keep Watering

If you're unsure of what to do for water, it's best to go manually. This way, you can direct the water exactly where you want it: at the base of the plants themselves rather than the surrounding dirt. Irrigation systems can come in handy if you've got the money, as their drip technology will keep your plants at a more optimum water level than you could hope for doing it by hand. Overhead watering is the only real no-no, as it will leave too much moisture and leave plants susceptible to disease.

Easy Maintenance

Raised bed gardening is particularly attractive to busy people because they require precious little in the way of real maintenance. If yours is made of brick and mortar, go out and kick it every now and then to make sure it won't fall over, and that's about it. Make sure to water your plants and turn the soil over periodically. Add in a little organic material here and there.

If there are any signs of disease, simply empty your garden and put down new soil for your plants and you're good to go. As long as it looks good and the veggies keep growing, you should be fine.

Low maintenance nature lovers will find a lot to love in raised bed gardening. The amazing flowers and vegetables you can grow will brighten up your yard and raise your property values. Use the above tips to freshen up your garden and keep it safe. - 31520

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