IT’S PLANTING SEASON!
Spring is beginning to show it’s face! Now is the time to prepare your soil and start hatching seeds!
Several of you have asked about outdoor beds. I use both raised and in-ground beds. This is a great time of year to get them in place and still have time to “acclimate” your soil before planting
RAISED BEDS
Raised beds can be made of pretty much anything that can hold soil and/or water. If you’re handy with a hammer, some cheap plywood (non -treated) should make a nice box and you can sit it on a couple of cinderblocks.
“Drainage is always an issue when planting in raised beds or pots. Drill small holes in the center of your boxes and/or use smooth pebbles in the bottom to promote proper drainage”
IN-GROUND BEDS
There are several inexpensive materials available to help make in-ground beds. I like cinder-blocks. They are cheap, sturdy, versatile and porous (Great for drainage! FYI-they’re also heavy)! You can use bricks, planks of wood, old pieces of siding, pre-fab garden trimming, etc. Get creative. Try to stay away from painted or treated material that can contaminate the soil. However, that’s mostly style. You can make a bed by simply turning the earth in the spot you want. If you don’t want to turn the earth, lay down burlap and cover it with manure and treated soil!
“Acclimate your soil for as long as you can before planting. I like a mixture of cow manure and ‘garden soil’. You want to let it get exposed to your weather and accumulate some good worms and bugs and get a general eco-system going to give your plants the best chance to grow strong (and delicious if your planting food!)”