Garden beds

 So one of the ways that I grow in my garden is I do make use of garden beds. You can pretty much grow anything you want in a garden bed. Some garden beds can even be relocated after a season. They can be made from different materials. They can even be made from repurposed items (I have one bed made from an old smoker and another made from a dishwasher!). They can be different heights and widths. Most of my beds are only a few inches off the ground but I've seem some beds that are two or three feet off the ground. I've even seen one bed on a rolling cart.

When we assemble our beds, we like to put something like cardboard or silage tarps down first. Both of these can kill grass but the cardboard has the added advantage of being compostable. Then we assemble the beds and place them on the cardboard or tarp. We also like to add sticks and/or compost and cover them with garden soil. This can save you some money on dirt. In addition, both break down in soil over time.

Some people talk about galvanized steel beds. They aren't a necessity, but I do have a few of them and I really like the look of them. Tarter and Viggo make some nice beds but you can find some lesser known brands that are half the price or more. My best bed this year was my dishwasher! Go figure! No one fell over it, it didn't fall apart like one of my wood beds did. It just stayed there.

When you sow your seed or plant your starts, be sure that you give them space. Your plant label can give you this information. If you don't have a label, it's time to contact your extension service. This spacing is vital in preventing disease in plants. You can thin the seedlings out as they grow to improve spacing if need be. Don't sweat it if your seeds got too close together.

Well, it looks like I'm going to have to make a run to the local garden center. We will have to till up some ground in the next day or so, so I know I will be posting about that in the coming days. Until then, happy gardening!