How to design your perfect vegetable garden that will take the most advantage of available space, soil preparations and best Irrigation systems. By considering these elemental concepts at the beginning of your design process, you can ensure that your garden will contain all of the components needed for a beautiful space and yields of healthy home grown produce.
1.) Pick your location
Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of sun to thrive. Tomatoes and other fruiting vegetables need long hours of direct sun for the plant to set fruit after its flowers bloom. Full sun areas of your garden do not have trees, walls or tall shrubs creating shade on the vegetables.
The best location for a garden is a north-south facing orientation which offers little shade with lots of sunshine on the back of the house.
There also should be nearby source of water for easy water irrigation set-up.
2.) Determine bed size and layout
How deep should a raised garden bed be?
Depending on how much space is available, you can make your bed as long as you like or build multiple raised beds for different crops. The depth of the bed can vary, but 6 inches of soil should be the minimum. Most garden plants need at least 6 to 12 inches for their roots, so a 12 to 16 inch raised bed is ideal.
How much space should be between garden rows?
In most cases it is a good idea to leave at least 2 to 3 feet of space between each row of plants. Large garden plants, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, melons and pumpkins, have sprawling growth habits that grow best with at least 3 feet spaced apart. You might also keep in mind to fit a wheelbarrow through at least the main row.
3. What Material should I choose?
The most common material for raised garden beds is lumber. The major caveat, since raised beds are often used to grow edibles, is to steer clear of wood preserved with toxins. Avoid creosote-treated railroad ties; opt instead for naturally rot-resistant cedar or heart construction redwood. In terms of longevity, redwood can last up to 20 years, and cedar about 10 to 15 years.
4.) Build your raised bed
Once your frame is built, place it in a sunny spot, leveling the ground if needed, and put down a few layers of cardboard, or some type of semi-permeable cloth barrier (which permits drainage), on the bottom of the bed before adding soil to prevent grass or weeds from growing. Raised beds, however, do not have bottoms; they are open to the ground, which offers the benefit of permitting plant roots to go further into the ground for available nutrients. Fill the bed with soil, your plants, seeds, water, and a little time and you got yourself a garden. For a step-by-step tutorial of how to build your own raised garden bed, please check out this post https://www.helloani.com/how-to-build-a-raised-garden-bed/
5.) Choosing the right soil
As with any kind of garden, success usually starts with the soil. More gardens fail or falter due to poor soil than almost anything else. Most vegetables do best in moist, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter, such as compost or peat moss. As with the 50-50 mix, combine the horticultural vermiculite, compost, and peat moss thoroughly for best results. Coco coir makes a great alternative for peat. Additionally, to get a wide variety of plant nutrients for your organic garden source compost from at least five different places.
6.) Watering/Irrigation
Raised beds in particular may need more watering in dry weather. Plants in raised beds tend to grow more quickly and consume water and nutrients faster.If the soil feels dry an inch or so below the surface, its time to water your raised beds.
Sprinklers, Soaker-hose, or Drip irrigation
- Sprinklers: Portable sprinklers are effective for watering vegetables planted in sandy soil that absorbs water quickly. It is also great for watering large areas if you’re pressed for time.
- Soaker -hose irrigation: This irrigation system consists of a rubber hose perforated with tiny pores that leak water. The hose can be laid between rows or curved around plants. This system might be the easiest, because it it uses fewer parts and no nozzles.
- Drip irrigation: A drip irrigation system provides water slowly through holes, or emitters, in flexible lines running off it, or a series of pipes. These pipes are connected to a water supply, a filter, or a pressure regulator. You weave these pipes along rows of plants so the water flows directly to the roots of your vegetables.
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