If you’ve never tried using a raised bed in your garden the beginning of a new year is a good time to start. Raised beds have several advantages over growing plants in open ground. It is easier to control the soil composition so that you know you are using the best soil mixture for your plants. The raised soil level makes it easier to tend the plants. Making a raised bed is a simple diy task, but if you want some detailed instructions, I found this site which shows several different designs. Read more..

And if you want some ideas on how to plan your raised bed, follow this link.

This talk of raised beds is all very well, but if you’re stuck inside looking out on snow and ice, what you need are some practical suggestions on how to occupy your time until gentler weather arrives. “Waiting out winter: strategies for gardeners” is a simple list of sixteen ideas with something for everyone. Top of the list is “Start something from seed. One seed tray on a windowsill can make a difference”. One that I always mean to try is “Force budding branches into bloom”. But I’m not so sure about their final tip “If all else fails, eat chocolate or head south”. Read more..

Related posts:

1. Cat Repellent And Raised Beds Revisited
2. Seed Bombs Achieve Respectability
3. The $64 Tomato Grown From Seed

In my last post I discussed ways of keeping cats out of your garden and also the subject of raised beds and how some people thought that you could’nt grow veg without one. Well today I have found a gadget, or rather an installation, that combines all round protection from intruders with built in raised beds. Wire mesh over a stout wooden frame is strong enough to keep deer out and netting above and below deters both climbing cats and squirrels and burrowing rabbits. The raised beds inside come complete with soil and optional extras include watering systems and even “a starter supply of organically grown plants”. This is clearly not for someone who is worried about the cost of the wood for constructing a raised bed since prices for the basic 8-by-10-foot model start at $3,500. Read more..

Related posts:

1. Raised Beds, Seed Catalogues And Waiting Out Winter
2. Cat Repellent and a Small Budget
3. Koolatron, Naked Ladies and the USB Greenhouse