Planting a garden is a great way to provide you and your family with fresh produce all summer long. The act of caring for a garden is also great for your wellbeing. Experts say that gardening can lower people’s cortisol levels and blood pressure, as well as relieve stress and help you stay active. Raised bed gardens have several advantages over in-ground gardens. They require less weeding and maintenance, have a longer growing season due to their ability to hold in heat, and typically have a higher yield. They’re also easier to access and put less strain on your back since they’re above ground level!
Choose Your Garden Box
There are plenty of different types of gardening boxes available on the market if you’d prefer to purchase one ready-made. You can also DIY one yourself with just a few tools. They can be made of wooden planks, bricks, sheet metal, or plastic, however, lumber tends to be the most popular choice. Keep in mind that pressure-treated wood is typically treated with compounds that are deemed safe to use around edible plants but you may opt to line your beds with plastic sheeting or use untreated wood instead for peace of mind.
Selecting a Soil
Another great thing about raised garden beds is that you can use different kinds of soils in different boxes depending on what you want to plant in them. A mixture of 60 percent topsoil, 30 percent compost, and 10 percent potting mix is standard for most applications but it’s a good idea to do some research to see what soils the plants you want to grow do best in. If you can, till the soil underneath the garden box to promote drainage. To prevent weeds from coming up from below the garden box, you may also want to line the bottom with a landscaping fabric that will block weeds but allows water to drain through. Once you have filled up the bed with soil, water it well so the soil settles a bit before you start planting.
Time to Plant
Now comes the exciting part! If you aren’t familiar with what plants grow well in your area, see what Plant Hardiness Zone you are in and then do a quick Google search to see what types of plants are best for your zone. Plants such as lettuce, bell peppers, onions, strawberries, and tomatoes are easy to grow and adapt well to most climates.
Do you have any spring gardening plans? Tell us in the comments!