Welcome to the Raised Bed Garden
So many of y’all were interested in my natural weed killer, that I thought I needed to update you on what I’ve done since I killed the weeds. Lol. I took a poll on my stories about what I should put out here, and majority ruled raised beds. So that’s what I did. And I LOVE THEM! It’s exactly the vibe I was going for, and so easy to maintain! So let’s talk about the process…
Starting the Garden
Before I did anything, I figured out where I wanted the raised beds to sit, because once you plant stuff in them you’re not going to be able to move them. I feel like these particular beds deserve their own moment, because they really are that good. I chose the Vego beds because they are made with recyclable metal, that won’t rust or contaminate the food that you’re growing in them. They also can be assembled into different variations to fit any space that you want to put them in. The 2-in-1 wrench that comes with it really made it so easy to put together. (Shout out to Kayla, for the help there!) They also stand taller than most other brands, which gives your plants more room to grow. I did till up the ground, before I assembled them.
Practical Details
When I got the location sorted out for the raised beds, it was time for the real work to begin. First, I laid cardboard on top of the flower bed. This step is beneficial for multiple reasons like weed suppression, pest protection, and soil improvement. It essentially performs just like a landscape fabric, but it’s much cheaper! I also did this on the ground beneath the raised beds, and set the beds on top of the cardboard.
Garden Fillers
I used about two and a half wheel barrows pull of left over mulch (from when I had the trees removed) on top of the cardboard inside of the raised beds. I laid about 7” of mulch. This left about a foot open above the mulch for the plants and the raised bed soil and Black Kow manure, that I added later. I used 6 bags of the soil per bed, and 1.5 bags of the manure per bed, for reference. And I planted red bell peppers, zucchini squash, cantaloupe, and a couple of other items we eat regularly. I also added in this trellis for the vines that would grow.
Enjoy!
I’m so happy with the way that these beds turned out! They look so good in that area that I cleaned out. I can’t wait to watch my babies eat the [vegetables] of my labor. 🙂