The optimal width of the beds in the garden and row spacing. Garden beds: types and choice of location
Gardening is a favorite hobby of many of our fellow citizens. In other years, only having your own garden plot allowed you to keep the family budget afloat, and today the garden can be considered as a source of fresh and environmentally friendly products for the family table.
But in order to get a rich harvest, it is very important to master the competent technology of tillage, because otherwise you will not be able to ensure a normal vegetative process for the crops you grow. In particular, it is very important to know how to properly make beds in the garden. This article is devoted to consideration of this issue.
Initial soil preparation
If you are going to use some area for beds, it must be processed and dug up as carefully as possible, simultaneously freeing it from debris, roots of plants and trees. If you plan to make beds on a site on which some backyard buildings previously stood, you will have to spend a lot of time cleaning it from construction debris. As a rule, in this case, a lot of glass, bunches and remnants of boards remain in the ground. All this must be removed.
In addition, after that it is desirable to bring a layer of normal soil there, from which the beds will be formed. Of course, you can try to grow plants on the remaining soil, but its fertility will be a big question.
What should be paid special attention to?
Before you properly make beds in the garden, it is very important to prepare the bottom layer of soil. The fact is that with its strong compaction, moisture will constantly linger on the beds. In dry years, this is good, but the rest of the time there will be a constant risk to plants, as their roots can simply rot.
For loosening, it is advisable to use a cultivator, since it will be very difficult to manually loosen the earth properly. Important! If this is your first time making beds in this place, it is advisable to give the soil for research: it may be too acidic or alkaline. It is better to immediately add appropriate additives to it, because otherwise it will not be possible to grow a rich harvest.
Among other things, we would recommend planting green manure on newly cultivated lands. In their quality, it is best to use alfalfa or other legumes. No need to sow rye, as it makes the soil very acidic. An exception can be made only for highly alkaline soils. Of course, in this case, all agricultural activities take much more time, but all costs are paid off.
When the issue with the soil is completely resolved, you can start marking the beds.
Of course, the creation of beds always begins with delineating the boundaries and digging, but it is important to remember that high crop yields can largely depend on other factors. Before you properly make beds in the garden, it is also important to choose their location in relation to the cardinal points. This issue should not be approached lightly, since the yield of plants depends on the correct choice of location.
Let's give some generally accepted rules that should be followed when creating sites for growing various crops. So, ridges for vegetables are located in the direction from north to south. It is best to make them rectangular. It is believed that it is more convenient to process the ridges if they have a width of 1.2 m. The length can be any, it all depends on your preferences and the size of the site.
They make at least 40 cm wide, but it is preferable to provide even wider passages, since in this case it is possible to strengthen the edges of the ridges with boards or slate.
Approximately the same requirements apply to the breakdown of flower beds or rabatok. Of course, it is much better to make their corners rounded, since those look much better. Before you properly make beds in the garden, it is best to outline their future boundaries with twine and a few pegs. Don't forget to indent as otherwise you won't have room for aisles.
What to do if you arrange a bed in a former meadow?
Important. In this case, it is necessary to carefully remove the sod. Make it into compost: this fertilizer contains a huge amount of nutrients that contribute to a significant increase. Here's how to make a good bed that will give you a great harvest!
Digging up the soil should start from the edge of the string stretched along the border. The shovel must be worked in such a way that a neat and well-defined line is obtained. In this way, we dig the entire border of the garden. Be sure to pay attention to how dense the earth is at the depth of the shovel bayonet. If there is a lot of clay there, you will have to dig two or three bayonets of a shovel deep into. Or use a cultivator or even a tractor.
We use a chopper or a hoe!
After removing the layer of sod, you will find that there is quite decent, but still somewhat dense soil under it. If the soil is too compact, it is preferable to work it with a hoe, as in this case you tear the roots of the plants, and the structure of the soil becomes much better. Since making a garden bed with your own hands can be difficult, you need to purchase all the necessary tools for tillage in advance.
In a word, the creation of beds is a rather troublesome and time-consuming business. Therefore, it is worth taking care of preserving the results of your work, strengthening the resulting ridges. The easiest way to use the boards is to hammer in pegs to support them. But much more durable is the blind area made of bricks or natural stone. Besides, she looks much prettier.
When making a garden with your own hands (including beds), do not forget about the accuracy of your work. Such a personal plot will give you a lot of positive emotions!
And how to make beds in the garden, if you want to get a harvest from them as early as possible, starting from April-May?
We make warm beds
In order to get a rich harvest and cucumbers under the conditions of our middle zone, the natural growing season is not enough, because the earth warms up too late and freezes quickly. Since it is not difficult to make a warm bed, you can correct this annoying misunderstanding without spending money on building a greenhouse or even a greenhouse.
By the way, what is it? In this case, before starting the development of the site, it is necessary to dig a ditch 40-50 cm deep, which completely repeats the contours of the future bed. Layers of manure are laid there, which must be alternated with the remains of tops, rotten wood and similar organic residues. You can also use kitchen waste.
Before you make a warm bed, you can also purchase it. It heats up best. Having thrown a layer of waste flush with the edges of the ditch, we lay fertile soil on top of them, and the thickness of its layer should be at least 40 cm, otherwise the roots of the plants may burn out.
Further actions
After that, we cover the finished bed with a film and leave it for a couple of days. When the ground warms up noticeably, you can plant seedlings. It is better to combine this method with the installation of a film shelter. In this case, planting can begin almost immediately after the snow melts and the strong morning frosts disappear.
Here's how to make beds in the garden. There are some difficulties with this, but as a result you will get an excellent harvest of your own vegetables.
This article discusses beds for the lazy: photos of the easiest structures to manufacture for those who want to get a neat garden with a minimum of effort, the most common materials and technologies for creating structures based on them. The reader will learn how to combine vegetable crops in one garden and prepare the soil for planting cucumbers. The article contains practical recommendations for beginner gardeners.
Designing the right beds in the garden will solve many problems and open up new opportunities for the owner of a summer cottage:
- protection against soil erosion in the garden when a large amount of precipitation falls or watering plants. The bed borders will keep the nutrient soil in place, preventing it from washing out onto the paths. In addition, the passages between the structures themselves will remain clean, no dirty puddles and streaks;
- the possibility of forming the basis for the creation of a temporary greenhouse for the spring. By installing high sides as fences, inside the structure you can organize a multi-layered garden bed, which can be used as a greenhouse. To do this, it is enough to install special arcs and stretch the film. The result is a neat greenhouse house;
- improving the appearance of the garden due to orderly and even plantings with a beautiful frame;
- creating borders that prevent the spread of weeds.
Making your own beds from boards and other materials allows you to clearly limit the landing area, so weeds and harmful plants do not have the opportunity to spread widely. If the fence of the garden is dug in to a great depth, the level of protection increases and perennial weeds that are unable to overcome this barrier can no longer penetrate into the garden.
Note! With the help of beds with well-buried fences, the spread of plants such as reeds and couch grass is effectively blocked. Their root system is capable of covering large distances underground if left unchecked.
Photos of interesting designs of beds, recommendations for their creation. Tips for designing unusual landscape design on the site.
The best place is the area where the sun is present throughout the day. It is allowed to install beds where the shadow is present in the morning or in the afternoon. If the proposed construction zone is dark throughout the day, you should not use this place for arranging a garden.
How best to make beds in the garden: choosing the optimal design
The choice of the design of the beds is carried out at an early stage of planning, when a place for the garden has already been selected.
Each type of beds has certain advantages:
- raised or - the most efficient designs that are best suited for growing vegetable crops. Building materials for their creation are not expensive, while the soil does not need to be dug up. The width and height of the structures determine how much effort and time it will take to build them. Most often, summer residents prefer wooden beds made of planks. On the network you can find photos of bulk beds with your own hands, such structures do not have a fence. They are also categorized as elevated structures;
- container beds - will be beneficial in cases where the space of the site is limited. For organizing such beds, pots of small, large and medium sizes are suitable. Garlic, peppers, lettuce and greens feel especially good in containers. Mobility is another advantage of container beds, which, if desired, can be rearranged to any place;
- open ground beds are the oldest way to grow crops that are planted directly into the ground. In such conditions, it is more difficult to get a good harvest, so the technology of joint planting vegetables in the garden is often used.
Useful advice! If it is planned to plant crops in open ground, it is recommended to determine the quality of the soil, fertilize it and check the compatibility of vegetables in the garden according to the table.
How to make beds from boards with your own hands: useful tips
Most often, raised beds are made of wood. This material in comparison with others is considered the most practical and environmentally friendly. Similar designs look very aesthetically pleasing in the photo. Do-it-yourself beds from boards have other advantages:
- a simple maintenance system that involves easy weeding, harvesting and watering plants;
- the possibility of growing vegetable crops even where the soil is completely unsuitable for these purposes. On the basis of the boards, a frame is made, which is subsequently filled with fertile soil bought in a store, so there is no connection to the quality of the earth and its composition. Thanks to this, plants can be grown even in areas with a rocky surface;
- box structures allow you to keep the soil inside the beds. In addition, the presence of sides simplifies the process of mounting arcs to form a greenhouse. It is much easier to fix these elements on the fence than to dig them into the soil;
- even without knowing how to properly make beds in the garden, any summer resident will cope with the manufacture of wooden structures-boxes. The boards are easy to process, and the construction and assembly of the frame does not require an expensive tool;
- there is no chance that plants planted near the sides will get burned in the summer heat. Wood, unlike metal, is not prone to overheating.
Note! The ecological purity of the material allows you not to worry that harmful substances will get into the soil. Wood is much safer than asbestos-cement sheets (slate). The exception is boards treated with chemicals designed to double the life of the material.
Making practical beds from boards: how to make the right choice of material
Summer residents most often create wooden structures based on blanks that are found on the farm. For the manufacture of beds, timber, round timber, slab, lining can be used.
When it comes to purchasing boards in a store, you should pay special attention to the type of wood from which they are made:
- a board made of ash or oak will last a very long time. Although the cost of such products is quite high;
- pine remains the most favorable in terms of price and processing. But this type of wood is highly susceptible to decay while in the ground, so its service life is short. Due to impregnations and antiseptic agents, the life of a pine tree can be extended for a couple of years;
- boards made of cedar and larch wood are considered the most suitable material for making boxes. Larch has a natural impregnation with resin, thanks to which the product will retain its novelty for many years without the use of additional impregnations. Cedar wood is characterized by a lower resin content, but it is not inferior to larch in terms of durability and at the same time has an affordable price;
- boards made on the basis of acacia feel good in the ground. It is worth noting that this type of wood is durable and has a solid structure, so the process of processing it will be more difficult. To work with acacia, you need a powerful electric tool.
Useful advice! It is not recommended to save on the quality of the material. Boards made of bad wood are prone to rapid decay. After a few years, holes will appear on the fences of the beds, through which fertile soil will be washed out during rains and watering plants.
Making beds from boards with your own hands: photos, dimensions of structures
The beds-boxes have a rectangular shape and are made of boards. The simplest design does not require special knowledge and skills, so any novice summer resident can handle it. The main thing at the same time is to correctly calculate the dimensions of the boxes.
- height- many summer residents strive to create the highest possible sides. However, this approach is erroneous if it is not planned to build a warm bed for cucumbers or other types of crops, where a fence height of up to 0.7 m is welcome. The manufacturing technology of such structures requires the laying of a multilayer insulation. For ordinary beds, such high fences are not required, it is enough to limit yourself to 0.15-0.2 m. In addition, wood is susceptible to deformation changes under the influence of moisture, so there is a risk that over time, high fences will swell and lose their attractive shape;
- width- experienced summer residents recommend choosing a width equal to half the height of the person who will take care of the beds. Most often, this parameter is in the range of 0.9-1.2 m, because in the process of work, a person should be able to reach the middle of the structure from the side of the side rail;
- length- this parameter is practically unlimited. Although unnecessarily long structures reduce the level of rigidity of the side rails, it is therefore recommended to choose a length in the range of 4-6 m.
Useful advice! When choosing dimensional parameters for wooden beds, it should be taken into account that between them it is necessary to organize passages 0.4-0.6 m wide. Only after that is the layout of structures on the site considered.
Creating mixed plantings of vegetables in the garden: photo examples and optimal schemes
The method of combining cultures in practice is very effective if the companion plants are chosen well. Therefore, site owners calculate according to a special table of the neighborhood of vegetables in the beds before planting. Some types of vegetables have a depressing effect on each other, others can improve the growth and development of neighbors, provide them with protection from pests.
The correct neighborhood of vegetables in the beds: compatibility table
Many gardeners note that due to the proximity of beans as a compaction for the garden where potatoes are grown, the number of Colorado potato beetle is significantly reduced. Marigolds effectively protect cabbage from white butterflies. Despite this, a certain balance must be maintained. After all, an excessive amount of marigolds in the garden can drown out the growth of cabbage.
Table of neighboring vegetables in the garden, creating a successful tandem:
| The name of the vegetable crop | Plants for a successful combination |
| strawberry | beans, spinach, marigolds, garlic, lettuce |
| kohlrabi | cucumber, lettuce, onion, beetroot |
| peas | carrot, corn, cucumber, calendula, eggplant |
| onion | tomato, celery, beetroot, savory, carrot |
| beans | potato, cucumber, tomato, strawberry, eggplant |
| cucumber | radish, pepper, peas, cabbage, beans |
| carrot | lettuce, onion, sage, tomato, peas |
| salad | strawberry, cucumber, carrot, radish |
| pepper | lettuce, cucumber, beans |
| a tomato | calendula, basil, beans, nasturtium, parsley |
The following pairs of plants are characterized by poor compatibility of planting vegetables in the garden:
- cabbage and strawberries;
- onions and beans;
- carrots and celery, dill, parsley;
- cucumbers and potatoes.
Useful advice! In the garden, in addition to the main crops, it is recommended to plant spicy and ornamental herbs pointwise. Thus, the garden will be not only beautiful, but also useful.
Examples of mixed planting vegetables in the garden: popular schemes
A good example of the compatibility of vegetables in the garden is the combination of onions and carrots. As an independent crop, onions are able to produce about 2.5 kg of yield from 1 m² of beds. Carrots on the same area gives about 6 kg of crop. With the joint cultivation of these crops with 1 m², you can get 9 kg of vegetables. These plants create protective barriers for each other against pests, so the efficiency of the used area increases.
Of course, when planning to grow crops together in a garden, you need to group the plants according to their height so that none of them blocks the light for the other. This is necessary because vegetables can not only have different heights, but also grow at different rates. It is desirable that compactors that are planted additionally be lower in height than the main vegetables. The principle of a multi-tiered neighborhood of vegetables in the beds allows you to create favorable conditions for the root system of crops, and also contributes to the rational use of solar energy.
High yields are collected from the beds where beets and late cabbage are planted. To do this, beets (9 plants) and cabbage (4 bushes) should be planted on an area of \u200b\u200b0.8x0.8 m, while not forgetting to fertilize the holes with a glass of compost and a handful of eggshells (pre-grind).
To get an excellent result when planting beans and tomatoes, it is recommended to place the plants in a row with a step of 0.3 m. Along the row with bush beans, it is installed so that each plant is at the dropper. Tomatoes are planted in the central part of the garden. As a result, bean and tomato bushes should be staggered.
Useful advice! It is better to cut the stems of tomatoes for the winter, and as low as possible. And the beans, on the contrary, are recommended to be left untouched.
Table of crop rotation of vegetables in the beds by crop groups
Crop rotation can also affect the yield of beds. If the annual change of crops grown in the same garden is carried out in the correct order, the garden will produce good yields.
Benefits of proper crop rotation:
- the probability of soil fatigue on the site is excluded, since the same vegetable every year absorbs the same set of nutrients from the soil and does it from the same depth;
- the spread of diseases and pests that infect plants of the same family is prevented;
- it becomes possible to rationally use fertilizers.
The most primitive way of organizing crop rotation in the garden involves planting plants from different families on the same area every year. It is easiest to break cultures into four groups:
- Leafy crops - these include various types of cabbage, green onions, leafy lettuces, as well as spinach.
- Fruit vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, pumpkin.
- Legumes - beans, chickpeas, peas.
- Root crops - potatoes, beets, radishes, carrots.
Table of the simplest crop rotation in the garden:
| Order of disembarkation by year | Recommended crops for planting | |||
| 1st bed | 2nd bed | 3rd bed | 4th bed | |
| 1 year | fruit | roots | legumes | leafy |
| 2 year | roots | legumes | leafy | fruit |
| 3 year | legumes | leafy | fruit | roots |
Arrangement of beds for cucumbers in the open field: photos and recommendations
For growing cucumbers in open ground, the beds are usually prepared in the fall. This should be done before the onset of rain and temperature drops. The planting area must be carefully dug up and saturated with organic fertilizers. Cucumbers like fertile, light soil that has a good level of air and water permeability. If the soil in the area is heavy, sawdust, peat or sand can be added to the ground to facilitate loosening.
Useful advice! To get a rich harvest, it is recommended to add a tablespoon of superphosphate and a glass of ash per 1 m² of area. Instead of ash, you can use dolomite flour.
The process of preparing the beds for cucumbers in the spring includes the procedure for disinfecting the soil. For this, the place of the future garden is spilled with potassium permanganate. The solution should be hot and strong. In addition, soil fertility can be increased by introducing chicken manure or manure. This procedure is carried out locally, that is, the fertilizer is placed directly in the trench or hole. After that, the bed is covered with a small layer of soil, where the seeds are then planted.
How to make a bed for cucumbers: agricultural secrets
To get a rich harvest of cucumbers from the garden, you must adhere to the basic rules:
- Near the beds should not be canals for irrigation, streams and flowing reservoirs.
- If the planting area does not have protection, the garden is best placed in a quiet place where there are no drafts.
- Procedures such as watering and loosening the soil should be performed on a regular basis. Otherwise, a hard crust will form on the surface, and the bed will dry out a lot.
- Cucumbers grown in open ground need to be fed much more often than plantings growing in closed beds.
- During harvesting, it is not recommended to change the position of the lashes of the plant or turn them over.
- Weeding plants in open beds should be done more often than it is done in closed ground.
- It is recommended to cover the entire surface of the bed with a black film.
Cucumbers need a rich biological composition of the soil. Therefore, it is recommended to fertilize the land with organic matter, for example, grass, humus, branches, rotted manure, food waste. In the process of their decomposition, not only the fertility of the soil increases, but also heat is released, warming the soil. So that the high temperature does not damage the root system of cucumbers, experienced gardeners advise to carry out abundant watering.
Interesting fact! Sometimes the decomposition of organic fertilizers is so active that the soil in the garden warms up to 80 ° C. Under the influence of such a high temperature, many pests, viruses and pathogenic fungi contained in the earth die. The result is a natural sterilization of the soil.
There are several ways to grow cucumbers outdoors. For these purposes, you can form a long ridge bed, a hole, dig a ditch, or build a high structure.
How to make beds for cucumbers with a bookmark in the garden
To form a bed with a bookmark, you will need to dig a trench. The depth of the ditch should be equal to two shovels. Then branches are laid out across and sawdust is poured. The next layer consists of straw and garden waste. You can add autumn leaves, cardboard or newspapers, compost. The thickness of the fertilizer layer should be within 5-7 cm. The bookmark is filled with warm water and covered with a mixture consisting of compost and earth.
A bed with a bookmark can effectively serve for 5 years. In the second year of operation, you will not need to add compost to the top layer, because during the decomposition of organic components, the bed itself will produce nutrients.
Advantages of a bed for growing cucumbers with a bookmark:
- convenient irrigation system;
- water stagnation is excluded;
- in the spring you do not need to dig up the soil, it is enough to loosen the soil.
Plants can be planted on such a nutrient base much earlier than is customary to do in ordinary beds. It is not recommended to use beds with a bookmark in low-lying areas and areas where water stagnates.
Warm surface beds for cucumbers in the open field
This type of warm beds for growing cucumbers is built on the surface of the prepared soil. This technology will be the best option for areas that are located in the lowlands. In order to enhance the heating process, the bed is covered with a film. As a result, a greenhouse effect is formed, which has a positive effect on the growth of cucumbers and their yield.
Surface beds also include structures in the form of boxes made of brick, slate or boards. The bottom of these containers is covered with sand, then with wood waste. Next comes a layer of organic waste and straw. After laying each component, the contents are carefully compacted and filled with liquid manure. Finally, the bed is covered with a mixture consisting of and soil.
Useful advice! Skins of vegetables and fruits, fallen leaves, eggshells (pulverized) can be used as organic waste.
Cucumbers are planted in two rows. Plants are placed along the edges of the bed-box, which ensures a sufficient level of illumination. If it is planned to plant cucumbers in early spring, the structures can be converted into greenhouses. To do this, you will need to install plastic arcs and stretch a plastic film over them. Thus, heating is enhanced and it becomes possible to get an early harvest. Moreover, the result is completely independent of weather conditions.
Raised beds for cucumbers in the open field
Warm raised beds are used when the site is located in a region with a cold and humid climate. Due to this, there is a full warming up of the soil, which allows to achieve a harvest in the early stages. If groundwater comes too close to the garden, the bed rises high, due to which the plantings do not get wet on soil oversaturated with moisture. Stone trees, whose roots are severely affected by groundwater, are planted in a similar way.
Various materials are used as borders for these structures. The most popular of them are slate and wood. In rare cases, metal is used. This type of beds can be installed even in the middle of the lawn. If you make a frame in the form of paving stones or tiles, a raised garden with cucumbers will become a worthy decoration of your summer cottage.
As an alternative solution, it is possible to build an artificial mound on the territory that does not have a fence. You can take any length for such a bed, the optimal width parameter is 1 m. You should not raise the decorative garden to a height of more than 1 m. The air that remains in the voids formed between the elements of large organic matter provides good ventilation and contributes to the rapid heating of the soil.
To speed up the process of decomposition of fertilizers, the soil is spilled with a solution saturated with special bacteria. The procedure is carried out twice a year. The first time the soil is watered with bacteria in the spring. Before planting plants after processing the beds, you should wait at least a week. The second time the soil is spilled in the fall after the crop is harvested. When the earth has already been treated with the composition, it should be loosened so that the soil is saturated with oxygen, and the preparation itself is evenly distributed.
How to make beds in the garden: a video review of technology
This article discusses beds for the lazy: photos of the easiest structures to manufacture for those who want to get a neat garden with a minimum of effort, the most common materials and technologies for creating structures based on them. The reader will learn how to combine vegetable crops in one garden and prepare the soil for planting cucumbers. The article contains practical recommendations for beginner gardeners.
Designing the right beds in the garden will solve many problems and open up new opportunities for the owner of a summer cottage:
- protection against soil erosion in the garden when a large amount of precipitation falls or watering plants. The bed borders will keep the nutrient soil in place, preventing it from washing out onto the paths. In addition, the passages between the structures themselves will remain clean, no dirty puddles and streaks;
- the possibility of forming the basis for the creation of a temporary greenhouse for the spring. By installing high sides as fences, inside the structure you can organize a multi-layered garden bed, which can be used as a greenhouse. To do this, it is enough to install special arcs and stretch the film. The result is a neat greenhouse house;
- improving the appearance of the garden due to orderly and even plantings with a beautiful frame;
- creating borders that prevent the spread of weeds.
Making your own beds from boards and other materials allows you to clearly limit the landing area, so weeds and harmful plants do not have the opportunity to spread widely. If the fence of the garden is dug in to a great depth, the level of protection increases and perennial weeds that are unable to overcome this barrier can no longer penetrate into the garden.
Note! With the help of beds with well-buried fences, the spread of plants such as reeds and couch grass is effectively blocked. Their root system is capable of covering large distances underground if left unchecked.
Photos of interesting designs of beds, recommendations for their creation. Tips for designing unusual landscape design on the site.
The best place is the area where the sun is present throughout the day. It is allowed to install beds where the shadow is present in the morning or in the afternoon. If the proposed construction zone is dark throughout the day, you should not use this place for arranging a garden.
How best to make beds in the garden: choosing the optimal design
The choice of the design of the beds is carried out at an early stage of planning, when a place for the garden has already been selected.
Each type of beds has certain advantages:
- raised or - the most efficient designs that are best suited for growing vegetable crops. Building materials for their creation are not expensive, while the soil does not need to be dug up. The width and height of the structures determine how much effort and time it will take to build them. Most often, summer residents prefer wooden beds made of planks. On the network you can find photos of bulk beds with your own hands, such structures do not have a fence. They are also categorized as elevated structures;
- container beds - will be beneficial in cases where the space of the site is limited. For organizing such beds, pots of small, large and medium sizes are suitable. Garlic, peppers, lettuce and greens feel especially good in containers. Mobility is another advantage of container beds, which, if desired, can be rearranged to any place;
- open ground beds are the oldest way to grow crops that are planted directly into the ground. In such conditions, it is more difficult to get a good harvest, so the technology of joint planting vegetables in the garden is often used.
Useful advice! If it is planned to plant crops in open ground, it is recommended to determine the quality of the soil, fertilize it and check the compatibility of vegetables in the garden according to the table.
How to make beds from boards with your own hands: useful tips
Most often, raised beds are made of wood. This material in comparison with others is considered the most practical and environmentally friendly. Similar designs look very aesthetically pleasing in the photo. Do-it-yourself beds from boards have other advantages:
- a simple maintenance system that involves easy weeding, harvesting and watering plants;
- the possibility of growing vegetable crops even where the soil is completely unsuitable for these purposes. On the basis of the boards, a frame is made, which is subsequently filled with fertile soil bought in a store, so there is no connection to the quality of the earth and its composition. Thanks to this, plants can be grown even in areas with a rocky surface;
- box structures allow you to keep the soil inside the beds. In addition, the presence of sides simplifies the process of mounting arcs to form a greenhouse. It is much easier to fix these elements on the fence than to dig them into the soil;
- even without knowing how to properly make beds in the garden, any summer resident will cope with the manufacture of wooden structures-boxes. The boards are easy to process, and the construction and assembly of the frame does not require an expensive tool;
- there is no chance that plants planted near the sides will get burned in the summer heat. Wood, unlike metal, is not prone to overheating.
Note! The ecological purity of the material allows you not to worry that harmful substances will get into the soil. Wood is much safer than asbestos-cement sheets (slate). The exception is boards treated with chemicals designed to double the life of the material.
Making practical beds from boards: how to make the right choice of material
Summer residents most often create wooden structures based on blanks that are found on the farm. For the manufacture of beds, timber, round timber, slab, lining can be used.
When it comes to purchasing boards in a store, you should pay special attention to the type of wood from which they are made:
- a board made of ash or oak will last a very long time. Although the cost of such products is quite high;
- pine remains the most favorable in terms of price and processing. But this type of wood is highly susceptible to decay while in the ground, so its service life is short. Due to impregnations and antiseptic agents, the life of a pine tree can be extended for a couple of years;
- boards made of cedar and larch wood are considered the most suitable material for making boxes. Larch has a natural impregnation with resin, thanks to which the product will retain its novelty for many years without the use of additional impregnations. Cedar wood is characterized by a lower resin content, but it is not inferior to larch in terms of durability and at the same time has an affordable price;
- boards made on the basis of acacia feel good in the ground. It is worth noting that this type of wood is durable and has a solid structure, so the process of processing it will be more difficult. To work with acacia, you need a powerful electric tool.
Useful advice! It is not recommended to save on the quality of the material. Boards made of bad wood are prone to rapid decay. After a few years, holes will appear on the fences of the beds, through which fertile soil will be washed out during rains and watering plants.
Making beds from boards with your own hands: photos, dimensions of structures
The beds-boxes have a rectangular shape and are made of boards. The simplest design does not require special knowledge and skills, so any novice summer resident can handle it. The main thing at the same time is to correctly calculate the dimensions of the boxes.
- height- many summer residents strive to create the highest possible sides. However, this approach is erroneous if it is not planned to build a warm bed for cucumbers or other types of crops, where a fence height of up to 0.7 m is welcome. The manufacturing technology of such structures requires the laying of a multilayer insulation. For ordinary beds, such high fences are not required, it is enough to limit yourself to 0.15-0.2 m. In addition, wood is susceptible to deformation changes under the influence of moisture, so there is a risk that over time, high fences will swell and lose their attractive shape;
- width- experienced summer residents recommend choosing a width equal to half the height of the person who will take care of the beds. Most often, this parameter is in the range of 0.9-1.2 m, because in the process of work, a person should be able to reach the middle of the structure from the side of the side rail;
- length- this parameter is practically unlimited. Although unnecessarily long structures reduce the level of rigidity of the side rails, it is therefore recommended to choose a length in the range of 4-6 m.
Useful advice! When choosing dimensional parameters for wooden beds, it should be taken into account that between them it is necessary to organize passages 0.4-0.6 m wide. Only after that is the layout of structures on the site considered.
Creating mixed plantings of vegetables in the garden: photo examples and optimal schemes
The method of combining cultures in practice is very effective if the companion plants are chosen well. Therefore, site owners calculate according to a special table of the neighborhood of vegetables in the beds before planting. Some types of vegetables have a depressing effect on each other, others can improve the growth and development of neighbors, provide them with protection from pests.
The correct neighborhood of vegetables in the beds: compatibility table
Many gardeners note that due to the proximity of beans as a compaction for the garden where potatoes are grown, the number of Colorado potato beetle is significantly reduced. Marigolds effectively protect cabbage from white butterflies. Despite this, a certain balance must be maintained. After all, an excessive amount of marigolds in the garden can drown out the growth of cabbage.
Table of neighboring vegetables in the garden, creating a successful tandem:
| The name of the vegetable crop | Plants for a successful combination |
| strawberry | beans, spinach, marigolds, garlic, lettuce |
| kohlrabi | cucumber, lettuce, onion, beetroot |
| peas | carrot, corn, cucumber, calendula, eggplant |
| onion | tomato, celery, beetroot, savory, carrot |
| beans | potato, cucumber, tomato, strawberry, eggplant |
| cucumber | radish, pepper, peas, cabbage, beans |
| carrot | lettuce, onion, sage, tomato, peas |
| salad | strawberry, cucumber, carrot, radish |
| pepper | lettuce, cucumber, beans |
| a tomato | calendula, basil, beans, nasturtium, parsley |
The following pairs of plants are characterized by poor compatibility of planting vegetables in the garden:
- cabbage and strawberries;
- onions and beans;
- carrots and celery, dill, parsley;
- cucumbers and potatoes.
Useful advice! In the garden, in addition to the main crops, it is recommended to plant spicy and ornamental herbs pointwise. Thus, the garden will be not only beautiful, but also useful.
Examples of mixed planting vegetables in the garden: popular schemes
A good example of the compatibility of vegetables in the garden is the combination of onions and carrots. As an independent crop, onions are able to produce about 2.5 kg of yield from 1 m² of beds. Carrots on the same area gives about 6 kg of crop. With the joint cultivation of these crops with 1 m², you can get 9 kg of vegetables. These plants create protective barriers for each other against pests, so the efficiency of the used area increases.
Of course, when planning to grow crops together in a garden, you need to group the plants according to their height so that none of them blocks the light for the other. This is necessary because vegetables can not only have different heights, but also grow at different rates. It is desirable that compactors that are planted additionally be lower in height than the main vegetables. The principle of a multi-tiered neighborhood of vegetables in the beds allows you to create favorable conditions for the root system of crops, and also contributes to the rational use of solar energy.
High yields are collected from the beds where beets and late cabbage are planted. To do this, beets (9 plants) and cabbage (4 bushes) should be planted on an area of \u200b\u200b0.8x0.8 m, while not forgetting to fertilize the holes with a glass of compost and a handful of eggshells (pre-grind).
To get an excellent result when planting beans and tomatoes, it is recommended to place the plants in a row with a step of 0.3 m. Along the row with bush beans, it is installed so that each plant is at the dropper. Tomatoes are planted in the central part of the garden. As a result, bean and tomato bushes should be staggered.
Useful advice! It is better to cut the stems of tomatoes for the winter, and as low as possible. And the beans, on the contrary, are recommended to be left untouched.
Table of crop rotation of vegetables in the beds by crop groups
Crop rotation can also affect the yield of beds. If the annual change of crops grown in the same garden is carried out in the correct order, the garden will produce good yields.
Benefits of proper crop rotation:
- the probability of soil fatigue on the site is excluded, since the same vegetable every year absorbs the same set of nutrients from the soil and does it from the same depth;
- the spread of diseases and pests that infect plants of the same family is prevented;
- it becomes possible to rationally use fertilizers.
The most primitive way of organizing crop rotation in the garden involves planting plants from different families on the same area every year. It is easiest to break cultures into four groups:
- Leafy crops - these include various types of cabbage, green onions, leafy lettuces, as well as spinach.
- Fruit vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, pumpkin.
- Legumes - beans, chickpeas, peas.
- Root crops - potatoes, beets, radishes, carrots.
Table of the simplest crop rotation in the garden:
| Order of disembarkation by year | Recommended crops for planting | |||
| 1st bed | 2nd bed | 3rd bed | 4th bed | |
| 1 year | fruit | roots | legumes | leafy |
| 2 year | roots | legumes | leafy | fruit |
| 3 year | legumes | leafy | fruit | roots |
Arrangement of beds for cucumbers in the open field: photos and recommendations
For growing cucumbers in open ground, the beds are usually prepared in the fall. This should be done before the onset of rain and temperature drops. The planting area must be carefully dug up and saturated with organic fertilizers. Cucumbers like fertile, light soil that has a good level of air and water permeability. If the soil in the area is heavy, sawdust, peat or sand can be added to the ground to facilitate loosening.
Useful advice! To get a rich harvest, it is recommended to add a tablespoon of superphosphate and a glass of ash per 1 m² of area. Instead of ash, you can use dolomite flour.
The process of preparing the beds for cucumbers in the spring includes the procedure for disinfecting the soil. For this, the place of the future garden is spilled with potassium permanganate. The solution should be hot and strong. In addition, soil fertility can be increased by introducing chicken manure or manure. This procedure is carried out locally, that is, the fertilizer is placed directly in the trench or hole. After that, the bed is covered with a small layer of soil, where the seeds are then planted.
How to make a bed for cucumbers: agricultural secrets
To get a rich harvest of cucumbers from the garden, you must adhere to the basic rules:
- Near the beds should not be canals for irrigation, streams and flowing reservoirs.
- If the planting area does not have protection, the garden is best placed in a quiet place where there are no drafts.
- Procedures such as watering and loosening the soil should be performed on a regular basis. Otherwise, a hard crust will form on the surface, and the bed will dry out a lot.
- Cucumbers grown in open ground need to be fed much more often than plantings growing in closed beds.
- During harvesting, it is not recommended to change the position of the lashes of the plant or turn them over.
- Weeding plants in open beds should be done more often than it is done in closed ground.
- It is recommended to cover the entire surface of the bed with a black film.
Cucumbers need a rich biological composition of the soil. Therefore, it is recommended to fertilize the land with organic matter, for example, grass, humus, branches, rotted manure, food waste. In the process of their decomposition, not only the fertility of the soil increases, but also heat is released, warming the soil. So that the high temperature does not damage the root system of cucumbers, experienced gardeners advise to carry out abundant watering.
Interesting fact! Sometimes the decomposition of organic fertilizers is so active that the soil in the garden warms up to 80 ° C. Under the influence of such a high temperature, many pests, viruses and pathogenic fungi contained in the earth die. The result is a natural sterilization of the soil.
There are several ways to grow cucumbers outdoors. For these purposes, you can form a long ridge bed, a hole, dig a ditch, or build a high structure.
How to make beds for cucumbers with a bookmark in the garden
To form a bed with a bookmark, you will need to dig a trench. The depth of the ditch should be equal to two shovels. Then branches are laid out across and sawdust is poured. The next layer consists of straw and garden waste. You can add autumn leaves, cardboard or newspapers, compost. The thickness of the fertilizer layer should be within 5-7 cm. The bookmark is filled with warm water and covered with a mixture consisting of compost and earth.
A bed with a bookmark can effectively serve for 5 years. In the second year of operation, you will not need to add compost to the top layer, because during the decomposition of organic components, the bed itself will produce nutrients.
Advantages of a bed for growing cucumbers with a bookmark:
- convenient irrigation system;
- water stagnation is excluded;
- in the spring you do not need to dig up the soil, it is enough to loosen the soil.
Plants can be planted on such a nutrient base much earlier than is customary to do in ordinary beds. It is not recommended to use beds with a bookmark in low-lying areas and areas where water stagnates.
Warm surface beds for cucumbers in the open field
This type of warm beds for growing cucumbers is built on the surface of the prepared soil. This technology will be the best option for areas that are located in the lowlands. In order to enhance the heating process, the bed is covered with a film. As a result, a greenhouse effect is formed, which has a positive effect on the growth of cucumbers and their yield.
Surface beds also include structures in the form of boxes made of brick, slate or boards. The bottom of these containers is covered with sand, then with wood waste. Next comes a layer of organic waste and straw. After laying each component, the contents are carefully compacted and filled with liquid manure. Finally, the bed is covered with a mixture consisting of and soil.
Useful advice! Skins of vegetables and fruits, fallen leaves, eggshells (pulverized) can be used as organic waste.
Cucumbers are planted in two rows. Plants are placed along the edges of the bed-box, which ensures a sufficient level of illumination. If it is planned to plant cucumbers in early spring, the structures can be converted into greenhouses. To do this, you will need to install plastic arcs and stretch a plastic film over them. Thus, heating is enhanced and it becomes possible to get an early harvest. Moreover, the result is completely independent of weather conditions.
Raised beds for cucumbers in the open field
Warm raised beds are used when the site is located in a region with a cold and humid climate. Due to this, there is a full warming up of the soil, which allows to achieve a harvest in the early stages. If groundwater comes too close to the garden, the bed rises high, due to which the plantings do not get wet on soil oversaturated with moisture. Stone trees, whose roots are severely affected by groundwater, are planted in a similar way.
Various materials are used as borders for these structures. The most popular of them are slate and wood. In rare cases, metal is used. This type of beds can be installed even in the middle of the lawn. If you make a frame in the form of paving stones or tiles, a raised garden with cucumbers will become a worthy decoration of your summer cottage.
As an alternative solution, it is possible to build an artificial mound on the territory that does not have a fence. You can take any length for such a bed, the optimal width parameter is 1 m. You should not raise the decorative garden to a height of more than 1 m. The air that remains in the voids formed between the elements of large organic matter provides good ventilation and contributes to the rapid heating of the soil.
To speed up the process of decomposition of fertilizers, the soil is spilled with a solution saturated with special bacteria. The procedure is carried out twice a year. The first time the soil is watered with bacteria in the spring. Before planting plants after processing the beds, you should wait at least a week. The second time the soil is spilled in the fall after the crop is harvested. When the earth has already been treated with the composition, it should be loosened so that the soil is saturated with oxygen, and the preparation itself is evenly distributed.
How to make beds in the garden: a video review of technology
How to properly arrange the beds on the site for high yields
Over time, the owners of summer cottages notice that certain crops give a greater yield when planted in a certain place in the garden. But it is possible to get a bountiful harvest on a regular basis if careful planning of the land is carried out.
Land preparation
Initially, the site that you have chosen for the beds, you need to process, dig up and remove plant debris. If earlier there was a building at the chosen place that you demolished, you need to remove all construction debris, and there will be a lot of it: glass, chips and nails.
Source: Depositphotos
Planning a site is easy if you have a compass or accurate landmarks of the cardinal points
Ideally, of course, bring new land to such a site, because there is a possibility that the soil is no longer fertile.
The most important thing is to prepare the bottom layer of soil. If it is dense, then moisture will accumulate on it all the time, due to which the rhizomes of plants can rot. In order to loosen the soil, it is better to use a cultivator - it will be difficult to do it manually. And give some soil for research, so you know the level of acidity, because there is a chance that the land is not suitable for growing crops.
How to arrange the beds on the site
The correct location of all crops on the land will not only increase their productivity, but also significantly reduce the number of diseased and dead plants. It will also make it possible to reduce watering, and the ripening of vegetables, fruits and berries will occur much earlier. Many gardeners have also noticed that crops grown in the right area last much longer.
For proper land zoning, it is important:
- Draw up a schematic plan of the garden with the designation of all the buildings, shrubs and trees on it.
- Write down all types of crops intended for planting, and determine, according to their soil and climate requirements, the best place to plant.
- Consider the admissibility and priority of the neighborhood of different cultures.
- Schematically indicate on the plan the size of the beds and the plants that will be planted there.
Such work seems difficult to perform. For her, you can hire a specialist in the field of landscape design, who can easily draw up the desired project. But it is not difficult to carry out such calculations on your own. And having done it once, you can forget what a bad harvest is.
How to arrange the beds on the cardinal points
When deciding to arrange the beds correctly, taking into account the cardinal points, the first question arises in which direction to make their length - from west to east or from north to south. Here it is important to consider the region in which the land is located:
- In the central and northern regions, the landing should be carried out in the direction from north to south. So for all plants there will be enough light;
- In the southern regions, the direction of planting crops should be from west to east. This will allow the plants to create a little shade for each other and prevent the soil from overheating.
But placing beds on the plot, oriented to the cardinal points, is not always advisable. For example, north-south beds work well for low plants and a horizontal plot. In this case, there will be enough light, and the water will not stagnate.
If these are tall plants, then the most suitable option would be an arrangement from west to east, so that the morning and evening rays of the sun can freely penetrate into the rows of plants and illuminate each of them.
Source: Depositphotos
Is your garden located in a zone of regular occurrence of strong winds? Landing must be carried out across the movement of air currents
When the site has significant irregularities, the beds in these places should be located exclusively across the slope. At the same time, the south side will be ideal for growing vegetables.
What to consider when planning
You have completed the first stage, but in order to go further and plan the location of the beds, you need to take into account some factors.
Lighting
Most cultures love the sun and well-lit areas. Only some plants can grow in partial shade, such as onions. That is, on the bed on which the shadow from the fence, house or other buildings falls, you can plant it and some types of herbs. The harvest, of course, will be small, but other crops are unlikely to give at least anything in a shaded place.
Culture Compatibility
By planting a cucumber next to beets, you will get a good harvest of these vegetables. But cucumbers do not get along next to tomatoes - they have different preferences for the level of soil moisture. Dill prolongs the fruiting period of cucumbers, and garlic and onions protect against pests. Legumes stimulate the growth of cucumbers. But there is a snag here too. Beans also stimulate the growth of potatoes, spinach, corn, radishes, radishes and basil. By the way, basil also helps legumes and fights grains.
Good neighbors for a tomato are onions, celery, lettuce, corn, radishes, garlic, radishes and spinach. And if you plant tomatoes next to cabbage, then the cabbage butterfly will stop spoiling the crop, because it does not tolerate the smell of tomato tops.
Cabbage grows well with other crops, but the best neighbors for it are onions and potatoes. Also lettuce and celery: they drive away the earthen flea from cabbage, and dill - aphids.
For example, plant onions or garlic among strawberries and you will forget about gray rot and strawberry weevil. And parsley, planted along the edges of the beds, will drive away the slugs. In general, garlic is considered a good helper against pests - because of its smell, pests will not spoil crops. Aphids react especially sharply to it: plant garlic, and it will disappear in a couple of days.
Beets, in turn, have a positive effect on the growth and development of beans, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes. And all due to the fact that its root crops secrete a liquid that has antibiotic properties. That is, beets not only stimulate growth, but also heal crops, especially carrots.
The best neighbors for carrots besides beets are tomatoes, radishes, peas, lettuce, sage, parsley, spinach and onions. The most interesting thing is that there is a carrot fly and an onion fly. But carrot does not tolerate the smell of onions, and onion - the smell of carrots.
What crops used to grow on the site
Firstly, only beans, potatoes, tomatoes and strawberries can be planted in one area for several years, but others need to be swapped every year.
Secondly, consider what crops you planted that season. For example, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and legumes are recommended to be planted in the place where cabbage used to be. And you can’t put pumpkin, radish, carrots and cucumbers in its place.
Planning the beds is half the battle. In addition, it is very important to know how to rotate cultures.
A. Vetrova, by e-mail
The height of the ridges depends on many factors: climatic conditions, the location of the site, the composition of the soil, the type of arrangement of the ridges themselves, the choice of crops for planting.
On damp, heavy, poorly warmed clay soils, it is better to grow any vegetable crops on ridges and ridges 25-40 cm high. On light, but prone to waterlogging areas, a height of 15-20 cm will suffice. , on heavy ones - steep.
High ridges are needed primarily for planting heat-loving and early vegetables, as well as for crops with root crops buried in the ground (carrots, root parsley, parsnips, daikon, etc.).
It is not advisable to plant cabbage or sorrel on them, although in small quantities this may be justified. In the zone of risky farming, high ridges with reinforced edges, including stationary ones, are more often made. The side walls of stationary ridges are made of different materials (slate, metal sheets, brick, stone and concrete). The height of such a ridge is from 60 to 100 cm.
A layer of compost, branches, leaves, grass is laid at the bottom, which, when overheated, warm the soil, making it possible to grow heat-loving crops, early sowing or planting seedlings in the northern regions. Heat-loving vegetables with a powerful root system work especially well on such ridges: pumpkins. zucchini, cucumbers, melons, watermelons, as well as peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, beans.
One of the varieties of high ridge - knoll bed. It is an earthen mound up to 90 cm high with gentle edges.
For its device, in a section about 2 m wide and of arbitrary length, soil is selected to a depth of 20-25 cm, the bottom is lined with a thin metal mesh to protect against moles and small rodents.
Next, a mound 60 cm wide and 50-60 cm high is built in layers, with branches, twigs, coarse stems in the center, and on top of them and on the sides smaller wood and plant waste, fallen leaves, immature compost, mixed with peat or humus.
All layers of the beds moisturize.
From above, the structure is covered with a layer of fertile soil 20-30 cm high. Such a ridge is partly able to replace a greenhouse for heat-loving vegetables. In the first year, vegetables are grown on the ridges that consume a large amount of nitrogen (pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini). Then the plantings are distributed in this way: large (including perennial) crops are planted in the center, and annual and undersized crops are planted closer to the edge.
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