How to make a bed high? The device of high beds (photo)

The spring for all gardeners and truck farmers begins the same way: dig all the earth, divide it into beds, make for each a neat earth roller. Then wait until the soil warms up, plant the plants and begin to fight the weeds that occupy the entire territory, including the paths. But it is possible to make improvements that will help to get a bigger harvest at a lower cost (labor, first of all).

Advantages and disadvantages of high beds

Usually, after hearing about the many advantages of such structures, people are beginning to wonder how to make the bed high. How does it differ from conventional landings at ground level? We list only the main advantages:

• The soil on your site can be absolutely any, it will not affect the crop any more. A high construction can be filled with universal soil or suitable for a particular crop. If your dacha is located in a damp lowland, then the first layer can be laid drainage: broken brick, coarse sand. Next lay layered eggshell, branches and grass, left after the autumn harvesting of the site, leaves and earth.
• After many years of operation, the soil in the garden becomes less fertile, accumulates various pathogens. Having learned how to make a garden high, and having installed it on your site, You can make a fresh purchase of soil and protect plants from rotting and fungi.
• In spring, such designs are warmed up faster, which makes it possible to plant plants earlier. This gives a chance to get two crops instead of one.
• The yield is 2 times higher than when using flat beds.
• Convenience of care for beds, as well as the harvesting of fruits of low growing plants.
• Saving of the plot area and aesthetic appearance.

Everything has its opposite side. The minus of high beds can be called the need for material investment and labor in their creation. They dry out quickly enough and require frequent watering. Moisture-loving plants do not fit this. The limited space of the bed requires regular application of fertilizers, as the soil is depleted.

What materials may be required to create a high bed

If you have so far only used flat beds, then make sure to experiment with one progressive design. If we talk about how to make the garden high, the first question arises about the necessary material. The scope for creativity here is great, it all depends on the level of your skill and the amount that you are willing to spend.

• High beds of bricks. If you do not have the experience of bricklaying, then the design can go out not very aesthetically. The advantages of this are long-term and safe use.
• High beds of boards. To make them easier. It is necessary to have at hand a sufficient number of long boards, corners, transverse ceilings. As an option, you can use the slats with which the wooden or metal frame is lined. The minus is obvious - the tree is rotting.
• High beds of slate. Usually takes the old slate, which is removed from the roof during the repair. It is believed that this is a harmful material, but the only damage to health can be caused by the dust formed during its cutting. Minus is fragility and the ability to break down the structure during garden work.
• Stones and mortar - a very creative approach to gardening. You can create designs for centuries, beautiful, durable, arbitrary shape and size.
• Plastic bottles filled with colorful sand. We get original beds with low sides.

Optimal height of the bed

Depends on the characteristics of the garden and planted crops. If the garden is a good primer, you can make a border about 15 cm high. This will make it possible to solve the problem of weeds and soil diseases, facilitate the care of the garden and improve its appearance.

If the soil is bad and a high bed is created as a separately functioning structure, then it must be done higher, 30-90 cm. Sometimes they lay the height at the belt level, but then do not make it broad.

Installation

The device of high beds is a creative process. Every gardener will get a completely unique work, but the main thing is that the goals are achieved, the garden cultures grow well and bear fruit, and the garden itself is convenient for servicing.

Select a location. It can be the most trampled and unsuitable for planting. Draw the size of the future design. The length can be any, and the width is better not to do more than 110 cm. Drive around the perimeter of the pegs, so you will indicate the size of the bed.

Now decide on the material. If this tree, then it should be protected from dampness, varnished or varnished, and then collected in the form of a box with corners and nails. High beds of slate create even easier. With the help of the bulgarian, you need to cut the sheets into strips of the necessary width (70-80 cm), and then, digging a narrow groove along the perimeter, deepen them one at a time and drown them. Structural strength can be achieved by using the same corners, in addition, you need to pull it around the perimeter with steel wire.

Filling the beds

We proceed from the fact that the height of your garden is 80-90 cm. Put the wire mesh on the very bottom, so that your vegetables do not become the prey of a mole or shrews. Then about 25 cm can take all the waste of your infield: uprooted stumps, large branches. For better drainage, large pieces of brick can be added here.

The next layer occupies 40-50 cm. It is a source of mineral substances and fertilizers. This can be small chips, grass, eggshells, wood ash, lime, food waste (vegetable cleaning and so on). It is also worth adding recycled manure and compost, bird droppings and straw.

On top of a layer of 10-20 cm you need to lay quality garden land. Mix the layers are not necessary, it is abundant to water them and give time for shrinkage. The device of high beds is not as complex as it might seem from the side, but absolutely amazing results are achieved.

Features of watering

The design features are such that it absorbs more heat, and therefore consumes a lot of moisture. Well suited high beds for cucumbers. Since the soil temperature here is almost 10 degrees higher, this stimulates the growth and development of the root system. In addition, this culture loves light and fresh soil and does not tolerate wetlands. But do not allow the soil to dry out. If there is no possibility to install a drip irrigation system, water several times a day, especially in hot weather.

The efficiency of these structures is so high that by putting one as an experiment, you will soon decide: we make high beds on the whole plot.

High beds in spring and autumn

In autumn, harvesting, you can note that the level of the earth has strongly subsided. Collect a new layer of organic material (plants, branches, grass, fertilizers), lay on a bed and well covered with quality garden primer. If you still have not seen live high beds, the photo will help to present all the details. Do not dig, you just have to water it and cover it until the new year. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, your garden will be ready to plant the first plants. It can be greens and radishes, which later will replace cucumbers, tomatoes or cabbage. High location will save plants from strong enough spring frosts, and good heat transfer of the bed stimulates rapid growth and abundant fruiting.

What is better to plant

The soil temperature of a high bed is always higher than that of the surrounding land. This is facilitated by limited space, and sublime location, and decomposition of organic matter, which is crammed design. In the first year of use, it is better to plant "gluttonous" plants that like an excess of nutrients. These are tomatoes, pumpkin, cucumbers, cabbage. Only in the second year you can grow root crops, spicy herbs and leafy vegetables. But even now the soil temperature will be much higher, which will allow harvesting more quickly.

Let's sum up the results

Now you know how to make a bed high, and you can apply it in practice, on your site. A minimum of hassle, accessible materials, and as a result, a neat garden without weeds and excellent vegetables, ripe at least a month earlier. This is a strong enough motivation to try.