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Creating a Garden Bed with Proper Drainage
Many gardens begin to rot before they even begin producing vegetables. The reason is because they do not have enough drainage and the roots literally rot away. Following a few simple rules can help you avoid root rot in your garden this spring.
Build Your Own Garden Bed
Building your won garden bed is simple and not really expensive. You will need to determine the size of your garden. If it is going to be large, you may want to try another method for drainage. You will need enough two by six planks to build you bed. A 24 X 12 foot bed will require twelve, twelve foot planks to build. Build your box and place at least four three inches of gravel and one inch of sand on the bottom. Begin hauling in fill dirt and mix it with fertilizer before spreading. Before you begin planting test the soil, if it is not adequate, mix the proper materials to bring it up to the required levels.
Plant your Garden on a Hill
Planting your garden doesn't necessarily mean it must be planted on a flat surface. Many gardens that are planted on a rise or hill drain much better than gardens that are planted flat. Flat surfaces can hold water, especially if you have tilled the soil. After the soil begins to settle, it will naturally be lower than when you began. If no hill or mound is available, consider another option for drainage.
Dig Trenches for Proper Drainage
Once your garden is planted, if you begin to notice water standing within its boundaries, consider digging a trench around the garden and allowing the water to drain off into the trench. It doesn't have to be very deep, maybe six inches, because the purpose is to keep water from standing in the garden and rotting your plants. If your garden is a massive garden make sure it is level before planting and that there is a ditch that is capable of holding run-off from the garden.
Planting in Containers
Vegetables are not only grown in large gardens, they can also be grown in containers. The most popular size of container is a one gallon size. Simply place some gravel for drainage in the bottom, fill with potting soil and plant your seeds or seedlings. Place the containers in a sunny location and wait for the blooms to sprout. There is no need to worry about excess water or the location of your garden because you can move them to higher ground at any time.
Greenhouse Gardens
Some people use greenhouses to plant their gardens for various reasons. First they don't have to worry about an abundance of rain in the spring. They can set sprinklers to come on at a specific time to water the garden and go off after a set limit of time. They can grow a garden all year round and never have to worry about frost. Of course greenhouses are much more costly than outdoor gardens.
About the Author John Smith is an avid garden and lawn care enthusiast. John is also an avid blogger. You can read more of his articles at Briggs & Stratton Equipment.
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