8 Common Gardening Mistakes You're Making
Planning a raised bed garden always begins with many promises. These elevated growing sites offer many advantages over underground gardens, such as easier accessibility, greater control over soil composition, improved drainage, and warmer soil temperatures that allow for earlier planting and faster growth. So you eagerly draw plans for raised beds filled with fresh vegetables that your kids will eat right off the vine, and bold flowers that you can pluck for your vases. But in your excitement, it's easy to make some common bed mistakes that can derail your efforts. Here's what to avoid doing, so you can garden smarter, not harder.
1. Choosing the wrong location
Your bed height should receive at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. If you are sitting at your location in early spring, consider what the surrounding trees will look like in the summer and where their shade will fall. Choose a relatively flat site, but avoid low-lying areas such as the bottom of a hill where rainwater collects. By placing raised beds against a fence or wall you won't have easy access to all four sides.
2. Forgetting the water source
The back of your yard might be a logical place to put your bed, but not if you have to haul buckets of water all the way. Make sure it's big enough for an outdoor hose that the garden hose can reach. You may also want to consider installing a drip irrigation system to continuously water your bed with minimal waste.
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3. Enlarging beds
While it's tempting to create a grand plot, it's important to keep logistics in mind. Your plot should be narrow enough that you can plant, weed, water, and harvest in the middle across it. Three to five feet wide, which is the size of most prefabricated kits, is suitable for most people. Avoid making it too long either; You don't want to get frustrated and walk in giant circles around your plot. If you have the space and desire, it is better to make several small beds.
4. Building with the wrong materials
If you're planning to build a DIY raised bed, pressure-treated lumber may seem like a durable and long-lasting material, but many gardeners prefer to avoid it due to the risk of leaching harmful chemicals into the soil (same goes for old tires). On the other hand, you should avoid using wood that is prone to rotting or is already showing signs of wear, such as a pallet, or that you may need to rebuild in a year. Instead, choose cedar, oak, redwood, stone, and brick, which make great, long-lasting, chemical-free choices.
5. Not using the best soil
The bag says garden soil, so it must be good for every type of garden, right? Not so fast. Garden soil should be mixed with subsoil topsoil to help improve its structure and nutrient composition. If used in raised beds, it will compact and block drainage. Be sure to use bagged soil designed for raised beds, with the benefit of being sterilized to kill weed seeds, insects, or disease.
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6. Choosing a large number of plants
When planting within the confines of a raised bed, consider the size and maturity you want to plant to ensure there is enough space for certain varieties. For example, a zucchini plant will take up an entire two feet squares of land. If you are tight on space, grow smaller vegetables, choose dwarf varieties, and plant in succession.
7. Avoid mulching
Even if your garden is off the ground, it's still prone to weeds. Add a layer of mulch to help keep weeds at bay. Mulch will help retain moisture around the roots of your plants, so you don't have to water as often. Plus, your product will be cleaner because the mulch will prevent soil from splashing onto your plants.
8. Not protecting your plants
While a raised bed may be enough to keep rabbits away, you can place your valuables at eye level for hungry deer. The best way to deter deer is to build fences that you can easily reach or remove to get to your garden. You can spray a scent-based repellent on the soil, but it must be reapplied regularly.
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Raised bed vegetable garden plans for three season bounty
Planning a vegetable garden and successfully harvesting your own produce is easy with this three-season raised bed plan. The layout of a vegetable garden can make or break its success, so it's important to get it right. Follow these planting plans and checklists for each season, and you'll enjoy a productive vegetable garden from early spring through fall.
Plant for a spring harvest
Start in early spring to grow your own produce. Call your local county extension office or garden center to find the average last spring frost date for your area. You can leave part of the garden unplanted so it's ready for warm weather vegetables later.
Early Spring: Plant four weeks before the last frost date. Sow vegetable seeds directly into the soil in early spring, but for an even earlier harvest, we recommend starting with some transplants. When planting seeds, sow more densely than recommended and then, using scissors, thin the seedlings to the recommended number once they are two inches tall.
A. 8 butterhead lettuce
B. 8 leaf lettuce
C. 16 carrot
D. 6 Coriander or Dill
E. 2 broccoli
F. 1 Cabbage
G. 2 cauliflower
H. 12 snow peas (planted in a circle around a tall tomato cage or trellis)
I. 4 Lettuce
J. 2 parsley
K. 8 onions
L. 16 Radishes
M. 4 Swiss chard or gal
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Spring checklist
Keep the seeds moist (but not muddy) so the little plants don't dry out after they sprout. Water with a gentle spray. Support your snow peas with a tomato cage or trellis. Pull weeds as soon as you find them. Use clean straw, last fall's chopped leaves, grass clippings, or other types of organic mulch in your garden. Apply a two-inch layer of mulch around the young plants, but don't cover the seeds you've planted, or they won't germinate.
Plant for a summer harvest
After the last frost date, when the days and soil are warm, plant summer-harvesting, warm-weather vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and green beans. Herbs are also growing well now. Late Spring: Plant these vegetables in late spring, two weeks after the last frost date. Alternative Tips: Some vegetables need space, and fickle tomatoes need a larger cage. Summer squash, cucumbers, and pole beans can all be grown on a 6-foot trellis at the edge of the garden. Make sure they don't shade other plants.
A. 8 bush green beans
B. 8 carrot
C. 1 cherry tomato (try 'Husky Cherry Red' or 'Batio')
D. 1 cabbage (not yet harvested since early spring)
E. 1 salad tomato (try 'Rutgers' or 'Better Bush')
F. 12 Snow peas (not yet harvested since early spring)
G. 1 sweet pepper (try 'Gypsy Hybrid,' 'California Wonder,' 'Albino,' or 'Bell Boy')
H. 2 parsley
I. 8 onions
J. 4 Basil
K. 4 Swiss chard or gal
Summer Checklist
Use mulch around your vegetables, especially tomatoes, to keep the soil moist and reduce weed problems. Stock or cage tomatoes, regardless of whether you've chosen a smaller one, decide on varieties that produce at the same time. Place stakes or cages immediately after planting so the plants are supported as they grow. Peppers often require support. Visit your garden for a few minutes each day. The soil may be dry on the surface, but do not let the plants dry out.
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Plant for a fall harvest
As the days cool, cool-weather crops will once again become part of your garden. Keep harvesting tomatoes, peppers and beans. Late Summer: Plant these vegetables in mid to late summer, about eight weeks before the first average fall frost date. Garden Planning: Fall gardens are often overlooked by gardeners who have planted a large spring garden that is difficult to maintain through the season. With a manageable plan like this, you have the time and energy to continue planting and extend your harvest into the fall.
A. 1 Cabbage
B. 12 bush green beans
C. 16 carrots
D. 4 broccoli
E. 2 Cauliflower
F. 1 cherry tomato
G. 1 salad tomato
H. 4 Lettuce
I. 1 sweet pepper
J. 2 parsley
K. 2 dill
L. 4 cilantro
M. 4 Basil
N. 4 Swiss chard or gal
Fall Checklist
Renew the mulch around your plants as needed. Continue daily visits to your garden to harvest and weed. Although it's fall, look for days with warm winds that can quickly dry out a vegetable patch. Watering may be required twice a day if windy. Watch out for harmful insects. Since your garden is small enough, it's easy to pick and crush most of them if you find them. After the first frost, remove dead plants and spread an inch of compost or compost over the bed. By spring your garden will be ready again.
Keyhole Garden will charge more for your raised beds
Keyhole gardening may be a new trend in the United States, but it actually started in Africa in the 1990s, offering a way to grow new produce in drought-prone areas with poor soil. Although there are many variations, most keyhole gardens are circular raised beds with a notch cut in the middle (similar to a keyhole, hence the name) to allow easy access to the entire plot. A basket sits in the middle of the plot for composting and watering. The planting bed can be filled with garden soil; Biodegradable materials such as cardboard, newspaper, grass clippings, coffee grounds and other kitchen waste and compost; or a combination of both.
Benefits of Keyhole Gardening
The Keyhole Planter's raised profile makes it ideal for locations with subpar soils (bonus: no digging or tilling required). This height makes planting, cultivating and harvesting easier for people with mobility challenges. Additionally, keyhole gardens are environmentally and budget friendly. You can make them using natural ingredients and materials that you already have on hand and at a very low cost. A compost bin provides a convenient, mess-free way to provide plants with much-needed nutrients without a separate compost bin. If you use layers of organic material on the bed, it will retain moisture and lead to less watering.
How to make a keyhole garden
Just like creating a raised bed, there are many ways to set up your own keyhole garden depending on budget, preferences and space. Fortunately, the process is simple and straightforward.
Site your location
Look for a relatively flat area. Avoid low-lying areas with waterlogging. Make sure the area gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.
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Determine the shape and size
Although most keyhole planters are round, you can create any shape to fit your space. Make sure it's six feet or less in diameter so you can easily reach all your plants. Make a notch in the middle that is wide enough for you to walk through to reach the compost bin (a couple of feet wide will work for most people). Mark your spot by laying a base layer of stone, brick or wood. You can also opt for a pre-made kit, in which case you can skip the next two steps.
Build your own compost bin
Use a perforated or mesh material such as chicken wire to create a compost basket. Roll the wire about 12 inches in diameter and several inches higher than the walls of your structure. Tie it together with twine or zip ties and place it in the middle of the garden.
Build the walls
Your keyhole garden structure can be made from a variety of materials, including bricks, cinder blocks, stones or wood. Aim for a height of about three feet. If the walls are porous, add cardboard around the inside perimeter to help hold everything in place.
Add soil and/or other materials
If you add garden soil, fill the bed to the top. Or, add compost material in the lasagna style and top it with a layer of soil and/or manure.
Plant your new keyhole garden
Now you're ready to grow your favorite produce (and a few flowers, too). Leafy greens and smaller root vegetables like carrots, onions, beets, radishes and turnips grow best in keyhole gardens, while larger crops like beans and squash may struggle. Look for smaller varieties to maximize your space and allow you to grow a variety of produce.
Keep composting and watering
As the growing season progresses, continue to add material to the compost basket. (Hint: As long as the plants haven't gone to seed, this is a convenient place to toss the weeds you pull from your keyhole garden.) Whenever the soil looks dry, add compost and water to the basket to help disperse both nutrients. Moisture throughout the bed.
Overall, keyhole gardens are relatively low maintenance. However, if the quality of your produce starts to deteriorate over the years or if the soil volume starts to decrease, you may need to add some fresh soil and compost to the bed.
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