High beds with their own. How to make raised beds yourself

The disadvantages of high beds are the labor costs and financial costs for their installation, and it may also be necessary to buy nutrient soil. If you use wood or slate for the walls of the beds, then the cost of construction will be very small. But if you want to make brick or concrete frames, then the costs will be an order of magnitude higher. Also, the arrangement of paths between the beds. You can simply fill them with small fraction pebbles, or you can lay them out with bricks, stones, pour cement. Complex and expensive options immediately increase the cost of a vegetable garden in high beds.

Do-it-yourself high beds

Self-production will not only allow you to significantly save compared to options from stores, but also make a bed of the required shape and size. It is possible, having accurately determined the configuration, to use the maximum area and use every suitable corner. But we must not forget that most crops require at least 5 hours of intense lighting.

High beds are very convenient to handle

The material for creating structures can serve as:

Wood.
Plastic.
Slate.
Brick.
Concrete, etc.

Wood, plastic or slate will not only require less financial investment, but will also make the beds collapsible. It makes sense to equip monolithic concrete frames, brick or stone walls only if there is confidence that their dismantling will not be required. However, their appearance is so interesting that it can decorate any site by itself. And fruit-bearing or flowering agricultural plants in such beds will give the garden an indescribable charm.

Advice. There are a lot of types of plastic, some of them are not suitable for use in the garden, because. capable of releasing toxins. You need to try to protect yourself from this, the ideal option would be a certificate from the manufacturer.

Preparing the site for the placement of high beds is very simple, you just need to dig up the place by removing perennials, stones, driftwood. The process of assembling the frame is different depending on the material. When installing the structure, you need to make sure that all corners are even, the walls are on the same level. Installation is best done in the fall, so that all layers of the soil mixture are well compacted and the natural processes of overheating begin. If you need to mount in the spring, you need to do this at least a month before planting vegetables. All this time, abundant watering is required to compact the layers of the substrate.

The efforts and funds spent on the arrangement of bulk beds will very quickly justify themselves. This type of farming allows you to completely eliminate digging, make it easier to care for crops and harvest. And the quantity and quality of fruits will pleasantly surprise you.

Reading time ≈ 12 minutes

Land cultivation in a summer cottage always requires a lot of time and effort. Every plant and vegetable crop needs a certain degree of moisture to ripen well, and groundwater is often higher than normal. The solution to this problem was high beds, you can make them yourself with step-by-step instructions from specialists.

Features of high beds

Tall and smart - this is a real find for summer residents, they are suitable for growing any plants: vegetables, herbs, berries, fruit trees and garden flowers.

High raised fences have many advantages:

The disadvantage of raised structures can be considered the need for frequent fertilization, enhanced fertilizing with minerals and watering the beds, since the soil inside such structures dries quickly. You can cope with this problem by organizing an automatic watering system or by mulching the soil.

Optimal dimensions:

The optimal perennial height should be up to 20 centimeters, otherwise the soil will freeze during winter frosts.

The construction of such structures on its suburban area does not require large financial investments, which is why they are so popular among summer residents. Making high beds with your own hands is shown in the video with step-by-step instructions.

Varieties of beds

To organize a garden on a suburban area, several types of beds are used:

High bulk beds are also:

How to choose material

What to make a high structure in your garden from? First you need to choose the material suitable for a particular area. Raised beds can be:

From a tree. The advantage of this material is its availability, convenience and environmental friendliness. To assemble the structure, you will need boards, bars and logs of different sizes. Before use, the wood must be treated with special antifungal and water-repellent solutions to protect the bed.
From slate. The assembly of this design is easy and fast, the material is affordable and inexpensive. The slate is quite fragile, so it requires accuracy during installation and further operation. The fence can be painted and painted with ornaments of different colors.
From brick. A plus is the durability and strength of the structure. Brick or stone beds fit perfectly into any landscape, but are characterized by high cost and a complex manufacturing process. The constituent elements must be connected with a concrete solution. However, in too massive installations, the earth warms up more slowly, so you can not overdo it with the layer thickness.
From twigs and vines. Sides for beds can be woven from small branches and twigs of trees. This design looks original and elegant, can be used as a decor. Such wicker structures should be covered from the inside with a layer of polyethylene film so that water does not seep through. The downside is their fragility, the service life will be no more than one season.
From metal. Such structures have a long service life, are durable and stable. They are made by erecting a frame of welding metal elements. The material must be coated with an anti-corrosion compound for comfortable use and durable service.
From plastic. The material is strong, durable and easy to install. However, some types of plastic sheets can release substances that are toxic and harmful to plants.
From concrete. Used for the construction of multi-tiered structures. The fence can be made from separate blocks (as in the photo), or be monolithic. Concrete beds are durable and can be decorated with various decors. The installation process is complex and lengthy.
From metal meshes and pebbles. You can make a bed using the "gabion" technique, which is used to build flower beds. Such a backfill fence consists of a double mesh frame, the inner wall is covered with a film, and small stones and pebbles are poured between the frame posts.
Technique "Gabion"

For the manufacture of structures, summer residents sometimes use improvised budget materials, for example, plastic bottles, old empty boxes and small pieces of plastic fences.

Making high beds with your own hands is shown in the video.

How to choose a seat

It is extremely important to choose the right place for the construction of a high bed in a summer cottage. It is necessary to carefully study the territory and draw a diagram of the location of structures.

What to consider when arranging a vegetable garden with raised beds:

The ground surface should be flat and preferably without strong slopes.
The place should be well lit by the sun.
It is necessary to take into account the shade from standing nearby trees.

Creating a frame is only a small part of the work, it is also important to correctly fill the structure with soil. It is necessary to start these works already in the autumn. Internal filling consists of several layers of different widths. The dimensions of each layer depend on the height and beds.

How to fill the structure with soil:

It is necessary to lay a fine metal mesh or geotextile on the bottom to protect the garden from small rodents and pests.
Then the first drainage layer is laid from pieces of crushed bark, branches, dry leaves, plant stems and shavings.
The second layer is various fertilizers, such as manure.
The third layer is usually formed by a waterproof material: cardboard, clean paper or old natural burlap.
To create the next fourth layer, organic matter in the form of plant remains and a small amount of mineral fertilizers will be required.
Fertile soil serves as the last fifth layer, the layer is laid with a thickness of 10 centimeters. Soil should be selected depending on the crops grown.

As soon as the high bed is completely filled with earth, it must be watered abundantly and left for 3 days, during which time the layers will settle a little. Then the structure is covered with polyethylene so that the soil warms up well. And only in the spring you can start sowing seeds or planting plants. The step-by-step process of building such a bed is shown in the video below.

Bed-box from boards

Most often, summer residents prefer wood when it comes to making boards for high beds. The advantage of this material is the fact that the tree does not overheat and is easy to process.

It is better to use boards made of ash, oak, cedar or larch. Pine is considered a budget option, since this type of wood is more prone to decay.

Do-it-yourself high bed-box

Necessary tools and materials:

Wooden boards 50*200 mm.
Metal grid.
Nails and hammer.
Protective mixture for impregnation.
Shovel.
Roulette for measurements.
Miter box for cutting.

Manufacturing process:

To create a design, both flat and wavy slate are suitable. At the end, the material can be painted in any color with special acrylic paint.

Materials and tools:

Slate sheets.
Bulgarian (can be replaced with an electric jigsaw).
Shovel.
Chalk or a simple pencil.
Drill (can be replaced with a screwdriver).
Roulette for measurements.
Rubber mallet.
Building level.
Pegs made of wood or metal rods.

A bed of wavy slate in the summer area

Manufacturing technology:

Raised beds come in a variety of designs, shapes and sizes. With the help of such structures, you can realize any ideas and transform your summer cottage beyond recognition. The garden will look well-groomed, and the harvest will delight with its quality!

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

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

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

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

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

Contents of organic warm beds

Approximate content of raised beds from bottom to top:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Most of the questions are related to how thick each layer should be. Experienced gardeners recommend paying attention to key points:

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

Varieties

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

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

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

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

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

it is easy to create clear geometric shapes (important for lovers of the delights of landscape design);

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

buried beds

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

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

mixed type

This option is considered optimal:

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

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

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

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

materials

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

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

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

The final decision is always yours, and let it be balanced. Brief overview of materials applying for use:

DIY garden bed

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

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

Such instructions will help you better understand the general scheme and details of working with various materials.

Preparation for work

Tools and material:

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

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

Bed sizes:

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

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

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

Frame manufacturing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trench and its filling

Step by step:

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

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

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

cover with old newspapers, cardboard;

install side walls;
drill holes for support stakes;

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

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

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

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

Video - Do-it-yourself warm beds

Warm beds with artificial heating

The concept is that:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

gas;
electrical;
steam;
water;
furnace.

Operating procedure

It's actually quite simple:

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

lay water pipes. Scheme - a closed circuit (ensure the circulation of warm water in a circle);

add some more sand on top;

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

connect the greenhouse piping to the heat source.

In the absence of experience with electricity, invite a more knowledgeable person to help. If you understand the electrical work, the whole process will be elementary for you, and the design will turn out to be durable, efficient and reliable.

1. When caring for the beds, you do not strain your back, because it is enough to bend over slightly.
2. You don't have to kneel to work your garden. It is enough to put a small stool to take care of your garden.
3. Such arrangement of beds promotes the growth of plants. Your garden beds will have fewer weeds.
4. You do not need to trample down the soil, and the earth in the beds will receive additional humus.
5. Your summer cottage with high beds will look beautiful and well-groomed.

How to make high beds with your own hands?

1. After we have decided on a place for our future beds, we need to make a markup. The width of the beds that we recommend should be from 1 to 1.5 meters, and the length depends on the size of the plot. Also, it is important to consider. After all, we want our garden to be neat and beautiful. We mark the future designs of the beds with the help of sand of the size we need, as shown in the photo.

2. Assembly of high beds. high bed in our example will be made do it yourself from wood. It will consist of vertical posts with grooves and boards on all sides that we insert into the grooves. The design of a high bed may be different, but the principle of its manufacture remains unchanged. We need to create a strong, rectangular structure made of wood 20-30 cm high. The height of your garden bed can be any. Also, you can buy ready-made bed designs in a store or construction market and assemble them. do it yourself. For the manufacture of beds, we advise choosing material from hardwood, when using pine or spruce, the tree emits resin, and it affects the condition of the soil. Remember that build time, you need to check the level of the horizon using a level.

3. If you are using a ready-made design of high beds, then you can easily extend it from any side.

4. Another positive factor for choosing to use a high bed in your garden is rodent protection. Many gardeners encounter pests, such as moles, in their summer cottage. The fight against them is problematic, and using the construction of a high bed, you can 100% avoid and protect the garden so that you don’t have to deal with pests later. We attach a strong metal mesh to the bottom of each section of our beds so that its edges protrude slightly beyond the edge of the structure. Cell selection is also important. The smaller its size, the better.

5. Our next step will be to protect the soil from washing out. To avoid this, we lay thick cardboard in two layers at the bottom of our high bed.

6. Land for high beds. Everything, our structure is ready, before we fill it with earth, we advise you to treat the wooden structure with antiseptics to avoid wood decay. Then, we fill the ground, level the surface. After you have leveled the bed, you need to shed it with a hose to compact the soil. Do not forget to pour the earth as it shrinks in the garden.

7. High beds can be supplied with watering. To do this, we attach a watering hose along the perimeter of the bed structure as shown in the photo, using sprayers. To do this, we need sprayers for water at 90 and 180 degrees. How the irrigation system works, see our video.

Do-it-yourself watering system for high beds - video.

8. So that our vegetables - cucumbers, beans, peas, etc. grew comfortably, we install trellises with a grid. We attach them to the base of the beds with self-tapping screws.

Basic rules for using a high bed

We have done beds with their own hands, and now we will help you learn how to properly care for them and use them.

1. Always be aware of wind and heat. Therefore, be sure to protect the high beds! To do this, we create partial shade with the help of trellises, flower beds and tall shrubs.

2. It must be remembered that the long side of the beds should be located to the south. Thus, we create a comfortable and uniform lighting for plants, so that the higher ones do not obscure the lower ones.

3. Planting density should be doubled to control weeds. With this method of planting, plants will be able to fight weeds on their own, and also, with the help of leaves, they will create the microclimate necessary for growth.

5. A high bed is a warm bed. Using this design allows the soil to warm up faster in the spring.

6. To reduce the pressure of the earth on the walls of the bed and avoid their bulging, it is necessary to divide the long part of the high bed with additional spacers.

Pros to make high beds in the country

High beds increase the usable area of your summer cottage. A garden can be created even on poor soil. Planting density and yield are twice as high. Raised beds warm up much faster in the spring. By growing vegetables in such beds, you can get an earlier harvest. The use of such beds in dry areas saves water for irrigation.

What are high beds

There are many types of raised beds. We've got some ideas how to make a high bed at the dacha.

An example of using a finished garden bed design is a photo.

Mini garden.

Some more useful tips: if you decide make a high bed with your own hands, then between the beds it is necessary to provide the necessary distance for the entrance of a garden wheelbarrow. Use of raised beds in the country.

High beds photo