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Create Raised Bed Gardens to Improve Drainage
In conventional gardens, the amount of water that plants receive is often difficult to control. Some plants need a lot of water to grow healthy and strong, while others need very little. Many plants are prone to root rot if they stay in water for a long time. Too much water is one of the main causes of plant death.
There is an easy way to test the soil to see how well it drains. Dig a hole ten inches deep in any area of the garden. Fill the hole with water and wait for all the water to sink into the ground. Then, fill the hole with water again. If the water doesn't go away in about ten hours, the soil is very poorly drained and not suitable for most plants.
The most common way to provide proper drainage for plants is to create a raised bed garden. A raised bed is simply a structure that holds soil and keeps plants away from the ground below. You can create raised beds using various types of materials such as block, brick, or wood. The key is to make sure the plants are at least five inches off the ground.
You can place a raised bed garden almost anywhere, it can be on grass or dirt. However, it is much easier to use an area that is not covered by grass. If the structure is to be placed on dirt, you just need to build the walls and fill them with soil. Add some compost or manure and start planting.
Grassland areas cause more problems. You actually need to cut the grass loose and turn it upside down. This may sound easy, but you'll need to use a very sharp tool to cut the grass and loosen a layer from the dirt. After turning it upside down, it is a very good idea to cover the area with a layer of straw. Straw will help prevent grass from growing back into the garden bed through the dirt.
Plant plants in a raised bed garden in exactly the same way as in a regular garden. Determine how far you need to space the plants, make a hole to accommodate the entire plant's roots, and cover the roots with soil. Just make sure you don't plant them too deep and defeat the purpose of a raised bed.
Within a few days, you will notice a great improvement in the health of your plants. Soft soil will allow the roots to grow freely, and drainage will prevent them from rotting. After you've watered the plants a few times, you may need to add more soil to compensate for settling. A raised bed garden does take a little work, but the results make it worth it.
There is an easy way to test the soil to see how well it drains. Dig a hole ten inches deep in any area of the garden. Fill the hole with water and wait for all the water to sink into the ground. Then, fill the hole with water again. If the water doesn't go away in about ten hours, the soil is very poorly drained and not suitable for most plants.
The most common way to provide proper drainage for plants is to create a raised bed garden. A raised bed is simply a structure that holds soil and keeps plants away from the ground below. You can create raised beds using various types of materials such as block, brick, or wood. The key is to make sure the plants are at least five inches off the ground.
You can place a raised bed garden almost anywhere, it can be on grass or dirt. However, it is much easier to use an area that is not covered by grass. If the structure is to be placed on dirt, you just need to build the walls and fill them with soil. Add some compost or manure and start planting.
Grassland areas cause more problems. You actually need to cut the grass loose and turn it upside down. This may sound easy, but you'll need to use a very sharp tool to cut the grass and loosen a layer from the dirt. After turning it upside down, it is a very good idea to cover the area with a layer of straw. Straw will help prevent grass from growing back into the garden bed through the dirt.
Plant plants in a raised bed garden in exactly the same way as in a regular garden. Determine how far you need to space the plants, make a hole to accommodate the entire plant's roots, and cover the roots with soil. Just make sure you don't plant them too deep and defeat the purpose of a raised bed.
Within a few days, you will notice a great improvement in the health of your plants. Soft soil will allow the roots to grow freely, and drainage will prevent them from rotting. After you've watered the plants a few times, you may need to add more soil to compensate for settling. A raised bed garden does take a little work, but the results make it worth it.