THE BENEFITS from gardening are endless — relaxation, fitness, family fun, delicious food and beautifying your lawn.
Millions of people live in town house, apartments or single-family homes that often lack the outdoor space needed for a conventional garden.
But the good news is that no matter where you live you can still create a garden that reflects your goals and is uniquely personal to you. Raised bed gardens may be the perfect solution.
This type of gardening is gaining popularity not only because it can be adjusted to fit any size requirements but because it is prone to fewer weeds.
Raised bed gardens also offer you the opportunity to customise your garden bed in your own style that will make it look as amazing as the food it produces.
Steps for growing veggies and herbs in a raised garden bed…
Step 1: Prep your space. Raised garden beds can be bought or built to fill whatever space you have available. Select a bed that works well with your space and prepare accordingly.
Step 2: Choose your soil. Once you have your empty bed ready, choose your soil; which should be full of rich organic matter and high-quality nutrients that help give your plants the benefits they need with no mixing required. Once you add the soil be sure to rake it so it is smooth and level.
Step 3: Preparing your bed. Next, you can finalize what you want to plant. Spacing is essential here and you want to remember to place your plants close together for maximum yield. There are a number of delicious and colourful options out there including basil, tomato, kale, peppers and more. Check out your local plant nurseries.
Step 4: Planting. Since plant spacing varies by plant type read the back of the plant tag for proper plant spacing.
Step 5: Feed your plants. Once your veggies and herbs are planted, apply a fertilizer to add essential nutrients to the soil and help your plants grow big and strong. Simply sprinkle and work into the soil then treat your plants to water. Just like humans and animals, plants get hungry so make sure you follow the directions on the label to determine when to reapply.
Step 6: Harvest. When your vegetables are ripe it’s time to harvest. All you need to do is rinse and then you are ready to enjoy your favourite recipe.
