ThriftyFun News - June 17, 2005

Hello,

This issue is being published much later than intended. We wanted to do an issue about computer tips but very few tips were submitted. So we planned on writing some tips ourselves but just didn't find the time.

For a great bunch of computer tips and question and answer go to: Dear Webby - Tech Tips

Instead, we are publishing a new article about raised beds by Ellen Brown. I especially like her Bag 'O Soil Method of making raised beds, it's VERY easy.

This Friday's issue will be about Container Gardening and we already have some good tips on that subject, so you can expect that newsletter to come out on time. If you have any container gardening tips, or pictures of your container gardens, please submit them.

Thanks for reading,

Susan

Enter The Photo Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml

Enter The Tip Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml

Frugal solutions to everyday problems: Submit a request...
http://www.thriftyfun.com/add.ldml

This newsletter contains:

• Creating Raised Beds

Today's Sponsors

MyBudgetPlanner Manage your money simply and quickly. Inexpensive budget planning software.

http://www.mybudgetplanner.com/partner/thf/mbpmain.htm

New Contest - More Prizes

We are giving away 16 $25 prizes in the following categories!

Tip Contest Prizes!

• Best Gardening Tip
• Best Recipe
• Best Food Tip
• Best Home Improvement Tip
• Best Gardening Tip
• Best Craft Recipe or Tip
• Best Money Saving Tip
• Plus 2 tips chosen at random

To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml

Photo Contest Prizes!

• Best Pet Photo
• Best Party Tip, Craft Recipe or Craft Tip with Photo
• Best Gardening Tip with Photo
• Best Home Improvement or Decorating Tip with Photo
• Best Organization Tip with Photo
• Best Wedding Tip with Photo
• Best of the Rest

To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml

Contest ends July 15, 2005

Raised Beds

Creating Raised Beds
By Ellen Brown

If you're short on space or the soil in your area is riddled by sand or clay, building raised beds may be the best solution to your gardening woes. You'll trade the time, money and effort required amending poor quality soil for maximum yields in a minimum amount of space.

Small Spaces with Big Advantages

Once built, raised beds don't compact as easy as conventional garden beds so they are easy to work by hand and never require tilling. In the spring, they warm up more quickly than regular garden soil, which is a real advantage for cold climate gardeners. Pests can be spot treated and fertilizers applied only where you need them, saving time, money and resources. Beds built tall enough reduce attack and damage by moles, rabbits and other small animals. If your building beds from the ground up, you can experiment with soils and plants not normally suited to your soil.

Building Your Beds

Raised beds easily adapt to any site and can be constructed in any size or shape-triangles, rectangles-even arches. The most important consideration is to construct beds to a height and width comfortable for working. The taller the bed, the more materials and dirt you'll need to construct it. Construct the beds to a width that allows you to reach halfway across them from each side. Most people can easily reach across 3 feet so a six-foot bed works well.

Three Easy Options

There are several ways to construct raised beds, but before you begin, make sure to remove any weeds or sod from the site you select. It can be helpful to place a barrier like plastic landscape edging around the inside perimeter of the bed to prevent grass from encroaching in the future.

Mounding: To create raised beds from already existing beds, simply loosen up the soil and heap compost and other organic matter on top. Rake it all together to create a mound. If your soil is poor add in some purchased topsoil and amend it as needed.

Tilling and Hilling: Till up your garden site to a depth of 6-8 inches. Mark off areas designated for raised beds with rope or stakes, making sure to leave space for pathways. Now dig down the pathway areas and use that dirt to mound up the beds. If you live in a dry, windy climate, try creating sunken beds-beds dug down lower than the pathways. These beds will protect seedlings from wind and hold on to moisture more efficiently.

Bag 'O Soil Method: This is a really fast and easy way to make raised beds. Purchase a large bag of topsoil (50lb bags work great) and lay it out flat and unopened in the area you've prepared for your beds. With a sharp knife or scissors, cut open and removed the topside of the plastic bag. Mix in a little compost and you have a ready-made bed for planting! Leave the bottom portion of the plastic bag in place to kill off any weeds. Punch a few holes in it for drainage, and simply remove it at the end of the season to prepare for next years crops. Easy!

Choosing Materials for Framing

Bricks, rocks and stone pavers all work well for framing raised beds. Wood works well, but will eventually rot. Cedar and redwood are naturally less resistant to rotting than most other wood and will hold up the longest. Pressure-treated or chemically treated woods are rot resistant, but should not be used around beds containing food crops because their arsenic based toxins may leach into the soil. Old railroad ties are also suitable, but newer ties may leach creosote, which is harmful to plants.

No matter what method you choose to build them, or the shape or materials you use to frame them, raised bed gardening offers you space and crop versatility in a minimal amount of space.

© 2005 ThriftyFun.com
About The Author:
Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com

Post Feedback: Click Here

More Stuff

Vote for the TF News!

Coupon Swap!
Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users:

Seed Swap!
Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users:

Tip Contest!
Submit a tip and enter our contest.

Submit a Request
Frugal solutions to everyday problems.

Search ThriftyFun!
Use Google technology to search ThriftyFun.

To Subscribe or Unsubscribe