You will be surprised by your past doubts about whether to make raised beds in your dacha... Your back will thank you - you will simply bend down slightly to care for the bed. Your knees will thank you - you can simply sit on the edge of the bed and tend to your garden. Your plants will thank you - there is no more competition from weeds or nearby fruit trees. Your land will be grateful to you - you do not trample it and ennoble it with humus. Your garden with raised beds can look beautiful, be comfortable and reward you with a bountiful harvest.
How to make raised beds with your own hands.
1. First we must mark out the space for the beds. The usual width of the bed is 1.2 m, the length can be any. Marking rectangles the right size on the ground with sand.
2. We assemble high beds. The raised bed has no bottom and consists of posts with grooves on all four sides and boards with corresponding grooves. You can buy ready-made fences for garden beds or make them yourself. For fencing, it is better to take hardwood, because... Conifers secrete resin, which can have an unnecessary effect on soil composition. We check the horizontal installation of the garden box with a level.
3. Extend the high beds. Because The design of our beds is modular; we can extend our bed on either side with another module.
4. How to protect a high bed from rodents. Even if you haven't encountered it on your own summer cottage with moles and other underground pests of the garden, it is better to provide protection for your garden right now than to unsuccessfully fight these rodents later. Place at the bottom of each box metal mesh so that it extends slightly onto the edges of the fences.
5. How to protect the soil in a high bed from washing into the main soil. To do this, we use regular packing cardboard in two layers so that it covers the entire bottom of our garden box. If there are not enough solid pieces, we use scraps of cardboard and staple them to the main piece so that the cardboard at the bottom of the box does not move when pouring soil.
6. The soil for high beds should be light, crumbly and “fluffy”. You can easily check its quality by poking your finger into the ground - if it sinks to the third joint, this is normal. To improve the soil composition, you can add peat or compost. We pour the soil into the garden box, check its horizontal level, and water it to compact it a little. During the season we will need to add a little soil.
7. Irrigation system for high beds. It is planned to attach a garden hose with watering nozzles along the contour of the raised beds: we need 90 and 180 degree dividers.
8. Trellis for high beds. Because the soil in a high bed is loose, it will not be possible to install a trellis in it, so we fix the trellis from pvc pipes into the ground next to the garden box. We stretch nets onto the trellises to climbing plants- cucumbers and beans. For tomatoes we install light supports made of steel rod.
What you need to know when building a raised bed.
1. Try to protect raised beds from strong wind and heat, creating partial shade for them with trellises of flowers or tall shrubs.
2. The long side of the bed should face south - this way the plants will be evenly illuminated, otherwise taller plants will shade others.
3. The planting density on a high bed is twice as high as on a regular one. This is how plants fight weeds and create a humid microclimate for the foliage.
4. Raised beds with sides will make it possible for older people or people with back problems to take care of their gardens.
5. High bed - warm bed. Such a bed warms up faster in the spring and if you make a mini greenhouse based on it, it will surprise you with an early and generous harvest.
6. Divide a long, high bed into square segments with cross braces to reduce soil pressure by side walls beds.
Fences for raised beds.
1. Most often, wooden fences are used for clear beds. There are a few points here - do not use used wood, especially sleepers, which may contain harmful chemicals. Do not treat fresh wood with protection products unless you are sure that they are completely environmentally safe.
2. Wattle fence as a fence for a high bed. Despite all its environmental friendliness, such a fence has three significant drawbacks: the soil in the bed dries quickly from the wind, proper thermal insulation of the bed is not provided, and soil can spill out through the cracks. Everything can be fixed - use a layer of double cardboard along the inner perimeter of the fence. It is environmentally friendly, the air gap between the sheets serves as thermal insulation, and the soil no longer spills out.
3. As a fence for a high bed, you can use a metal profile, including from an old roof or fence.
5. You can make fences for a high bed with your own hands from brick or concrete. This is a very good option, but you need to take into account that concrete will affect the acidity of the soil in the garden bed for 2-3 years.
6. The best fencing for raised beds is plastic. They do not release anything of their own into the soil, excellent thermal insulation, long service life and the ability to set any shape of the bed, unlike standard rectangular beds with wooden fences.
7. Fences for high beds made from scrap materials. You can make the sides of the beds from bottles laid like bricks on concrete mortar.
Why are raised beds needed?
High beds allow you to increase the area for a vegetable garden because... awkward slopes or poor or clogged soil can be used. Raised beds provide an eco-friendly way to control weeds and soil erosion.
Such beds warm up faster and produce an earlier harvest. They allow you to more economically use moisture for irrigation.
Various types of raised beds.
In addition to the traditional raised bed with high sides, there are several other types of raised beds.
1. Circular high bed. It consists of a round frame in which there is a path to the center of the bed. This form of high bed is also called a “keyhole”.
Branches, roots, paper, and compost are placed at the bottom of the bed. There is a tunnel in the middle of the bed for fresh organic waste and water.
This bed design provides the necessary moisture and constant enrichment of the soil.
2. High bed without fences. When constructing such a bed, the first layer of tree trunks (not conifers), branches, roots, and snags are placed in the ground at a shallow depth; the second layer is this removed turf from the place where you are making the bed, laid with grass down; the third layer is 20-30 cm of basic soil mixed with humus.
To irrigate raised raised beds, an irrigation irrigation system is used, when water comes from a ditch between the beds - a good option for vegetable gardens that are flooded in the spring, or you can use a drip irrigation option, when water enters the bed from mini terraces.
The paths between the beds are covered with straw or large sawdust. Never step on the soil in a high bed - this will compact it and make it more difficult for the plants to receive moisture and nutrients.
Raised beds of this type can be used not only for a vegetable garden, but also for growing shrubs and fruit trees if you have problem soil for them in your summer cottage. The service life of such a bed (until the first layer of wood with trunks completely rots) is 20-25 years - this period is enough for any fruit tree.
Do not spare space for paths between high beds - this way you can always go there with a garden wheelbarrow both for harvesting and with a new portion of humus. Spare your back - use a wheelbarrow.
If your raised beds are located next to fruit trees, perhaps, before setting up the beds, you will need to install a root barrier - dig a trench, cut off the root on the approach to the beds, install metal sheet into a trench, which will prevent the root from growing in this direction and cover the trench with soil.
Learn more about raised beds through your own experience. This topic contains many interesting finds, experiments and new discoveries for every gardener.
And we have prepared for you a video with 100 inspiring examples of using raised beds in the country.
It is not a complicated process, but before starting work you need to learn some subtleties. It is important to choose the right material for the structure, taking into account all the advantages and disadvantages. The installation of the fence must be consistent, otherwise a number of mistakes can be made. In this article I will try to analyze all these points in detail.
Why do we need fencing for garden beds?
Before you start building fences, you need to understand what important functions they perform. Among the functions of fencing for garden beds, the following positions are distinguished:
- Protection from mechanical damage;
- Reducing the number of weeds;
- Prevention of shedding (especially important when loose sandy soil predominates on the site);
- Box formation;
- Decorative function.
Types of fencing for garden beds
Fences for garden beds vary in the material from which they are made. And each material, in turn, has a number of advantages and disadvantages. We'll talk more about the most common materials for fencing below.
Stone fencing for garden beds
Natural material, can be easily collected on the banks of rivers. It is not easy to match stones to the same size, so cementing may be required. If you lay out the cobblestones in several layers, you can achieve a fairly high structure that will not allow weeds to disturb your plantings. Stone beds will have quite a lot of weight and sink into the ground. To avoid such a situation, you can dig a trench around the perimeter of the bed and then lay sand or gravel in it.
Fencing for beds made of twigs
Wooden rods are another natural material, serving as a basis for fencing. To give the fence a shape, you need to prepare pegs of a certain height. Branches should be selected at least 1 meter in size. Plastic pipe can become a shelter for pegs - this is necessary in order to prevent the process of rotting. When the pegs are securely fixed in the ground, you can proceed to weaving the fence.
Brick fencing for garden beds
Bricks left over from other structures will be a suitable building material for constructing a fence for the garden bed. First you need to prepare a shallow foundation and fill it with cement. Brick laying in progress in different ways: horizontal, vertical, flat or sideways. If your house or bathhouse is also made of brick, then such beds will fit perfectly into the design of the site, especially if the pattern and method of laying bricks on the fences repeats the masonry on the building. Brick is environmentally friendly safe material. Moreover, it is easy to work with. Renewal of such beds does not occur often, since the material is durable, which is another advantage of using brick in country house construction.
Wooden fencing for garden beds
Wooden fences are the most common. This material is very pliable for work and is environmentally friendly, but is not resistant to rotting. Using protective varnishes and solutions, you can extend the service life wooden fencing. Depending on the type of wood, there are several types of wooden fencing:
- Beam. The fairly high cost is compensated by reliability and durability.
- Boards. Affordable material in terms of price. The boards can simply be placed on the sides of the bed and secured with pegs or bricks. The advantage of this method would be quick assembly and disassembly of the structure, the downside is fragility. To strengthen the fence you will need metal corners.
- Logs. Beds built from logs are similar in properties to beds made from timber. The advantage of this method is the possibility of using cut trees and, accordingly, saving on the purchase of materials.
Pay attention to the increased hygroscopicity (humidity) of the wood. During the season of melting snow or long rains, fungus may appear on the wood. Rotting of the material not only gradually destroys the structure, but also increases the acidity of the soil, and this can lead to undesirable consequences for plants.
Metal fencing for garden beds
The main advantage of such fences is obvious - the design is very durable. Most often, sheet metal is used, which is distinguished by its flexibility. There are also disadvantages: the sun increases the temperature of the material, which transmits it to the soil. Thus, the soil can become too dry, which has a negative effect on the plants. When building metal beds, it is better to take care of shading the fence in advance. When building garden fences from sheet or profile iron, it is better to take care of the top edge, because the left teeth can cause some inconvenience. Instead of rotting wooden structures, metal has the property of rusting. This drawback can be eliminated either by using special coatings or by choosing a stainless material.
Concrete fencing for garden beds
Concrete fencing is most often used on uneven surfaces. Beds located on slopes are a common occurrence, so this material helps to further strengthen the structure. You can use both blocks and slabs, and pouring mortar. Concrete curbs can be easily decorated with tiles. Another advantage of such fences is their high reliability, but it is worth considering the fact that you will not be able to quickly dismantle the building.
Slate fencing for garden beds
In most dacha plots you will find unnecessary remains of slate used in everyday life and for dacha affairs. This material can no longer be used for roofing, but it is suitable as a basis for fences in the best possible way. Slate is easy to use. Remember that slate is a very fragile material and tends to break due to loads, but its strength will be quite sufficient for fencing beds. The main thing is to carefully transport and install slate sheets.
Plastic fencing for beds
Plastic bottles and containers can also be used to fence your garden beds. To make them heavier, bottles installed in the ground are filled with sand, crushed stone, gravel or ordinary soil. This design is not particularly durable and reliable, but the cost of fencing in this case will be extremely low. You can purchase ready-made plastic sides that are lightweight and impact-resistant. Plastic is resistant to low temperatures and moisture, but you need to choose quality material. Neglecting this recommendation can result in a fence that will become covered with cracks when exposed to frost, and when exposed to high temperatures– deform. In this case, it will be necessary to dismantle the structure almost every season. Polycarbonate is often used to build greenhouses, which means you can find leftover material on your property and use it to create fences for garden beds.
How to make fences for garden beds with your own hands
The process of creating fences for your beds is not complicated, but it requires a competent and patient approach. I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the recommendations for constructing a structure made of wood, as the most affordable, simple and durable structure. Step by step instructions consists of several important stages.
- The first stage is theoretical; you need to understand what shape and size of the bed you would like to get. Apply markings to the area, cut the wood, focusing on the measurements and markings. The easiest way to fix the boards together is with regular nails, but you can use metal corners, which will provide additional strength to the frame.
- I advise you to also make legs for the box, but this is not necessary. If you are going to dig down the sides of the box by only 1-2 cm, then the legs will not be needed. If the structure is dug into the ground to a great depth, then nail thick pegs with pointed ends to the corners of the boards. If necessary, you can increase the number of such legs, which will ensure greater stability of the structure.
- Prime the boards, as this will protect them from the sun, water, fungus and other climatic effects. In addition to buying building material in the store, you can make it yourself; you only need a piece of laundry soap and quicklime. Combine one kg of lime with two liters of water. Grind 150-200 grams of soap and pour hot water. After this, the solution is mixed with the previously obtained mixture. Such a primer will be cheaper than store-bought material, but will be inferior in its protective properties.
- The next step is application. This treatment will improve the appearance of the fence and also protect the structure from unwanted weather influences.
- The box can be installed in two ways. The first involves placing it directly on the soil and further filling it with soil. In the second option, you need to build a fence with a recess. Place the box in the chosen place and dig it up with outside. Next, remove the box and dig up the soil inside the future bed. Return the box and secure it with earth.
- In order for the soil to settle, fill the bed with soil and water it.
From all of the above, some conclusions can be drawn. First, build your garden bed fence based on your personal preferences and the materials you have available. If there are unused bricks or bottles on the site, use them. Secondly, pay attention to the advantages and disadvantages of each type of building material. And most importantly, take a responsible approach to the creation and installation of the structure itself. By complying with all the requirements, you will reliably protect your plants from various damages and weeds, and also decorate your site.
Borders around garden and garden plantings – practical solution, which has a lot of advantages.
However, not all summer residents are in a hurry to fence vegetables and herbs, citing the complexity of the work and the high cost of materials. Let's look at the most popular methods of erecting borders, try to dispel doubts and offer options on how to quickly and inexpensively make a fence for garden beds from scrap materials. A variety of techniques allows you to create beautiful and practical fences for any type of plant.
The benefits of fencing for garden beds
Some summer residents adhere to traditional way cultivating the land and do not understand why the beds are fenced.
Dividing the garden into mini-zones with the construction of fences has a number of advantages, both practical and decorative:
- Reduction of weeds. Framing the beds significantly reduces the area for weeds to grow. In addition, when the sides are buried in the ground, a kind of barrier is created that prevents the spread of pests and diseases to neighboring crops.
- Strengthening loose soil. The fence for the beds prevents the soil from shedding and reduces its weathering and erosion. The use of fences is especially important for sandy loam and sandy substrates.
- Getting an early harvest. Installing borders for beds allows you to create a “thermal garden” by filling the constructed box with various organic matter. In warm landings temperature regime soils are higher than when organizing a traditional vegetable garden, so vegetables are planted and ripen faster.
- Easy to care for. Weeding, loosening or harrowing the soil is much easier.
- Convenient lawn mowing. When mowing grass, garden bed borders protect the plantings from damage from lawnmower blades.
- The attractiveness of a flower and vegetable lawn. The row spaces remain clean and the garden looks well-groomed.
Growing crops in separate boxes
The fence can become an integral element landscape design. Combining multi-colored border strips for beds or the original use of familiar materials will allow you to zone the area and create a bright garden composition in your dacha with your own hands.
Zoned vegetable garden on a personal plot
Requirements for garden fences
The requirements for framing plantings primarily depend on the purpose of the fence. Fences for flowers should be harmoniously combined with the style of the entire garden, and borders for garden beds are selected taking into account the type vegetable crops and the way they are grown.
Beautiful fencing for garden beds
General requirements:
- Strength. The sides must withstand the pressure of the earth and not creep to the sides when the soil gets wet - especially during the thaw period and spring floods.
- Resistance to mechanical damage. In the event of an accidental impact with a rake or shovel, the material should not deform or crack.
- Durability. It is optimal if the constructed frame lasts at least 5-10 years.
- Easy to assemble. Difficult-to-install fences should be erected for perennials - shrubs and flower beds. When arranging ridges, it is advisable to provide for the possibility of dismantling and moving the structure to another location.
- Environmentally friendly. The material should not highlight toxic substances. This requirement is especially relevant when choosing polymer fencing, since some plasticizers are toxic when the temperature rises. Harmful elements can enter the soil and then into the roots, stems, leaves and fruits of plants.
- Economical. This criterion is best met by fences made from scrap materials: boards, old bricks, plastic containers.
Advice. For construction, you should not choose a material that gets very hot in the sun. In such structures, the soil dries out very quickly, and the plants experience a moisture deficiency.
Layout of a plot for growing vegetables
- the minimum height of the fence is 15 cm if there is fertile soil on the site, 30 cm if an embankment or partial replacement soil;
- for planting potatoes, beets and other root crops, a raised ridge with a height of 40 cm is suitable;
- when constructing compost thermal beds, the height of the box should be at least 60 cm;
- the width of one row is within 120 cm - this will allow without special effort reach the middle of the plantings while cultivating the land or picking fruits.
We make fencing with our own hands
There are many techniques for framing garden beds in the country. To select best option, it is necessary to compare the positive and negative qualities each way.
Practical use of picket fence
Wooden fencing - a variety of options
Wood meets most requirements. This material for beds is economical, safe, easy to install and quite durable. The only drawback is the susceptibility to rotting in conditions high humidity. However, this risk can be minimized by treating the curbs with an antiseptic composition.
To create wooden fences for garden beds with your own hands, timber, clapboard, edged material, slabs, stumps, long boards or a picket fence are suitable - any household materials can be used. The options below will help you decide on the model of formwork for beds:
- a multi-tiered ridge made of profiled timber will decorate any cottage or garden plot;
- picket fence for beds - the elements should be located end-to-end to prevent soil from spilling out;
- tall warm plantings framed by slabs - an alternative to a traditional greenhouse;
- organization natural farming on high ridges made of boards.
When choosing a material, you need to pay attention to the type and condition of the wood. Suitable wood species:
- ash and oak - high-strength, durable wood, minus raw materials - high cost;
- pine - inexpensive, soft material, easy to process, the disadvantage of wood is susceptibility to moisture;
- cedar and larch – have a long service life;
- acacia – has good performance characteristics, but difficult to process.
How to make sides from boards with your own hands
Let's look at step by step how to fence the beds with boards with your own hands. The proposed option is suitable for dividing a vegetable garden into open ground, box size – 1*1.6 m.
Homemade fencing made from boards
Materials and tools:
- boards 150*25 mm, length 2.5 m – 4 pcs.;
- boards 150*25 mm, length 3 m – 2 pcs.;
- board 100*50 mm, length 2.5 m – 1 pc.;
- screws;
- tape measure, pencil and ruler;
- screwdriver and saw.
Work progress:
Following the selected dimensions, mark the cutting points on the boards.
Make a cut along the lines. Each wall of the box will require two boards.
Preparation of wooden box elements
Make corner posts from timber with a cross section of 100*50 mm. For boards 150 mm wide, a support height of 300 mm is sufficient.
Screw the side board to the stand, controlling the horizontalness of the entire structure.
Assembling frame parts
Fix the adjacent board in a similar way - the walls are joined at right angles.
Screw the remaining sides of the box to the counter posts.
Fastening the side walls
- “Increase” the height of the sides with another row of boards.
- Fix the upper shelves - first screw the longitudinal sides, and then the transverse ones.
Fixing the upper shelves
Transfer the formwork to right place and fill with fertile soil.
Practical metal fencing
The French vegetable garden with metal borders for the beds looks very neat. Thanks to the rigidity of the material, it is possible to achieve clear geometric lines. Galvanized frames of beds are considered the strongest and most durable - galvanized steel coating is preferable to iron.
Application of metal structures
Features of metal fences for garden beds:
- ready-made modular fencing is very mobile - they are easy to assemble, disassemble, transport and reinstall;
- high cost of a metal box;
- such a design will not “float” during the rainy season and after the snow melts;
- metal products are susceptible to corrosion; in the absence of galvanization, the sides will have to be painted annually;
- metal has good thermal conductivity - the soil near the fence can heat up to a critical temperature, inhibiting plant roots.
Advice. It is better to install fences for beds with polymer coating– the layer reduces the thermal conductivity of the metal and protects the soil from overheating.
Purchased galvanized fencing
When creating fences with your own hands, galvanized corrugated sheeting is often used. Let's look at how to make a fence for ridges step by step:
- Decide on the dimensions of the bed made of corrugated sheets, apply markings to the metal sheet and cut them. For cutting, you can use metal scissors or an electric saw.
- When planning the product, it is important to ensure that the direction of the waves of the metal profile should be transverse relative to the surface of the earth. The height of the formwork is calculated taking into account a depth of 10-15 cm.
- Mark the location of the bed on the site and dig a shallow, narrow trench around the perimeter of the site.
- Place the prepared sides, level them, overlap them and secure them with rivets.
- Fix a U-shaped profile on top of the corrugated sheeting - it will hide the sharp edges and protect the metal from moisture.
Durable stone fencing
Unusual decorative fence You can build it with your own hands from stone. The shape, layout order, dimensions of the elements used - everything is at the discretion of the performer. Options for constructing stone borders for garden beds with your own hands are presented below.
Dry method. Large cobblestones are used as fencing. The first row of blocks is buried 5-8 cm into the soil, ensuring the stability of the structure. Subsequent cobblestones are laid out on a sand-earth layer.
Dry laying of stones
You can enclose the beds with sandstone, limestone, basalt or pebbles. It is undesirable to frame the beds with granite - the mineral acidifies the soil, worsening its nutritional quality.
Laying on mortar. The method is more labor-intensive, but allows you to build a durable monolithic structure that does not require any maintenance. This approach involves the use of both large and small stones in construction.
Fixing stones with sand-concrete mortar
Application of curb stones. To cover the beds, some summer residents buy ready-made decorative slabs. A wide range of suitable border stones for garden beds allows you to create original fences of different colors.
Border stone in the arrangement of vegetable plantings
The disadvantage of this method is the limited height. Curb stone is not suitable for constructing a raised thermal bed.
How to make a decorative pergola around a garden bed
Gabions and pergons are bulk decorative fencing. The mesh steel frame is filled with stones of different fractions. The design is simple to implement, does not require a foundation, is affordable and fits perfectly into any landscape design.
Gabions – original way garden bed design
To create a pergon with your own hands you will need:
- durable galvanized mesh with a wire thickness of 2-3 mm;
- clamps for fixing the frame;
- geotextile for substrate;
- filler – pebbles, stones;
- shovel, pliers, tape measure, level.
Fixing the sides of the frame
Work progress:
- Prepare the sides of the box from the mesh. When finished, the bed will be framed with rectangular blocks - the height and width are selected arbitrarily.
- Along the perimeter of the planting area, mark a strip with a width equal to the base of the fence. Level the soil, compact it and cover it with geotextiles.
- Assemble the frame, fixing the position of the formwork with wire. Screw the fasteners inward to maintain the neatness of the structure. Leave the top of the prepared basket open.
- After installing the four boxes, fill the mesh frame with stones and screw the top part.
Filling a mesh box with stones
Available plastic fencing
The simplest and quick way fencing vegetable plantings with your own hands - edging the beds with plastic. A wide range of products are available for sale ready-made solutions for the dacha.
Border tape. Flexible, lightweight fencing for edging lawns, flower beds, paths and raised beds. The tape is supplied in rolls of different lengths, the width of the strip is 20-50 cm. The kit includes plastic pegs for fixing the fence. Flat and corrugated “curbs” are available.
Plastic border tape
The technology for installing the tape is very simple:
- Mark the border of the bed on the site.
- Place pegs evenly along the contour of the “vegetable” area.
- Attach the tape to the wedges, partially deepening the border into the ground.
Important! The tape must be well tensioned - this will ensure the rigidity of the fence and prevent sagging.
Technology for assembling garden polymer panels
An alternative to flexible tape is straight flat panels. They are more rigid, but are suitable for creating only straight mini-vegetable gardens. Thanks to the presence of teeth on the underside, the installation of plastic borders for beds is facilitated.
Volumetric panels « garden board" and "Stone". Products emit natural building materials. With their help, various gardening compositions are created. Polymer modules are decorative and practical, the only drawback is the relatively high cost.
Do-it-yourself assembly will not cause any difficulties - the kit is equipped with panels, pegs and plugs. The performer’s task is to prepare the site and secure the curb.
Garden constructor - fencing with a flexible design. Borders for beds made of plastic panels designed for creating ridges and flower beds of unusual shapes. The elements of the border are combined into a closed single circuit. By changing the direction of the “snake”, in a few minutes you can create an unusual fence for growing garden crops.
Budget slate fencing
For those who are looking for an inexpensive way to fence garden beds, the option of using slate is suitable. Asbestos-cement boards are resistant to moisture, easy to process and install, durable and affordable.
Fences for garden beds are often built from flat or wave slate. There are special asbestos-cement strips of standard dimensions on sale: length - 3 m, thickness - 16-40 mm.
Strengthening the sides of a slate fence
Instructions for edging beds with slate yourself:
- Determine the dimensions of the future ridge and, according to the dimensions, make blanks for the sides of the box. When calculating the height of the side, it should be taken into account that 20 cm of slate will go deep when installed.
- Mark the ground and dig a trench 20 cm deep around the perimeter.
- Install slate sheets in the dug holes in a strictly vertical position.
- Fix the sides - cover with earth and compact.
- IN metal corners and asbestos-cement sheets, prepare holes for fasteners.
- Attach the corners to the slate with bolts.
- To give rigidity and stability to the entire structure, it is advisable to install metal supports. Weld the metal plate to the reinforcing rod - the homemade support is bolted to the sides of the fence.
Fastening the sides of the box with a metal corner
By analogy, you can block the beds with wavy slate. To strengthen the high sides, it is necessary to build a frame from reinforcing rods and boards. Attach slate sheets to wooden elements nails.
Wavy slate framing option
Before framing the beds with asbestos-cement sheets, you need to consider safety measures. When sawing slate, a lot of dust is generated, so it is important to protect your eyes and respiratory tract. The cut area should be moistened with water.
Compliance with safety measures when cutting slate
Fencing made from plastic bottles
Fencing beds with plastic bottles is not difficult. For implementation simple option You will need PET bottles with a capacity of 1.5-2 liters, a shovel, sand and multi-colored paints.
Fencing with plastic bottles
Step-by-step algorithm for fencing beds with your own hands:
- Select containers of the same volume. It is optimal if the containers match in color, but it is difficult to collect many identical bottles. Therefore, it is better to paint them one color, preferably from the inside.
- Fill the bottles with small pebbles or sand - this will give them the missing strength and ensure stability.
- Determine a place at the dacha to form a bed and mark it.
- Dig a trench 8-10 cm deep around the perimeter; the width of the trench should correspond to the dimensions of the bottles.
- Turn the filled containers upside down and place them in the trench as tightly as possible - the elements should not wobble.
Strengthening a plastic structure
Fenced beds can be reinforced at the corners with support posts. Make holes in the bottles in advance, stretch the wire and tighten it tightly on the side stakes. This coupling will prevent elements from “falling out” when cultivating the soil.
With a creative approach to the issue, even from used containers you can build beautiful garden bed fencing. They may have unusual shape, consist of several tiers or be supplemented with decorative elements.
Creating beds of unusual shapes
It is not difficult to build a fence for planting vegetables. When choosing suitable material need to be compared own strength, time and money costs to implement the plan. Compliance with the chosen technology will help you easily “organize” your garden and increase its efficiency.
How to apply beautiful beds for the lazy, tall and smart beds are what a gardener needs to know who wants to make his life as independent as possible from gardening worries. If you wish, you just need to master the design method lazy beds which you can see in the following photos. A garden bed of this type will allow you to enjoy a well-deserved rest at the dacha and will not require weeding every time. In addition, it is not only convenient, but also increases crop productivity.
Everyone knows how much time and effort needs to be devoted to each planted crop, which, however, sometimes does not even justify the result: the seedlings may not germinate or do not ultimately produce a normal amount of harvest. In this case, you should pay attention to the technology of lazy beds on your site!
Beautiful and comfortable
A lazy bed is a completely new approach to gardening, which will allow seedlings to grow on their own and produce several times more yield. It is based on a rule that states that digging and weeding the soil is prohibited, except for its preparation and planting itself. Even though constant weeding can remove weeds and fluff up the soil, sooner or later it will dry out and will not be able to provide sufficient moisture for crops.
In this approach, preparation for future planting is very important - it is advisable to do this in the fall, when you can collect material for mulching the soil (you need to cover it with straw, sawdust, pine cones, etc.), which, in turn, will prevent weeds germinate in an area with such cover.
- Install your own irrigation system. It is not necessary to choose the most expensive systems available in stores. In the case of such vegetable gardens, those from which you only need to press a button are quite suitable - and there will be no need to water it yourself. Watering will allow you to make beautiful beds: green and lush. It is also worth noting: watering can be done infrequently, but abundantly, giving the plants the necessary moisture until your next visit.
- A tool for working in the garden is the key to saving time. Therefore, it is worth choosing one piece of equipment for many years. It may include not only the usual shovel and buckets, but also various little things that will make your work easier. Also, find a place for your inventory in advance.
- At the beginning of the planting season, dig up the ground once and prepare it for future seedlings or seeds. Plant the plants and don’t disturb the earth anymore: mulching will do its job and protect you from weeds. All that remains for you before harvesting is to water the garden beds on time.
It's interesting and effective way, which is suitable for both lazy gardeners and experienced gardeners who know their business. A garden bed of this type will be worth the effort and can bring a lot of convenience.
High beds as a way to obtain an intensive harvest
Even though this is a very labor-intensive process at first - building the frame itself and watering the beds, it will allow you to forget about the bad climate and low yields.
The high bed is always exposed to the rays of the sun, which helps to warm up the soil layer, so it can be planted as early as April without fear of freezing, and the lower mesh will prevent the invasion of moles and mice. A frame that is not too wide (within 150 cm) will allow you to care for the bed on both sides. If you divide it into two strips 80 cm wide, you can even make it yourself greenhouse, passing the film over both landings. It is worth noting that it is the high beds that provide the earliest harvest of first salads and then fastidious vegetables. The only problem is more frequent watering, since water does not stay in such land for a long time.
Despite all the difficulties at the beginning, the planting justifies the effort put into it and lasts a long time without bringing much trouble, and the garden bed looks beautiful.
Digging smart garden bed for fragrant herbs you only need to apply once, before planting the seedlings. Then it requires a minimum of attention and care
A raised bed is a frame located on a flat piece of land, inside of which branches, grass, compost and fertile soil mixed with fertilizers are laid in layers. The lower layers, rotting, release heat and nutrients to the soil, which helps improve the quality of the crop. For simplicity, the frame is usually made square or rectangular shape, 15-50 cm high. And if every gardener can easily find materials for filling, then the question of what to make the frame itself from remains open for many.
1. Raised beds made of wood
The most aesthetic option, suitable for any garden style. It is easy to work with: the bed can be raised to any height and set to any shape.
A significant disadvantage is the need to regularly renew the paint layer both outside and, ideally, inside the bed to prevent rotting. It’s also not easy to make a round shape out of wood. If you are not ready to build frames yourself, then you will have to pay a considerable amount to order from professionals.
2. Galvanized metal beds
Their absolute advantage over wood is the lack of maintenance. Such beds can be easily assembled even by a fragile woman, will not corrode and will serve, according to the manufacturer, for almost 30 years. The standard version has 5 available colors: yellow, green, brown, blue and unpainted steel. If desired, you can repaint them yourself in any color using metal paints.
The disadvantages again include the rather high price, fixed shape and height. If you decide to save money and not buy a ready-made option, but do everything yourself, then your skills in working with iron will come in handy when cutting sheets and installing.
3. Beds made of brick and stone
Stone and brick are also extremely durable, maintenance-free and beautiful options. Suitable for a classic garden with stone residential and utility buildings. A stone bed can be raised to any height and even have benches around the edges for ease of working with plants.
The disadvantage of this material is the price and the large amount of time spent both on the installation and on dismantling the frame. Cement mortar It hardens for a long time, and once frozen, it tightly fastens the structure so that it is no longer possible to move it to another place. while almost all other types of beds are quite mobile.
4. Concrete beds
Another monumental option: this design is strong and reliable, can be of any shape and height and, if necessary, will take on the role of a supporting wall if the site is on a slope. Concrete can be painted or lined with stone. but an ideal site must be prepared for such a frame, since durability will depend on compliance with the technology when pouring. the solution will harden for a long time, and if you can plant the first plants in a galvanized bed almost on the same day, then it will dry completely concrete structure may take up to a week.
I would recommend using this material only if the site planning was done together with a landscape designer and you are sure that you do not want to change the location for the garden in the next 30 years.
5. Plastic frame for beds
This material has perhaps the largest number of variations: from self-assembly designs from scrap materials like plastic bottles before purchasing a finished WPC structure ( wood-polymer composite). This also includes fences made of curb tape, the height of which can reach 30 cm.
The first half of the “plastic list” options are attractive because they are cheap, and also meet the trend towards reusing materials, but, as a rule, poorly meet the requirements of aesthetics.
In addition, the height with this approach is limited by the parameters of the source material. But the shape of the bed can be absolutely any, including circles and smooth transitions. Buying a ready-made plastic construction It is quite an expensive pleasure, and most often the gardener is limited in choosing the shape of the frame - square or rectangular.
6. Asbestos-cement strips for edging beds
This is the option that I ultimately chose. Manufacturers offer ready-made beds from this material in rectangular and round shapes, but you can make almost any design with corners. The advantages of asbestos cement include a very low price compared to other options while maintaining the aesthetics and durability of the material. Asbestos cement sheets are not subject to corrosion, rotting, are fireproof and can be painted. The cutting of the sheet can also be anything and will depend on the agreement with the manufacturer.
According to the manufacturer, the frost resistance of such a fence is 25 winters. The sheets are light enough, so the design is mobile and assembly is accessible to women and teenagers. You can also make paths between the rows from the same sheets.
The only downside is that due to negative influence of asbestos-cement dust per person when inhaled and the fragility of the sheet when exposed to direction, cutting into strips of the required width and height should be carried out in production, and on the site
deliver ready-made sides of the future bed. Practice has also shown that if you buy ready set sheets and fastenings, then the four connecting profiles included in the standard package for beds 2 m long and six for beds over 3 m are not enough. you need to further strengthen the structure with metal or wooden stakes in the middle of each sheet.
7. Frame for beds made of vines or twigs
Such beds are well suited for a garden in a natural, rustic style. Can be made independently, of any height and shape. however if you are planning large number beds, it is worth deciding in advance the issue of procuring material and being prepared to spend a significant amount of time on their manufacture. Dry branches are difficult to weave, so you need to work quickly. in addition, braided freshly cut rods will dry out over time and shrink, which can lead to spillage
soil between the rows. Therefore, you need to make insulation between the soil and the woven frame: for example, dense black spunbond will do.
Unfortunately, the service life of such a frame rarely justifies the labor costs.
Table of comparative analysis of various materials for raised beds
| Material | Durability | Aesthetics | Production time | Price |
| Tree | low (5-7 years) | Very good | average | expensive |
| Metal | High (20 - 30 years) | so-so | fast | average |
| Stone, brick | Very high (>30 years) | Very good | for a long time | expensive |
| Concrete | Very high (>30 years) | Fine | for a long time | expensive |
| Plastic | so-so (10 - 15 years) | so-so | average | cheap |
| Asbestos cement | high (20-30 years) | Fine | fast | cheap |
| Vine | Low (5 years) | Very good | for a long time | average |