How To Make a Raised Garden Bed

More and more people are going through tough times economically so when it comes to gardening they want to do it because of the many rewards – saving money, canning, preserving, dehydrating, freezing and eating food fresh and organically instead of buying it in the store. Raised beds are becoming more and more popular because people just don’t have the time to weed them on a regular basis nor do they have time to rent equipment to get the land ready. Raised beds are very beneficial and in some locations be used year round.

Raised beds can be used with wood, containers or even tires. The most cost efficient and the most common is the wooden raised beds. With our step by step instructions you can successfully make a raised bed in no time!

Tools – hammer, wood, potting soil/compost/manure mixture, newspapers, level, saw, nails

Step 1 – Determine the area that you are going to place your raised bed. Go ahead and make sure there is no unwanted weeds and the ground is semi-level.

Step 2 – Measure the area and cut your pieces of wood so that you can make a box or rectangle, cut your pieces of wood and then nail or screw them together at the ends to make your shape.

Step 3- Once your box or bed is made, you can lay newspapers in the bottom, a few layers will work best this will keep weeds from growing. Cover the newspaper and fill your bed with potting soil, manure or compost mixture. Filling your bed a few inches from the top works best.

Step 4 – level your soil by taking a board and running it slowly across to level the soil out. Now you are ready for plants, seeds or anything else that you want to plant in it.

Raised beds are very beneficial and are becoming increasingly popular because if you ever decide that you do not want the bed anymore they are easy to remove and your grass will grow back instead of having a tilled up area. Raised beds will also keep moisture in and keep a steady soil temperature so that even in the coldest months all you will need to do is cover your plants for safety. Making a raised bed is enjoyable and fun, so enjoy! 

How To Put Your Extra Harvest To Use

The weather is turning colder and it seems like everyone's gardens are slowly coming to an end. You find yourself ending up with more food than you really know what to do with or you have so much food left you can’t eat it fast enough. Throwing it out isn’t an option..what choices do you have? Canning and Dehydrating are perfect ways to take care of them!

Canning can be a great way to go ahead and take those extra veggies and turn them into quick and easy meals. The only thing you can’t can is what you don’t try! Squash, meat, okra, potatoes, peppers, cucumbers, corn it all can be turned in to stews and canned. You can even pickle it. Do you use tomatoes a lot, do you make a lot of spaghetti sauce? Canning your own tomatoes can save you lots of money from buying store bought.

Freezing your food is also an option but then you have to stop and think..do I have the extra freezer space? What if the power goes out? My food won’t last.

Dehydrating, is another great way to preserve your food without having to use up a lot of space and room. They also can keep for many years if done right. Investing in a dehydrator can not only save you time but money in the long run. You can make your own jerky, dehydrate your own onions, peppers, okra, squash, tomatoes almost anything you can think of. Fresh herbs is a staple item in most households and by dehydrating peppers, onions, tomatoes you can turn them into crushed bell peppers, tomato paste or even chopped onions that you can use on a daily basis.

Canning, dehydrating and freezing your food are great options if you have lots of extra food growing in your garden or can get food items at bulk wholesale cost that you can use and don’t want to throw away. Canning, dehydrating and freezing are personal preferences and it is really up to you on which one you find the best for you and your family. In the long run all three choices can save you lots of time, money and protect you in the long run.