How to make raised beds + video

As a decoration and landscaping of the yard, high beds in the country, as well as bulk flower beds, have become popular. A simple device is a fence with the sides of the land, filled with bulk soil. High beds allow you to grow ornamental plants and garden crops. They make fences from the remains of building material. Now we will try to describe in more detail the process of making high beds and consider the variety of designs in photographs.

What is the demand and why high beds are not always convenient

First, it is desirable to find out what are the pros and cons of high beds in order to determine the usefulness of their construction in your yard:

• if fertile soil is not destined for the summer cottage, the fence allows the use of purchased soil;
• for each type of garden crops and ornamental plants there is the possibility of arranging individual drainage;
• the sides do not allow the roots of creeping weeds to penetrate the territory of the fenced area with cultivated plants;
• it is more convenient to weed a high bed, and it is easier to harvest;
• warming and stretching a greenhouse film on top allows you to get an early harvest in cold regions;
• the body of the fence made of boards, plastic or metal allows you to get a mobile garden bed, which, if necessary, can be moved to any end of the yard;
• from purchased fences it will be possible to organize a decorative flower garden near the house;
• the high efficiency of the insulated garden bed allows you to get a larger crop than from the same piece of land in the garden;
• the soil inside the fence remains loose for a long time, which allows the root system to receive oxygen.

High beds can not always be beneficial, and sometimes they are simply inconvenient for a summer resident. Let’s touch on their main disadvantages:

• the higher the embankment from the ground, the faster its surface dries out, which increases the frequency of irrigation;
• the soil in limited conditions is quickly depleted and requires additional application of mineral supplements;
• due to the biological activity of unripe compost, crop seeds often do not germinate, therefore, to be sure, it is advisable to plant seedlings on a high bed;
• for a bear, a fenced area with humus is a favorite habitat, and in order to save the plants, it is constantly necessary to fight the pest.

If the listed pluses prevail over the minuses, you need to take a tool and make high beds with your own hands, and our tips will help you in your work.

We determine the optimal dimensions of the beds and their fences

To figure out how to make a high bed in the country, you must first decide on its size. The height of the sides often depends on the quality of the soil in the summer cottage. If the yard stands on fertile soil, 150 mm of elevation of the fence will be enough. When making a bulk bed with purchased soil, it is advisable to avoid its contact with the poor soil of the land plot, and raise the height to 300 mm. Under potatoes, the height of the fence will have to be made even higher.

The “warm bed” technology provides for a multi-layer backfill of different components. In this case, it is necessary to build the sides of the fences at least 500 mm.

Length is the only value that does not require mandatory compliance. In length, the embankment can be made as long as the yard, greenhouse or vegetable garden allows. The problem can only be unstable long sides of fences, requiring additional reinforcement with stakes.

The width of the box is an important parameter. Serviceability depends on it. The optimal width of the fenced embankment ranges from 0,9–1,2 m. Factory-made collapsible sides in width most often range from 0,5 to 1 m.

Material for the manufacture of fences

Numerous photos of high beds in the country with their own hands prove that the sides can be made from any remnants of building material or bought ready-made in the store. When self-manufacturing fences most often used:

• Wooden boards are a simple and environmentally friendly option. The disadvantage is the rapid decay of the material. Fences are made not only from boards. In the course are trimming timber, picket fence, round timber. From the branches weave a fence. Antiseptics and bituminous mastics help to extend the life of wood, but the ecological purity of the material is lost.
• Stones, bricks, cinder blocks and other similar materials make it possible to make reliable high beds with your own hands, but they will cost the owner dearly. To fasten the elements you will need a cement mortar. If the fence is made without a foundation, seasonal heaving of the soil will tear the masonry.
• Wavy or flat slate is convenient for making fences, but the asbestos that is part of it gradually poisons the soil.
• Sides made of black sheet metal are short-lived. Stainless steel is expensive. Ready-made galvanized boxes with a polymer color coating are sold on the market. They will last longer, but their cost is high.
• If you design beds in the yard for flowers, it is better to give preference to plastic sides or border tapes.

There are a lot of options for choosing a material for making garden fences, but it is more comfortable for plants to be near the side of natural raw materials.

Making a high bed from boards

Now we will look at how to properly make high-bed fences from boards. Since the tree has a positive effect on plants, we will focus on it:

• To make a box, you will need boards. If there is a choice, it is better to give preference to oak or larch. Boards from this tree species are the most resistant to decay.
• Wooden blanks are cut with a hacksaw of the required dimensions. To make a box, the boards must be fastened together. Here you can go two ways. The first option is to dig wooden poles in the corners of the future high beds. The boards are nailed to the resulting supports or screwed with self-tapping screws. The second option is appropriate in the absence of wooden racks. The boards at the corners are fastened with metal corners. For fixing, you can use self-tapping screws, but bolts are better. Through fastening will be more reliable.
• When all four corners of the structure are fastened together, the box is considered ready. The presented photo of a high bed gradually shows the manufacture of one of the options for the box.

The resulting wooden box is installed in a permanent place. The bottom is covered with plastic wrap. Next, there is a layer-by-layer backfilling of sand, small branches with grass, humus and fertile soil.

Conversion of a high bed into a greenhouse

Now let’s look at the arrangement of high beds equipped with a greenhouse. The principle of manufacturing the box remains the same. The frame is knocked down from the boards and installed in a permanent place. Further actions are aimed at making the greenhouse itself:

• Attachments for arcs are screwed to the side long sides of the box. Each pair must be strictly opposite each other. The distance between adjacent fasteners is approximately 750 mm.
• The bottom of the greenhouse is covered with foil. If there is a metal mesh, it can be placed under polyethylene so that rodents do not penetrate inside the high bed. A metal mesh laid on the bottom of the greenhouse will save the crop from the mole.
• Layers of sand, wood waste, humus and fertile soil are poured on top of the polyethylene. Each layer is slightly moistened to speed up the rotting process.
• For the manufacture of arcs, steel wire or a plastic water pipe with a diameter of 20 mm is suitable. Pieces of pipes of the same length are bent in a semicircle and inserted into the fasteners on the sides. From above, the arcs are fastened together with a cross member made of a similar pipe.
• The finished skeleton is covered with a transparent PET film. The edges are fixed on the wooden sides of the fence.

After planting the seedlings under the film, the surface of the soil is densely covered with sawdust. They will prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture. Instead of sawdust, some gardeners use a black film in which holes are cut under the plants.

The video shows the manufacture of beds:

Feature of Mittlider’s high beds

An American gardener developed his own design of high beds for strawberries. Their only difference is that the width does not exceed 45 cm. Any material is used for the sides, including boards. The filler consists of a layer of sawdust and fertile soil. The vegetable grower took 90 cm of free space to the aisles, and covered it with agrofiber so that weeds would not grow.

To summarize

Now you know how to make high beds, and what material you need to work. As you can see, the work is simple, and feasible for every vegetable grower.