How best to make a bed. High beds: how and from what to make. What should be paid special attention to

Many people think that outwardly the garden looks boring and uninteresting with its straight beds. But let me prove you otherwise. Look at the photo of the original DIY garden.

In today's article, we will talk about impressive ideas, decoration methods, recommendations for creating unique vegetable gardens, and some instructive lessons.

Lazy beds - a modern option

Do you want to get rid of boring and pesky garden chores? You should immediately learn the technology of creating modern beds, called lazy. They do not require constant weeding and provide you with time for a country holiday.

In addition, this option of beds is convenient and helps to increase productivity.

Summer residents are well acquainted with the processes of growing various plants, and the final result does not always justify expectations and costs. So, seedlings may not take root and die, or not produce a crop. And lazy beds can help solve these problems.

The peculiarity of these beds is that the seedlings grow independently, and their yield increases by several orders of magnitude. The secret of this technique is very simple: the beds should not be disturbed by weeding or loosening the earth, this is possible only during their preparatory period and during the planting period.

Undoubtedly, by regularly weeding the ground, you will eradicate all weeds and loosen the soil, but because of this, the soil itself will begin to dry out and will not moisten the plants enough.

Lazy beds are not difficult to make, you just need to do everything in stages:

First, you should decide on the dimensions of the sides, especially with the height, which depends on their location. According to the selected sizes, prepare boards for them, fasten them with self-tapping screws and wooden bars at the corners of the sides. To do this, use clamps.

When you have finished assembling the bed box, turn it over and install it in a predetermined place that is well lit.

Prepare holes, the depth of which should be 12-15 cm, so that the corner wooden blocks fit them perfectly. Install the box securely. Use a level to make sure the bed is set correctly.

FROM inside attach a PVC pipe to the sides in order to later attach a film or mesh hoops to it. Lightly tamp the bottom, cover it first with metal mesh to protect against rodents, then with geotextile material.

Pour the soil into the box, strengthen the watering hoses. Plant your seedlings. If you need to cover the bed, fix the arcs for the film. The bed is ready!

Don't forget to provide a watering system. You don't have to buy an expensive one. It is not recommended to water often, but it is enough that the plants are fully moistened before the next watering.

Choosing the right gardening equipment will help save time and your energy. In this regard, it is worth buying only quality tools to make work easier and more comfortable. Store inventory in a designated storage area.

As the planting season begins, dig up the ground to prepare it for planting seedlings or seeds.

After completing the planting process, do not disturb the soil, the mulch will do everything for you. Your business is to regularly provide watering.

Note!

As you can see, this version of the beds is really for the lazy, but the most hardworking summer residents have taken note of it and put it into action.

Excellent yield in raised beds

The erection of a frame structure and the watering system of high beds is a very laborious process, but then you will be completely satisfied with the yield and weather conditions.

The sun's rays have a great effect on high beds in terms of illumination and warming up of the soil, as a result of which planting can be started from April.

Rodent protection in the form of a metal mesh is also laid at the bottom of the beds. With a frame width of 1.5 m, it will be easy for you to take care of the plants either on one side or on the other. You can also make a two-lane bed and cover it with a film on top, get a greenhouse version of the bed.

Harvest on such beds usually ripens early. Their only downside is that they often need to be watered plantings, since water is not stored in the soil.

Note!

Despite the laboriousness in the construction of beds, this is quickly compensated for by good results and has a very attractive appearance.

Smart beds are the best

Smart or warm beds differ little from lazy ones. The only difference is in the use of fertilizers, which tend to increase yields with minimal effort.

As a soil for smart beds, they do not use earth, but compost with sawdust, leaves, straw, which nourishes the plants even more. A layer of soil is poured on top of the compost and after one month, planting begins.

The height of the beds is approximately 1 m. Stones, logs or bricks can be used to fence them, which will make the garden more interesting. Remember to provide the beds with internal watering.

If you do not mind the time and money for a large number of fertilizer, then this method is for you. But we assure you that you will not be at a loss, and you will be pleased not only with chic beds and garden design in general, but also with early yields.

Note!

Economy version of high beds

Fencing beds with wattle is the most economical option in terms of finances. In addition, such design idea for the garden will perfectly decorate your site. Such beds are suitable for growing both flowers and vegetables.

Step-by-step instructions for building a garden bed:

• Cover the ground inside the wattle fence with geotextile or cardboard to prevent nutrients from seeping into the soil when watering. Although cardboard is not durable, it will eventually become organic matter.
• Top with garden weeds or freshly cut grass from the lawn.
• Cover everything with a layer of dry straw.
• Sprinkle compost or dead leaves over the straw.
• At the end - a layer of black soil.
• The best period for these beds is the autumn time, when there are plenty of necessary components. For natural heating of the soil, it is worth taking care of a layer of manure, which will release heat.

A beautiful garden may well become an ornament to the landscape of the entire site. How to make a unique view of the garden with your own hands?

Use some tips:

• if necessary, use a trellis for climbing plants;
• use multi-colored and different-shaped cultures of garden plants.
• frame the beds in an original way, this will not only increase the yield, but also improve the appearance.
• Decorate the garden with flowers, preferably perennials.
• divide the beds beautiful paths or trails in the form of pebbles or pebbles.
• count on big harvest, then English or French styles are for you.

Scarecrow

Having built a scarecrow in the garden, you will not only scare away the birds, but also decorate it.

And it is not at all necessary that the scarecrow should be scary and untidy. Your version of the scarecrow can be mischievous, fun and colorful.

It can be built not only in the form of a person, but also in various other images, using all kinds of materials at hand.

By installing such a guard in the garden, you can not worry about the safety of the crop!

DIY garden photo

Gardening in Russia is famous for the fact that people are constantly adopting various low-cost ways to increase productivity. The so-called warm beds have earned high popularity. Their device is designed in such a way that early heating of the soil occurs with natural (from rotting organic matter) or artificial (with the help of an energy carrier) heat.

In simple terms, a warm bed is a kind of compost pit that has drainage at the bottom and planting soil at the top. There are three options for compost beds for their placement relative to ground level:

• raised above the surface;
• buried;
• mixed design (the base is at a depth, the top tower is located above ground level.

In any case, the filling of the beds will look like a layer cake, in which each layer is some kind of organic material.

Such beds are formed either in early spring or late autumn. Going into the winter with pre-prepared beds is very rational, because before freezing in the bowels of the structure, the process of decomposition of organic matter will already begin, and in the spring it will continue with renewed vigor.

Contents of organic warm beds

Approximate content of raised beds from bottom to top:

• protection against rodents - mice and moles (use a metal or plastic mesh);

• drainage layer (plant branches, large branches, logs, remains of old stumps and other bulk material);
• insulating fabric (geotextile) or a layer of old newspapers and cardboard on top of it;

IMPORTANT. The insulating layer prevents the drainage layer from being flooded with water, and also prevents the germination of weeds.

• sawdust, bark, chopped branches;
• unripe organics - old foliage and various plant remains;
• rotted compost;
• garden soil or specially brought fertile soil.

IMPORTANT. The thickness of the top layer must be made such that the roots have enough space and they do not grow into the layer of unripened organic matter. Study in advance the specifics of those plants that you plan to plant on this bed.

Depending on the design, some layers can be eliminated. For example:

• if the bed lies on the ground without deepening, then a drainage layer of bulk material is not needed. There is no need for cardboard - just cover the bottom of the bed with a protective coating against rodents, and then with a waterproof technical cloth so that irrigation water does not quickly go into the soil;

• if the bed is of a mixed type (buried with elevation) - make sure that the ground level is somewhere between a layer of cardboard and unripe organic matter.

There are no strict rules. The main task of a novice designer warm beds is to understand the whole principle of work:

• layer sequence;
• organization of the process of decay;
• rodent protection;
• thickness of each filler layer.

Most of the questions are related to how thick each layer should be. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to pay attention to key points:

• top fertile soil with compost 15-25 cm (depending on the length of the roots going deep into the soil);
• unripe organic matter (old leaves, etc.) with a layer about 12-15 cm thick;
• a layer of old branches, sawdust - about 10-13 cm;
• the lower drainage layer is from 5 to 10 cm.

Varieties

There are different versions of beds that give natural warmth from the inside. The choice of design depends on how much you are willing to spend time and effort on the result. Remember that any garden design is considered simultaneously as:

• opportunity to increase yields;
• means of facilitating further garden work, improve convenience;
• aesthetic organization of plantations and plantings on the site.

Technologically the easiest option. What are the advantages of a warm bed of this type:

• they are much easier to care for;
• there is no need for hard work on digging the earth to a depth;

IMPORTANT. They are ideal in conditions when the soil is excessively swampy (inside the contour of a warm bed, an optimal environment is created due to the selection of fillers, and the bottom is covered with insulating material).

• it is easy to create clear geometric shapes (relevant for lovers of sophistication landscape design);

• it is much easier to protect plant roots from mice and moles.

buried beds

Most difficult option in terms of labor costs. However, the result is more solid:

• under the ground level, organic matter does not freeze as much as in raised beds, so the process of heat release begins much earlier in the spring;
• once you dig a trench and fill it with organic materials, you don’t have to worry about repeated work for several years (shelf life is about 3-4 years without the need to change the internal contents);
• saving time and effort on the side frame of the beds, because. you can do without it (if the surface of the beds is flush with the level of the surrounding ground).

mixed type

This option is considered optimal:

• the buried part plays a long-term role (it is not necessary to dig it up every spring);
• the elevation of the upper fertile part allows you to process the bed with less effort;

IMPORTANT. Working in a sitting position is relevant for older people. Often they suffer from atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases, in which the head down position is contraindicated.

• the recommended height of the part protruding above the surface is approximately 55-70 cm;

• the towering part will have to be decorated with side walls, that is, an aesthetically attractive view will be obtained - the garden or vegetable garden will look more stylish, pleasing to the eye with landscape design.

materials

Highly important aspect- from what to make the contour of the beds. Although there are a wide variety of materials on the market, they have different properties:

• aesthetic appearance;
• financial high cost/cheapness;
• fragility / durability;
• temperature response;
• safety from an environmental point of view.

IMPORTANT. Never use glass. The risk of a battle is great, and it is simply unrealistic to remove small fragments from the soil.

The final decision is always yours, and let it be balanced. Short review Materials to be used:

DIY garden bed

In this article, we will consider a mixed type construction:

• deepened by the base;
• having an above-ground part;
• wooden side frame.

This guide will help you better understand general scheme and details of working with various materials.

Preparation for work

Tools and material:

• carpentry (saw, drill, level, screwdriver, measuring tape, corner);

• garden (shovel, rake, pitchfork, garden cart for transporting compost and other filler materials, earth drill);
• edged board 2-2.5 cm thick, 17-20 cm wide;
• bar 4x4 cm for stakes;
• metal or plastic mesh from rodents.

Bed sizes:

• in width, it is important that it is convenient to work with the bed when growing plants. It is optimal if the bed is no wider than 1.0-1.3 m. In narrow places of the site (for example, near the fence), you can make beds 70 cm wide. Even with one-sided access, the plantings will receive the necessary care and care of the gardener.
• the length is arbitrary - as far as the configuration of your garden plot allows.

• as mentioned above, the ground part of the beds is recommended with a height of 50-75 cm;
• however, this recommendation is not mandatory. Especially considering the fact that the thickness of the inner layers varies. Therefore, the bed can also be placed inside a lower contour (20-35 cm).

IMPORTANT. Plan ahead, so it will be easier for you to implement your plans without wasting time on rework and refinement.

Frame manufacturing

Please note that the sides of the beds will have to be made from double board, that is, place one board vertically above the other so that the height of the walls is sufficient. Thus, you have to do the following:

• measure the desired length, cut the boards (4 pcs. side, 4 pcs. end);

• prepare stakes from a bar 4x4 cm, 75-80 cm long;

IMPORTANT. How many stakes will be required? With a bed length of 2-2.5 meters, 6 pieces are enough. With a bed length of 3.5-4 meters, 8 pieces are enough.

• make two-level boards by connecting two boards together (use cutting boards, loosened with a hatchet into planks);

• keep in mind that the screws should not go beyond the drilled wood (when buying self-tapping screws, remember that the thickness of the board is 2.5 cm, and it must be multiplied by two, since the connecting strips will be the same thickness).

This completes the preparation. It will be necessary to install the frame directly into the trench - in the same place to make fastening at the corners of the structure. Measuring angle and level will help you to maintain accuracy.

Trench and its filling

Step by step:

• make a marking of the beds or beds (basting with the help of a peg and a stretched cord will allow you to dig a trench of an even geometric shape);

• it is desirable to dig a trench so that its depth is about 40-45 cm;

• lay down a mesh from rodents (it is sold in hardware stores, ask for a reinforcing mesh or chain-link);
• create a drainage layer (see details above) - coarse, long-ripening organic matter;

• cover with old newspapers, cardboard;

• install side walls;
• drill holes for support stakes;

• at the corners of the structure, connect the boards and stakes with self-tapping screws;
• use a corner and a level so that the structure “sits” in the ground exactly both horizontally and perpendicular to the connecting corners;
• continue to fill the raised part of the beds;
• add dry grass, foliage and other unripe organic matter;

• further - humus, manure or compost;
• the final layer is high-quality garden soil.

IMPORTANT. In fertile areas, before starting trenching, carefully remove the top layer of earth, set it aside. This is the turf you use for planting.

After all the steps, do not forget to water the bed with water to create a humid environment. Under such conditions, the process of decay inside will begin. Do not try to moisten each layer with water as the trench fills. There is no hurry, let everything go at a moderate speed. There is still time before planting, and the contents of the garden bed should just rot and be loose, and not rot in a viscous slurry.

Video - Do-it-yourself warm beds

Warm beds with artificial heating

The concept is that:

• water pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene are laid on the drainage layer;
• the pipe structure is connected to the electrical cable;
• heating is controlled by the user (turning on and off the heat supply - as needed, depending on the temperature of the soil).

IMPORTANT. Artificial heating is optimally suited for covered (tented) beds and greenhouses - the heat generated by the pipes is stored inside the system, and is not dispersed in the open air.

The order and list of fillers may vary. In any case, the most important layers should remain:

• lower drainage (it is laid directly on natural soil);
• additional insulation (prevents cooling of the “layer cake” from below, from the ground);
• sand (occupies the location of the heating pipes) - plays the role of fine-grained drainage, helps to retain heat, promotes the passage of irrigation water to go down).

Only after all these components is a fertile layer of earth placed at the top.

• in summer cottages it is advisable to use an electric cable (after all, cottage heating, as a rule, temporary and low-power);

• in capital private houses, you can connect directly to the heating (do not forget to make a shut-off valve in case the house is heated, but the garden bed does not need to be heated at this time).

What type of heating is allowed? It can be of any type:

• gas;
• electrical;
• steam;
• water;
• furnace.

Operating procedure

It's actually quite simple:

• prepare layers (large drainage, synthetic insulation, sand);

• lay water pipes. Scheme - closed circuit (provide circulation warm water round);

• add some more sand on top;

• the final layer is directly fertile soil. Use good-quality garden soil, as well as additional black soil. Keep in mind that the soil when heated should nourish the plants well;

• connect the greenhouse piping to the heat source.

For lack of experience with electricity, invite more knowing person. If electric installation work you understand, the whole process will be elementary for you, and the design will turn out to be durable, efficient and reliable.

Growing plants in the country is not an easy task that requires knowledge and a responsible approach. To improve the site and provide favorable conditions for the development of vegetable and other crops, beds are used. Find out their types and features of the organization with your own hands.

If you plan to organize beds in the country with your own hands, familiarize yourself with the features of the process. First, understand the concept: a bed is a partially isolated small bed on which, under suitable conditions, you can grow different cultures providing the right individual care.

When organizing beds, several points are taken into account:

1. The location depends on the specific crop being grown. Some plants require good lighting, others do better in shading. When choosing a location, you need to take into account the relief of the site. If the place is located in a lowland, moisture will accumulate in it, which is unacceptable for some cultures. When placing, ensure free access for convenient and unhindered care. To do this, do not place the beds far from water sources and do not arrange them at short distances from each other, otherwise it will be problematic to walk between them.
2. The form is determined by the preferences of the owner of the cottage. It can be standard rectangular or square, but it is possible to organize beds with unusual shapes in the form of figures. The territory also affects the shape, because the beds should organically fit into it.
3. What plants will be grown? They need individual care, taking into account the characteristics of a particular species, so the characteristics of the culture affect the choice of location in the country, the size of the beds. And some vegetables do not get along, so they need to be planted separately at a considerable distance.
4. Skills. If you are planning to organize beds on the site for the first time and do not have the knowledge, choose unpretentious crops and beds that are easy to arrange. If you decide to create complex designs, you risk making mistakes and reducing or spoiling the crop.

There are several types of beds, and they should be considered in detail and separately.

Bed-box

A box-bed is a convenient and popular method of arranging a garden that allows you to create a separate isolated area for a particular crop, giving the area a neat, aesthetic and well-groomed appearance.

You can make a bed-box by preparing the place and fencing it with shields. To mark the boundaries and arrange the walls, sheets of polycarbonate or plastic, boards, slate (wave, flat) are used. It is advisable to choose a material that is practical and resistant to moisture, able to serve one season and maintain strength.

Do-it-yourself organization includes several stages:

1. Border designation. Draw them or arrange the pegs, taking into account the shape and size of the beds.
2. Wall installation. They are placed in the ground, in which furrows are preliminarily prepared. The soil must be compacted to ensure the stability and strength of the structure.
3. Fill in the earth and organic matter, alternating layers.
4. Plant your plants.

Note! Preparing for the winter of beds-boxes involves their collection. In the spring, the structure is erected, the soil is loosened and planted with the selected crop.

Garden beds with drainage

Drainage beds are relevant and necessary if the garden is located in a lowland, and clay or swampy. Excess and stagnant water are detrimental and provoke decay of the root system, so it is necessary to ensure timely constant drainage and optimal gas exchange.

To organize drainage with your own hands, follow the instructions:

1. Designate a landing site.
2. Remove a layer of soil with a thickness of 50 to 60 cm.
3. Sand is laid at the bottom of the formed pit, the thickness of the layer of which will be at least 20-25 cm.
4. Lay sawdust, humus and a layer of soil suitable for growing the selected plant on top of the sand.

High

High beds should be made in a low-lying or heavily swampy area: raising the soil will prevent stagnation of moisture and ensure timely drainage. Suitable option for gourds, potatoes, zucchini. The height can be from 30-35 cm to 70-80.

Step-by-step device of a high bed in the garden:

1. Prepare the box. It is possible to build it from plastic, boards, bricks, metal.
2. A metal mesh is installed at the bottom of the structure, providing protection against rodents. A geotextile is laid on top of it, preventing the germination of weeds.
3. Lay drainage, including expanded clay, broken brick, pebbles. The thickness of the layer is not less than ten centimeters.
4. Prepare the soil by disinfecting it and treating it from pests. Fill the box with soil, filling most of it and leaving sides about 5 cm high.

Good to know! High beds can be organized without boxes using bulk trapezoids or ridges. A compost layer is laid on the soil, which ensures the rise of the soil. Next, the earth is poured, landing is carried out. But the beds will last only one season, because during the winter they will sag under the weight of snow and get wet when it melts. If bear insects are common in the region, it is better not to use compost: pests quickly populate it and multiply, destroying the crop. The rise is provided by an embankment of soil.

vertical

A vertical bed will save space in the garden and will become great solution if the area is small. But the option is suitable for crops with a not very developed root system: strawberries, lettuce, cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes.

For organization, it is allowed to use boxes, special racks or containers. You can arrange a vertical bed from improvised materials by making containers from plastic bottles and placing them on a homemade frame assembled from boards or a metal profile.

French

In 2018, beautiful and aesthetic French beds are relevant. Distinctive features- laconic geometric shapes, strict planted rows and paths between plantings. Fences can be made of finishing materials (decking boards, paving slabs), bricks. You can do it by planting leaf lettuce around the perimeter of the beds, undersized view greenery. Elevate zones if the ground is waterlogged or the site is frequently flooded.

English

Fans of original ideas will appreciate the English beds, which allow a mixture of cultures. , a garden area with trees and a vegetable garden do not have strict boundaries and form a single landscape design. One site may include flower beds, fruit crops, vegetable plantings.

Spaces are left between the beds for free movement and comfortable care. The territory should not look neglected and abandoned, so carefully look after the garden, make sure that the land is free of weeds and fence the beds around the perimeter, for example, with stones or bricks (it can be irregular).

lazy

Lazy beds are suitable for beginners or very busy gardeners, as they do not require complex organization and hard training. No need to prepare recesses and dig the soil to a great depth. It is enough to weed the ground, freeing it from weeds, slightly loosen it, then land. The spaces between the bushes are filled with mulch, which ensures the preservation of moisture and the prevention of its rapid evaporation, as well as protection from weeds. This greatly simplifies care and helps to collect good crops.

Advice! Lazy beds are ground and devoid of fences or raised and surrounded by borders.

Smart

Smart beds are not only original and beautiful, but also practical and productive. This way of organizing will create optimal conditions cultivation and increase yields.

It is not easy to make smart beds on the site, since you need to raise them and fill them not with ordinary soil, but with special mixtures suitable for specific crops, consisting of compost, fertilizers, clean nutrient soil, organic matter. Landings are protected by reinforced high sides. It is advisable to raise the site itself in order to protect it from stagnant water and pest attacks.

Warm

Warm beds will allow you to get an early harvest and will be a good alternative to greenhouses. Planting heat will be provided by organic matter, which releases energy in the process of decomposition.

Arrangement is carried out at the end of autumn and includes several steps:

1. Remove a layer of soil about 50 centimeters thick. You can also make a box and install it in the prepared recess. At the bottom of a pit or container to protect against moles, you can lay metal mesh.
2. Lay sawdust preliminarily scalded and treated with a solution of potassium permanganate on the bottom. This layer should have a thickness of at least 15-17 cm.
3. Lay organic matter consisting of fallen leaves, turf, bird droppings or manure. Compact this layer to a thickness of 15 centimeters.
4. Lay organic matter that rots quickly, such as prepared compost. This layer is approximately 10 cm thick.
5. Lay a nutrient mixture that includes six parts of peat and a part of sand and sawdust. Add here a tablespoon of ash and superphosphate, a teaspoon of potassium sulfate, urea, zinc sulfate. The fertile substrate has a thickness of 20 cm.

With the first rays of the spring sun, organics will release heat, warming the soil up to 40-45 degrees, which will allow crops to be planted much earlier. So you can grow plants with a small root system: cucumbers, strawberries, herbs, radishes.

garden fences

Fencing will help to equip beautiful and neat beds and zone the summer cottage. Try to organically fit them into landscape design and do it correctly to protect plants from negative impacts and create an aesthetic appearance of the garden.

Used for fences different materials: polycarbonate, slate, metal, wood (boards or logs), stone, rods and pegs. Lovers of interesting ideas use improvised means: plastic and glass bottles, car tires, old hoses.

Below are the characteristics of the main types of materials used for the organization of fences.

metal

Metal fences are quite durable, but they can be exposed to moisture for a long time and become covered with rust, which will not only worsen the appearance of the sides, but also negatively affect the composition of the soil. Thin metal is subject to deformation after mechanical stress. Metal also heats up in the sun.

Galvanized

Galvanized railings are good performance: do not corrode, serve for a long time, retain their properties, are distinguished by high strength and resistance to attacks by pests and fungi. The beds will be reliably protected from wind and other natural phenomena, pests. Ready-made fences made of galvanized steel are light, easy to assemble, and have different shades.

A big minus is the high cost of structures. They also quickly warm up and transfer heat to the surrounding soil, raising the temperature of the soil and negatively affecting the root system.

Plastic

Plastic railings - modern solution. They are light in weight, are not attacked by pests and high humidity, serve for a long time and have an affordable price. Light plastic will not get very hot in the sun. But the fences are subject to mechanical stress.

Approaching responsibly to the organization of beds in the country, you will equip the garden, ennoble the territory and get excellent harvest. Good luck to all gardeners!

A modern person needs a dacha not only to satisfy the instinct of a peasant and provide his family with vegetables and fruits, but also as a place to relax from city problems and bustle. And no one doubts that it is always more pleasant to relax in a conveniently equipped beautiful area. The topic of our article is "smart" beds in terms of organic farming.

The main goal of organic farming is to preserve and increase soil fertility. And the technology of arranging "smart" beds will help us learn how to properly plan and decorate household plot.

Organic garden beds may look different, but the basic principle of their formation is to make the most of small areas.

"Smart" paths should be at least 40 centimeters wide - so it will be convenient to walk along them, carry a wheelbarrow, carry water, and so on. The most inconvenient thing in the garden is right angles. Therefore, when laying "smart" beds and "smart" paths, you will have a wide field for experimentation and creativity. You can equip oblique, triangular, radial beds, in this case, everything depends on the convenience of their use and maintenance.

"Smart" beds can be raised above the ground or deepened into it, can be "bordered" and filled with humus. The height of the raised beds ranges from 20 to 80 centimeters, and the width can be different, it all depends on what is planned to be grown on such a bed.

Organic farming is constantly evolving. Practicing gardeners from year to year improve the methods of creating "smart" beds, come up with various forms and configurations. The main thing here is to understand the basic principles, to understand the essence of the process, and then everything will depend only on your desire and capabilities.

Raised container beds

The vegetable container is one of the varieties of raised beds that are used in organic farming. The width of this structure, as a rule, is about a meter, any length, and height - from 30-40 cm to 70-80 cm. It is convenient to organize such beds right on the lawn, and decorated with tiled masonry, they will give your garden unique design- sort of flower beds for vegetables. In the center of the beds, you can install a trellis for climbing crops. And ideally, such a “flower bed” must be covered with a transparent roof, this will protect vegetables from various diseases.

For vegetable container walls thin materials(plywood, slate, thin boards, and especially iron) are not suitable, since such a bed will get very hot in hot weather. And it is impossible to equip it in the shade - there will be no good harvest. In this case, the frame must be done thoroughly, because strong winds can damage it, and the weight of the plants during the fruiting period is not small (50 kg per linear meter). It is best to use timber or logs, brick or wild stone.

The lined vegetable container is filled in layers only with organic matter. At the very bottom, you can put rotten large tree branches, shavings, wood chips. Next, coarse, unripe organic matter is placed, which is watered with bacterial fertilizers to accelerate maturation. We will talk with you in more detail about these fertilizers in the following articles. Unripened organic matter is sprinkled with humus and earth. Further, to the very top, the bed is filled with a layer of finished compost. It is important that this layer is at least 15-20 cm. Sand or earth should not be mixed with the finished compost, because of this it compacts and settles. Loosening such a bed is not required, in the spring you just need to add a layer of ready-made humus on top, and when the planted plants grow up, the soil must be mulched with straw or other suitable materials.

Watering a vegetable container is best done internally. To do this, when laying the beds, you need to evenly dig in several containers with holes (pipes or plastic bottles), which should be filled with water as needed. Under the humus, you can also bury leaky hoses wrapped in nylon stockings or other synthetics that let water through. The end of the hose is brought out and connected to a water source. The main thing is not to forget to turn off the water after 15-20 minutes, so as not to overmoisten the bed.

A vegetable container is best made with a roof made of transparent materials (polyethylene film, cellular polycarbonate). This, of course, slightly increases the cost of the structure, however, the roof reliably protects plants from diseases. There is practically no dew under it, which provokes the appearance and development of phytophthora, peronospores and other dangerous diseases.

The vegetable container is raised high enough above ground level, so the soil in it warms up and ripens earlier. Any heat-loving crops on such a bed can be sown earlier than usual. If you correctly calculate the time and location of the plants, then here you can first harvest radishes and watercress, then build a trellis for tomatoes or cucumbers in the middle, and plant beets, onions or carrots in place of the radishes. After collecting the root crops in the fall, you can re-sow radishes and lettuce in a vegetable container.

As you can see, the vegetable container is convenient and beautiful. Such a bed saves space in the garden and allows you to harvest various crops within one season. A large volume of nutritious compost allows you to minimize watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening. There are many advantages, however, there are also disadvantages.

A vegetable container needs to be built, and for this you need to find strength, time and money. For such a bed, a lot of organic matter is required, which also needs to be taken somewhere and ensure that it is of good quality. These three tangible shortcomings determine the moment that a vegetable container is rarely found in personal plots.

Experienced gardeners, taking the arrangement of a container bed as a basis, came up with simpler and cheaper options, but no less effective and convenient. For example, some crops can be grown directly on compost heap. To do this, an additional compartment is attached to the place where the compost ripens. In the spring, half-finished humus, which has lain under the film all winter, is thrown into this compartment. On such a bed, you can plant zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins and tomatoes.

Beds-boxes

Raised bed-boxes are very popular among organic farmers because of their ease of arrangement and high efficiency of use.

A box is a stationary bed, the sides for which can be made from available material. In this case, any boards, slate, plywood and the like are suitable. The height of such a bed, as a rule, is 15-20 centimeters, the width is 1-1.2 m, and the length can be made at your discretion. The bed-box is filled with organic matter: a layer of semi-ripe manure or compost is poured on the bottom, and on top, with a layer of at least 6-7 cm, ready-made high-quality humus is laid.

If the box is wide, then the rows can be arranged both along and across. In order for plants to get more sunlight, rows on such a bed should be located in a north-south direction.

In the middle of the box-bed, a trellis is made for climbing crops; such a bed can be covered with a roof. That is, simply put, a box is a low container. And its main advantage in this case is the fact that a lot of organic matter is not needed to fill the beds. However, a thin layer of compost quickly loses nutrients and moisture, and in the heat such a bed needs to be watered more often. This can be done with a hose, or with buckets from a large container. A fairly thick layer of mulch is required to retain moisture. To feed the crops growing in the box, it is recommended to use various organic fertilizers which will be discussed in detail in future articles.

If the soil on the site is good, then loosening the box is not necessary. The earth will loosen under it independently to a sufficiently large depth (in the first year it is already twenty centimeters). As we already found out in the article “Stop destroying the earth by digging and weeding”, soil inhabitants — earthworms and bacteria — will take care of structuring and loosening. Next spring, you just need to pour a few wheelbarrows of ready-made compost into the garden, and plant vegetables directly into it. If the organic matter is of good quality, then there will be few weeds, and those that appear are removed quite easily.

With help simple frame or wire arcs, a box-bed can be quickly turned into a greenhouse, in which it is convenient to grow seedlings of various crops in the spring.

When using this type of "smart" beds, the main thing is to fertilize them correctly and water them in a timely manner. Then in boxes, as well as in a vegetable container, three or four crops of different vegetables can be grown per season.

Deep trench beds

As you have already noticed, our list of "smart" beds is built on the principle - from expensive and productive, to cheap, but no less effective in use. Practicing farmers on their plots combine the advantages of all types of beds, reduce the cost of their laying and adapt to the conditions of a particular site.

If on site ground water located low enough and it never gets flooded, a narrow compost bin can be deepened into the ground. Thus, a kind of garden trench is obtained.

The main advantage of deep beds is that they can be dug directly into the virgin soil. To do this, they dig a trench in the sod with a width of two bayonets of a shovel and a depth of a bayonet. The length, as in previous cases (vegetable containers, box-beds), depends on your desires and capabilities. Even the sides of the boards are not needed here. Half-ripe manure is laid right on the bottom of the trench, and on top is a layer of finished compost, at least 6-7 centimeters high.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage, beans can be planted on such beds ... After the plants have grown, the trench must be mulched with any available material. About what materials can be used as mulch, we will describe in detail in the following articles.

In the future, all care will consist in timely watering as needed. And you will also have to mow the grass between the rows with a sickle a couple of times during the season. In order not to do this, the aisles can be covered with burlap, and covered with gravel on top - it’s beautiful, and the weed does not grow.

The main advantage of deep trenches is that they retain moisture remarkably, and plants grow well here, even with moderate watering. And the main drawback is that you certainly can’t get away from the classic pose of a gardener when caring for such a bed.

Ornamental garden basics

As already noted, a cottage is needed modern man not only to grow vegetables and fruits. Most people use their gardens as a place for the whole family to relax. Let's figure out how to decorate a personal plot without spending a lot of space, effort and time.

Structures such as gazebos, fences, as well as southern walls can be used to equip beds. If the fence is made of mesh, then in itself it will be an excellent trellis for tall climbing crops. You just need to dig a trench nearby and fill it with organic matter. This bed is ideal for growing cucumbers and beans. The advantages are obvious - you don’t need to build a trellis, and it doesn’t take up space, and flowering plants, with skillful care, are also a wonderful decor.

In the same way, you can surround the gazebo with a trench. You can plant in this garden different kinds decorative pumpkins and beans that bloom in red, white, and even purple flowers (hyacinth beans). A gazebo decorated in this way will become the highlight of your summer house and a favorite place for family gatherings. It should be noted that planting a gazebo with cucumbers is not recommended, sometimes they get sick and lose their decorative properties.

Southern and eastern walls of various suburban buildings are able to warm up well during the day and give the plants reflected light and heat, which helps to accelerate the growth and development of heat-loving crops. Such walls can be an excellent support for cherry tomatoes, and below you can plant such attractive varieties of cabbage as kohlrabi and broccoli.

In order to give the backyard a well-groomed appearance, all the free spaces between the "smart" beds need to be mowed regularly - this will turn the weeds into a motley grass lawn.

We develop virgin lands

You have become the proud owner suburban area. But here's the bad luck - the land on it has never been cultivated or has been cultivated for a long time, and you do not see any possibility of growing a crop in the first year, since the development of virgin lands is an unusually time-consuming task. Do not despair, on the contrary, you are lucky - you received a plot with living land and, with a skillful approach and proper processing, you will be able to maintain its fertility for many years. What to do in order to be able to grow your own crop this season?

Experienced gardeners, in the process of studying and understanding the principles and techniques of organic farming, came up with several ways to use virgin lands for beds already in the first year. We have already talked about deep trench beds.

According to the principle of deepened beds, you can arrange a place for growing various melons and gourds. You don't even need to dig trenches for this. To arrange such a bed right in the sod, it is enough to dig a hole about a meter in diameter and two bayonets deep. We fill the pit as usual - half-ripe manure will go to the bottom, which can be mixed with coarse, immature organic matter. From above, with a layer 6-7 centimeters thick, we pour fully ripened humus. Pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini, melons and watermelons grow well in such pits.

All subsequent care for such a bed will consist only in timely watering. In order to prevent weeds from growing here, the virgin land around should be covered with burlap or some other material (cardboard, old rugs, etc.), and covered with organic mulch (straw, sawdust) on top. Under such a carpet, the weeds will die, and next spring you will only have to loosen the soil with a flat cutter.

Another great way to easily and effectively treat turf is a special mulch for the development of virgin lands and weed control. This technique is considered one of the most "smart" techniques used for many years by permaculture gardeners and organic farmers. Its essence is as follows.

In early May, fresh weeds poured with juice are trampled down - this is a wonderful food for soil organisms. A layer of immature humus mixed with manure and a small amount of compost are scattered over the weeds. To speed up the process, all this from above can be treated with special bacterial fertilizers. Newspapers and magazines are laid on humus with manure in 2-3 layers; packaging cardboard can be used for these purposes. A layer of nutritious organics is poured directly onto the paper, 10-15 cm thick (this can be unripe manure and unripe humus). From above, this entire “pie” is covered with straw, foliage or hay. With such a coating, paper or cardboard cuts off weeds, and the organic layer holds moisture well and provides nutrition.

Of course, you can’t sow seeds on this bed in the first year - that’s why seedlings are planted here large plants(tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, as well as various gourds). They plant in a certain way - they dig up a little straw and manure and pierce a layer of paper with a scoop, and the roots themselves will find their way down. Then watered and again buried with a layer of mulch. If it rains relatively often, then it is practically not necessary to water such a bed.

The next year, this whole "pie" will settle and turn into high-quality compost, the soil will loosen from below, and the happy gardener will have a new fertile and weed-free bed. The only thing left is to add humus every year - and you can sow whatever your heart desires.

So, let's sum up our conversation about laying organic beds. What is needed to plan and organize a comfortable and beautiful garden plot for a long time and without significant time and financial costs. Let's highlight a few basic principles:

• we always use the geometry of narrow beds;
• in dry areas we lower such beds into the ground, and in flooded areas we raise them above the soil surface;
• we fill any beds with organic matter, and later we mulch well;
• We periodically mow all the paths between the beds to prevent the growth of weeds.

By following all these not very complicated rules, you can not only grow a good harvest, but also turn your garden into a conveniently organized and beautiful place for the rest of the whole family.

“Smart” garden beds for the most advanced gardeners will help make life easier for a gardener, increase the productivity of crops and turn worries about the harvest into relaxation. Lazy-bed technology keeps seedlings from falling apart and allows the harvest to meet your expectations.

Do you want your garden to become your pride? Read our article on how to do it.

With the right approach, the garden can become not just a place for growing vegetables, but also turn into a stylish object of landscape design. Experts in this field have developed many recommendations in this regard.

How to issue beautiful beds for the lazy, the beds are high and smart - this is what the gardener needs to know.

• When planning a garden, pay attention to the fertility and illumination of the place for the beds.
• Prioritize the quality of the beds, not their quantity. A few neat beds will look much better than an extensive garden overgrown with weeds.
• To save space, use multi-level structures.
• Framing the sides will help improve the yield and give the beds an aesthetic appearance. Stone, paving stones, colored slate, plastic fences are perfect for this purpose.
• The optimal width of the paths between the beds is 70 cm.
• In order for the plants not to obscure each other, place them from north to south on a flat area, on an area with a slope - perpendicular to it. At the same time, the southern slope is preferable for vegetable crops, and the northern slope is preferable for garden crops.
• Don't be limited rectangular shapes. The beds can be made in an arcuate manner or in the form of various geometric shapes, arranged in groups or create a single composition.

Summer residents grow many crops that have similar growing characteristics or, conversely, contradict each other.

Materials for beds

By zoning the site with the help of beds, incompatible plant species can be separated or those that are characterized by the same care system can be combined.

The principles of lazy beds

The basic principle of the new approach to garden care is that you can dig and weed the earth only during preparation and planting, otherwise it will dry out quickly and will not be able to provide moisture to the crops. Only surface loosening is allowed.

The lazy bed is a completely new approach to gardening that will allow the seedlings to grow on their own and give several times more yield.

You need to start preparing the beds in advance. Collect straw, sawdust or cones, cover the surface with them so that it is difficult for weeds to germinate in this area. This procedure is called soil mulching. It is thanks to her that the beds will no longer have to be weeded.

The rule says that it is impossible to dig and weed the earth, except for its preparation and planting itself.

Progressive summer residents have long appreciated the charm automatic system watering, allowing you to save your time without harming the crop. With the push of a button, you can start watering and your garden beds will stay lush and green without a hitch. special efforts from your side.

Even if constant weeding can remove weeds and fluff up the earth, sooner or later it will dry out and will not be able to provide sufficient moisture for crops.

DIY lazy garden

Homemade fences are an easy way to build the foundation for a garden bed.

1. Determine the desired height of the sides.
2. Connect the boards with a screwdriver, remove the clamps.
3. Turn the bed over, set in place. Make sure that the illumination here is sufficient for the germination of seedlings.
4. Bury the corner bars 12-15 cm into the ground.
5. Adjust the sides using the building level. This is necessary for the proper operation of the irrigation system.
6. From the inside, install plastic tubes so that the walls do not collapse from the weather.
7. Level the area, cover it with a mole net.
8. Backfill the soil.
9. Fix the irrigation system.
10. Plant seedlings.
11. Install an awning if necessary.

In this approach, the very preparation for a future planting is very important - it is advisable to do this since the fall.

high beds

Poor climate and low yields will be forgotten problems for you thanks to the high design of the beds. Their creation is quite laborious, but the result will pleasantly surprise you.

Although this is a very time-consuming process at first - building the frame itself and watering the beds, but it is she who will allow you to forget about the bad climate and low yields.

The advantages of such beds.

• Good warming of the soil due to the proximity of the sun. They can be planted as early as April.
• The lower mesh will protect the crop from moles and rodents.
• A frame with a width of about 1.5 m will ensure the convenience of watering, since it will be possible to approach it from both sides.
• By dividing it into two parts, you can easily organize a greenhouse with your own hands.
• Harvest in high beds appears earlier than normal.

A high bed is always under the rays of the sun, which contributes to the warming of the earth layer, so it can be planted as early as April without fear of freezing.

However, one drawback of this design can be identified - the need for frequent watering due to the fact that moisture quickly goes down.

The most popular materials for making high beds are:

• Aluminum barrels;
• Stone;
• Brick;
• Logs.

It is worth noting that it is high beds that give the earliest harvest, first of salads, and then of fastidious vegetables.

They are made in the form of combs or trapeziums. They are created for one season, since under the snow in winter they noticeably settle. Used mainly for melons - cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini. Sometimes potatoes are planted in them.

Smart beds

The main principle in smart beds remains the same as in lazy ones, but the emphasis is on fertilizers. The quantity of the crop and how carefully it will be necessary to care for it directly depends on their quality.

Smart beds only need to be dug once. They do not need weeding - the mulch will not allow weeds to sprout.

The soil in them is compost, consisting of straw, leaves and sawdust containing nutrients. A thin layer of soil is laid on top of it, and in a couple of weeks the bed can be planted.

Warm beds

The principle of building warm beds is based on multi-layering and the location of fresh manure in their lower layers. In winter, the main processes are launched, and by spring it begins to decompose. As it rots, the manure gives off heat, and the bed is ready for planting early.

Many gardeners have been convinced more than once that high-quality fertilizer gives a big harvest that does not require much effort from its owner.

This method is suitable for radishes, cucumbers and other crops with shallow roots.

Warm bed with your own hands

Having previously sampled the soil by 40-50 cm, we lay the layers in the following sequence.

Such a bed uses not ordinary soil as soil, but compost, which is based on straw, leaves and sawdust, which as a result gives even more useful substances for future plants.

1. large wood
2. small wood
3. Earth
4. Organics - waste
5. Earth again
6. Organics - waste
7. Sprinkle EM-Bokashi, spill EM-A
8. Humus
9. Mulch (5-8 cm)

The term of operation of such beds is 6-8 years.

Unusual solutions

The garden does not have to be boring at all, because here you can easily find a place for the manifestation of imagination and originality.

Hanging beds

You can create unusual beds that will give the garden an original look and save the space of the site, you can do it yourself . You can make them from bags or plastic pipes cut in half. Plant strawberries, herbs or small vegetable crops in them.

Your site will be filled with meaning and you can give it personality.

Another advantage of this design is that you can plant seedlings in them in advance, and take them outside when it gets warmer.

vertical beds

Another way to save space is vertical multi-tiered beds. wooden boards, boxes and plastic pipes will be an excellent material for creating such structures with your own hands.

The arrangement and shape of the beds - depending on your imagination and the convenience of bypassing them.

Beds from improvised materials

The most familiar things can be adapted to containers for planting vegetables:

• Baskets;
• boxes;
• Watering cans;
• Old chest of drawers;
• Crockery;
• Car tires;
• Unnecessary boots and boots;
• Wooden barrels;
• bath;
• Bike.

Framing the beds is not only the key to a good harvest.

You can even build a flowering garden from a pair of old jeans. And decorating tires, you can create the most unexpected compositions in the form of animals, flowers and heroes of your favorite cartoons.

Do-it-yourself multi-tiered garden

Make a classic square three-level garden bed do it yourself pretty simple. Pre-outline the location of its location and draw up a plan on paper, taking into account the characteristics of the planned vegetables, the number of tiers, the size and topography of the site.

Combining certain crops in one garden will create an amazing plant design.

1. Level and mark the surface.
2. Treat the boards with antiseptic impregnation.
3. Mount the sides with a height of at least 15 cm, observing right angles. Remember that the next levels will be lower in height. Therefore, it is better to choose a height with a margin.
4. Connect the boards into shields using bars with sides of 50 cm.
5. Lay polyethylene or metal mesh on the ground, cover with drainage, then with soil, and then with compost.
6. The second level is installed from above. It should occupy 2/3 of the lower tier. Layers are stacked similarly to the previous one.
7. The third level is made even smaller: it occupies 1/3 of the first tier.
8. At the final stage, paint outer walls beds with paint for wood.

The composition can consist not only of vegetables, but also of herbs, flowers. Some types of plants are able to provide vegetable crops protection from pests and diseases.

The space between the beds can be filled with pebbles or separated by small paths.

A task	Solution
Pick up inventory	Don't skimp on tools. Cheap inventory will quickly become unusable, and you will need to buy a new one. Therefore, it is better to immediately choose high-quality things.
Organize storage	Wall cabinet with shelves and fixtures Garden toilet converted into storage room small lockers Baskets for small things Metal guards
Effectively combine cultures with each other	Play with contrasts and shapes. Pair climbing plants with oversized zucchini and watermelons, or use the same crops but different colors.
Lay paths between beds	Lay them out with pebbles, concrete tiles, lawn grass or wooden saw cuts.
Treat wooden fences	The most economical way: use copper sulfate on the inside, lime on the outside. The most durable: terrace board.
Create an effective garden design	Choose a uniform style. Perfect for the garden: Mediterranean, Japanese, country. Choose matching borders, garden patterns, and garden figurines.

Garden decor

Decorative elements are something without which it is impossible to imagine a stylish garden. A small windmill, a figurine of a garden gnome or a figurine in the shape of an animal, like an accidentally forgotten watering can or a cartwheel - all these little things will complement the design of your site, and it will sparkle with fresh colors.

The design of the beds can be the most diverse, it all depends on the imagination.

No one forbids combining vegetables with garden plants. Flower beds, arches, trellises and "huts" entwined with curly flowers will fit perfectly here.

To diversify the appearance of plantings, you can add flowers to vegetable crops, for example, marigolds.

Uniform style

We bring to your attention the most popular solutions for garden design in the general style.

Choose plants that contrast in shape and color, do not be afraid to experiment!

Style	Colors	materials	Peculiarities
Mediterranean	Pastel shades, terracotta, ocher	A natural stone, paving slabs, wood flooring, brick	Decentralization The presence of a recreation area High terraces, multi-level structures climbing plants
Country	Variegated natural shades	Natural wood, stone, willow	Smooth lines A large number of flowers Usage household items as accessories Wicker designs
Japanese	Green palette	Small gravel, pebbles, boulders	Decorating with lanterns, bridges, gazebos Asymmetry, irregular shapes low beds
French	Delicate natural colors	Almost any: wood, stone, brick, slate, concrete	The beds of the correct geometric shape, divided into segments paved paths framing decorative stone or curb

A stylish garden with a unique design will be the pride of any summer resident, and smart technologies, high beds and right choice soils will help increase productivity and save effort and money spent on care.

VIDEO: Beautiful beds - a beautiful garden with your own hands!

50 design options for a vegetable garden with beds: