On this page you can learn about various outdoor gardens you can create in your backyard, balcony, and beyond. Owning a garden is not only the more healthy way to go, as far as food goes. But a garden looks great wherever you put it; it feels great to be in control of your own food production, and owning your own garden reduces your grocery bill too! The best thing about it is that it doesn't take much to get a garden started, and whatever you invest into it, you can literally watch grow year after year!
Here you can find the items you need to get you started on, and to maintain your healthy and delicious garden. Just search for the specific items you want, or browse through for tips and ideas. Happy gardening!
When it comes to planting vegetables, wide beds have many advantages over long beds. Wide beds usually increase yields 2 to 4 times more than long beds due to the extra space devoted to vegetable growing. You also save in material cost by only adding soil amendments to the actual growing space. A wide bed should be no wider than twice your comfortable reach while kneeling down (for most people, this 3-4') and the beds can be as long as you like.
The diagram above shows the layers involved in creating a raised garden bed. Creating this lasagna-like rich-in-nutrient garden is the most effective way to produce the largest crops available. Also, the protective layers help to prevent any underground weeds from entering your garden for the next couple years at least! Try using cardboard instead of newspaper to prolong this possibility. I highly recommend using the layered raised bed method for your garden. When you have finished laying down the layers, rake the bed to remove any stones or debris. Raking also helps break down large clumps of soil, leaving a fine tilth.
When sowing seed in a wide bed, broadcast sowing is the method of choice. If you transplant seedlings, plant in staggered rows. Better drainage, additional root space, and improved soil structure of your wide bed allow you to plant more densely than in a traditional row. Keep the walkways between your raised beds free of weeds by mulching them with 3-4" of straw. (Avoid using hay as it generally contains an abundance of weed seeds.)
If you already have a planting area made, then paying careful attention to soil results in higher yields. Nearly all soil benefits from the addition of organic amendments and each type has its own strengths. Compost is one of the best and easiest to obtain. It's free, if you can make it yourself, and unrivaled in its ability to improve soil.
Start preparing planting beds in early spring or as soon as the soil is workable. Start by forking the soil to a depth of 1-1 ½ feet. Then add a 3"-4" layer of compost or other organic material such as manure or leaf mold to the bed and thoroughly mix it in.
Perform a soil test before starting garden preparation. This tells if the soil's pH needs adjustment. Lime is used to raise pH and sulfur to is used to lower it. If possible, add lime a month or so before planting or adding other amendments. You can find simple soils test kits suck as the one below at any gardening store.
The soil test also indicates any nutrient deficiencies in the soil. You may need to add fertilizer to the bed. This additional fertilizer can be added at the same time as the rest of the organic matter.
After incorporating all of these materials into your garden soil, use a steel rake to level the area. Let the bed sit for a few days to settle. If you must plant right away, gently tamp down the soil with a flat board to release any air pockets.
Good soil drainage is necessary for most garden plants. Test your soil drainage using this easy method:
First, cut the bottom out of a large coffee can and push it about an inch or two into the soil.
Next, fill the coffee can with water and time how long it takes to drain. If it takes over an hour to drain, this means that the area has poor drainage. If your soil doesn't drain properly, it may be a good idea to either choose another site for the plants or create a raised bed to enable good drainage.
It's important to know the make-up of your soil in order to determine its cultural requirements.
First, take several soil samples from your garden area and mix them all together in a bucket. Remove any rocks or other debris.
Secondly, fill a quart glass jar 2/3 with water.
Thirdly, add enough soil to raise the water level to the rim of the jar. Screw on the lid securely and shake the jar to mix it all together. Next, add a little dish soap to the mixture to help separate the soil particles.
Finally, let the jar sit overnight. The next day the individual components of the soil should be separated. The bottom layer is sand, the middle layer is silt and the top layer is clay. By observing the percentages of each soil component you can understand the basic make-up of your soil.
The materials you use will depend on what you will be planting. Some plants, like cacti and succulents, prefer soils that drain more rapidly. Others, like ferns, require a potting material that retains more moisture. However, this general purpose potting formulation that will work for most plants. It's made of one part compost, one part perlite and two parts sphagnum peat moss. Adding soil into an otherwise soil-less mix provides some nutrient value for the plants.
Any time you use garden soil, pasteurize it before adding it to your mix. To do this, bake the material in the oven in a coffee can or other metal container at 180 degrees Farenheit for 30 minutes. This will kill most of the harmful bacteria and micro-organisms present in the soil.
Before mixing the peat moss with the other potting materials, pre-moisten it. Do so by adding water to the peat moss and mixing it thoroughly.
Now, measure out the correct ratios of the components by using a clean pot as your measuring device. Layer the components in a plastic garbage can. Add one pot of sphagnum moss, then one pot of perlite, then one pot of soil and repeat until all of the material has been added. Adding the soil components in layers makes it much easier to mix them together.
Use a stick to mix the materials together, or tape the lid on the garbage can and roll it around on the floor. Leave the lid on the garbage can until you are ready to use the soil.
Solarizing is a great way to ensure that you are planting into disease and weed-free soil. Mark off the area to be treated, and dig a trench about 6" deep around it.
It's important to soak the ground thoroughly to a depth of about three feet before laying down your plastic. Lay the plastic over the area and secure one side of it by covering the plastic that is lying in the trench with soil.
Now go to the opposite side of the plastic, and pull it tight over the entire area. Fill that side of the trench in with soil, and continue tightening the plastic on the other two sides. Ideally you want the plastic to be in direct contact with the soil. It's also best to solarize your soil during the hottest part of the year. Leave the plastic down for at least six weeks and even the most persistent of perennial weed seeds should be killed.
A temperature of 120 degrees is sufficient for sterilizing the soil. A common meat thermometer does a great job of checking the temperature. Just poke it into the soil as far as it will go, and you should get an accurate reading.
First, create a guide for your drill with two stakes and a length of twine. Using a triangular hoe, form a shallow drill the length of the twine.
Sprinkle the seeds over the length of the drill.
Cover the seeds with about 1/8" of soil either by hand or by raking soil over them perpendicular to the drill. Mist the entire area lightly with water, and in 7-10 days you should see seedlings emerging from the soil. After the seedlings have formed their first true leaves, it's time to thin them out. Remove all but the healthiest starts, leaving appropriate spaces between. Follow the recommendations for spacing on the packet of seeds you are using.
Garlic needs semi-fertile, well draining soil, and about 36 weeks of growing time. to start, separate a bulb of garlic into individual cloves. Each clove should be large and free of any marks or soft spots.
Next, dig a hole that is about twice as deep as the garlic clove is tall. Holes should be about six inches apart. Place the clove in the hole with the pointed growing tip facing upwards. Fill the hole with soil. Water the planted bulbs thoroughly.
If you live in an area that has freezing temperatures in the winter, mulch the planting area. The colder the winter, the deeper the mulch. 4-6 inches of mulch should be sufficient for very cold areas.
The first step in planting mint is to select a pot to plant in. A two gallon pot is generally sufficient for mint. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the pot. Fill the pot with soil from the hole.
Place the pot into the hole. Make sure the rim of the pot is just below the soil line. Remove the plant from its container and replant it in the buried pot.
Back fill the soil around the pot, and cover the rim of the pot with about an inch of soil. Water thoroughly. The pot will prevent the plant from spreading into the rest of your garden.
Unwanted seedlings are a big nuisance in a garden and where there is one weed seedling, there are likely to be more. If you spot weed seedlings, eliminate them immediately by pulling them out or cutting them off.
Never let a weedy plant go to seed in a bed! When you find a weed bearing ripe seeds, put it in the trash. Putting it in the compost pile will simply spread weed seeds along with the compost later.
Weed seeds need light to germinate and are most troublesome on open soil. Covering the soil with mulch helps reduce the number of weed seedlings.
A bed filled with dense groundcover or closely spaced plants typically experiences a reduced number of weed seedlings.
Spreading mulch on the soil in your garden is one of the nicest things you can do for your plants, and it looks great too. Mulch is a layer of material put on top of bare soil to moderate soil temperatures, keep in moisture, and help kill weeds.
Organic mulches improve soil fertility and build good tilth. Some examples are tree leaves, garden compost, grass clippings, chipped wood or bark, pine needles, seed or nut hulls, aged manure, and even seaweed.
If your garden is large, buy in bulk for substantial savings. Many companies will deliver. Spread a tarp on the ground and have the pile of mulch dumped onto the tarp. This makes for easier cleanup when you're done mulching.
Mulch a new bed right after you set out the plants, and then at least once a year thereafter to maintain a depth of 2-3 inches. It's easiest to do this in the winter or early spring when perennials are dormant and their tops are cut down. Wait til the ground freezes in the winter before applying mulch. If you wait too late in spring, you have to work carefully around the tender, emerging growth.
Spread the mulch evenly around the garden bed. Do so by dumping it directly out of the bag, by shovel, or with a garden fork. In tighter areas, or around smaller plants, spread it by hand from a bucket. Cover the soil between plants but be careful not to pile mulch against the stems or over the crowns of the plants themselves.
Too much mulch can cause rots, odors, host insect and rodents, and cause nutrient imbalances in the soil. A layer 2-3" deep is plenty. Over time, the layer of mulch disappears. Earthworms, freeze/thaw cycles, and other natural processes help to incorporate it into your soil. Compensate by topping it off with a new layer when needed.
Shredded leaves make an excellent mulch and, left in a pile, they soon break down to form leafmold, a weed-free compost that plants love. You can buy a chipper/shredder to shred your leaves or you can use a rotary mower. Begin by raking the leaves into a thick carpet about 6-8" deep. (If you try to mow a pile of leaves, the mower will stall.)
Mow back and forth until the leaves are shredded to the desired size. Shredding dry leaves creates a lot of dust, so wear a disposable mask or respirator to keep from inhaling airborne particles.
Rake the shredded leaves onto a tarp. You don't have to rake up every leaf fragment, but you don't want to leave enough behind to suffocate the turf. Drag the tarp to a bare spot off the lawn and dump the leaves. Continue this process until you've shredded all your leaves (or as many as you think you need).
If you want the leaves to break down into leaf mold, water the pile after you deposit each load. If you'll use the leaves as mulch, simply pile them up and leave them over winter. Put the mulch (2-4" thick) on the garden in spring. If you put the shredded leaves on the garden in fall, strong winter winds may strip them away.
Fertilizer should be applied underneath mulch, but what if you already have a thick, semi-permanent layer of mulch (such as bark chips) on your landscape? Here's a way to get optimum results without moving the mulch. For most plants, do this once a year, in either spring or fall.
Pound a series of holes in the ground in the soil area at the outer perimeter of the plant's foliage with a stake. The number and depth of the holes depends on the size of the plant. In general, for trees, make your holes about 12" deep and 20" apart, while for shrubs make them 8 to 10" deep and about 15" apart. For small shrubs, make them only about 6" deep and 8" apart.
Determine the amount of fertilizer you will need for each plant. Follow the guidelines on the back of the container. Sprinkle the fertilizer in the holes near the roots of the plant, where it can do the most good.
Fill the holes with dirt and cover them with mulch. Finish by thoroughly watering the fertilizer in unless the soil is already saturated.
Gardeners have used compost for centuries. When materials such as leaves and grass clippings are composted, a microbial process converts plant wastes to a more usable organic amendment. The finished compost can be used as a soil amendment or mulch to improve most soils for gardens.
Decomposition of organic material in the compost pile is dependent on maintaining microbial activity. The following factors will help assist with decomposition:
Aeration: Oxygen is required for microbes to efficiently decompose the organic wastes. Turning the pile once or twice a month will provide the necessary oxygen and significantly hasten the composting process. A pile that is not mixed may take three to four times longer before it can be used. A well mixed compost pile will also reach higher temperatures which will help destroy weed seeds and pathogens.
Moisture: A dry compost pile will not decompose efficiently. If rainfall is limited, it will be necessary to water the pile periodically to maintain a steady decomposition rate. Water the pile so that it is damp, but does not remain soggy.
Particle size: The smaller the size of organic wastes, the faster the compost will be ready for use. Smaller particles have much more surface area that can be attacked by microbes.
Fertilizer and Lime: Microbial activity is affected by the carbon to nitrogen ratio of the organic waste. Because microbes require a certain amount of nitrogen for their own metabolism and growth, a shortage of nitrogen will slow down the composting process considerably. Grass clippings are generally high in nitrogen and when mixed properly with leaves will enhance decomposition. Poultry litter, manure or blood meal can be used as organic sources of nitrogen. Otherwise, a fertilizer with a high nitrogen analysis (10-30 %) should be used.
Many organic materials are suitable for composting. Yard wastes, such as leaves, grass clippings, straw, and non woody plant trimmings can be composted. Leaves are the dominant organic waste in most backyard compost piles. Grass clippings can be composted; however, with proper lawn management, clippings do not need to be removed from the lawn. If clippings are used, it is advisable to mix them with other yard wastes, otherwise the grass clippings may compact and restrict airflow. Branches and twigs greater than 1/4 inch in diameter should be put through a shredder/chipper. Kitchen wastes such as vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells may also be added. Wood ashes act as a lime source and if used should only be added in small amounts. Ordinary black and white newspaper can be composted; however, the nitrogen content is low and will consequently slow down the rate of decomposition. If paper is composted, it should not be more than 10 % of the total weight of the material in the compost pile.
Examples of other organic materials that can be used to add nutrients to the pile include: blood meal, bone meal, livestock manure, non-woody clippings, vegetable and flower garden refuse, hay, straw and lake plants. Livestock manure and poultry litter are nitrogen sources for composting.
Some materials may pose a health hazard or create a nuisance and therefore should not be used to make compost. Adding human or pet feces cannot be recommended because they may transmit diseases. Meat, bones, grease, whole eggs, and dairy products should not be added because they can attract rodents to the site. Most plant disease organisms and weed seeds are destroyed during the composting process when temperatures in the center of the pile reach 150-160 0F.
Although plants that have been treated with herbicides or pesticides should be avoided for composting.
Use of plastic garbage bags is perhaps the simplest way to make compost. The bags are easy to handle, and require minimal maintenance. To make compost using this method, 30-40 gallon plastic bags should be alternatively filled with plant wastes, fertilizer and lime. About one tablespoon of a garden fertilizer with a high nitrogen content should be used per bag. Lime (one cup per bag) helps counteract the extra acidity caused by anaerobic composting. After filling, add about a quart of water. Close tightly. Set aside for six months to a year. Bags can be set in a basement or heated garage for better decomposition during winter months. Using garbage bags requires no turning or additional water after closing. The main advantage of composting in garbage bags is that it requires little maintenance; however, because oxygen is limited, the process is slow.
The barrel or drum composter generates compost is a relatively short period of time and provides an easy mechanism for turning. This method requires a barrel of at least 55 gallons with a secure lid. Be sure that the barrel was not used to store toxic chemicals. Drill 6-9 rows of 1/2 inch holes over the length of the barrel to allow for air circulation and drainage of excess moisture. Place the barrel upright on blocks to allow bottom air circulation. Fill the barrel 3/4 full with organic waste material and add about 1/4 cup of high (approximately 30 %N) nitrogen containing fertilizer. Apply water until compost is moist but not soggy.
Every few days, turn the drum on its side and roll it around the yard to mix and aerate the compost. The lid can be removed after turning to allow for air penetration. Ideally, the compost should be ready in two to four months. The barrel composter is an excellent choice for the city dweller with a relatively small yard.
For larger quantities of organic waste, bin type structures are the most practical. As an example, a circular bin can be made by using a length of small spaced woven wire fencing and holding it together with chain snaps. The bin should be about three to five feet in diameter and at least four feet high. A stake may be driven in the middle of the bin before adding material to help maintain the shape of the pile and to facilitate adding water. With this design, it is easiest to turn the composting material by simply unsnapping the wire, moving the wire cylinder a few feet, and turning the compost back into it.
A very efficient and durable structure for fast composting is a three-chambered bin. It holds a considerable amount of compost, and allows good air circulation. The three chambered bin works on an assembly line idea, having three batches of compost in varying stages of decomposition. The compost material is started in the first bin and allowed to heat up for three to five days. Next, it is turned into the middle bin for another 4-7 days, while a new batch of material is started in the first bin. Finally, the material in the middle bin is turned into the last bin as finished or nearly finished compost.
To make a three-chambered bin, it is best to use rot resistant wood such as redwood, salt treated wood or wood treated with an environmentally safe preservative or a combination of treated wood and metal posts. Unless the wood is treated or rot resistant, it will decompose within a few years. Each bin should be at least three to five feet in each dimension to contain enough volume to compost properly. Using removable slats in the front offers complete access to the contents for turning.
The compost pile should be located close to where it will be used and where it will not interfere with activities in the yard or offend neighbors. From the aesthetic point of view, it is best to compost in a location screened from view of both your property and neighbor's property. Examples of good locations for the pile include: near the garden or between the garage and house. Do not locate the compost pile near a well or on a slope that drains to surface water such as a stream or a pond. The pile will do best where it is protected from drying winds and in partial sunlight to help heat the pile. The more wind and sun the pile is exposed to, the more water it will need. Locating the pile too close to trees may also create problems as roots may grow into the bottom of the pile and make turning and handling the compost difficult.
Most compost piles should initially be prepared in layers. This will facilitate decomposition by insuring proper mixing. Each pile ideally should be about 5 feet high. To prevent odors and hasten decomposition, the pile must be turned occasionally. Turning also exposes seeds, insect larvae, and pathogens to lethal temperatures inside the pile. An actively decomposing pile will reach temperatures of 130-160 0F in the middle.
Reasons for the pile not heating up may be due to: too small a pile, not enough nitrogen, lack of oxygen, too much or not enough moisture. The pile should be turned when the temperature in the center begins to cool. This will introduce oxygen and undecomposed material into the center and subsequently regenerate heating. The composting process is essentially complete when mixing no longer produces heat in the pile.
Generally, a well managed compost pile with shredded material under warm conditions will be ready in about 2-4 months. A pile left unattended and material not shredded may take over a year to decompose. Piles prepared in the late fall will not be ready for use the following spring. When the compost is finished, the pile will be about half its original size and have an earthy smell to it.
All you need to make compost is organic matter, air, and water. Dump fallen leaves, grass clippings, and garden debris in an out-of-the-way corner, and you'll probably have crumbly black compost in a year or two without any effort on your part. If you'd rather make compost more neatly and efficiently, you can build a bin or purchase a composter.
Homemade bins are typically made out of wood, wire, or cinder blocks. They are designed so air can reach the compost from all sides and so the gardener can turn and remove compost. Many people build bins in pairs or threes, collecting the raw materials and beginning the composting process in the first bin, then turning the compost into the second (and perhaps third) bin for "finishing."
However, ready made bins less time consuming to make and look after. They are generally made of heavy-duty (often recycled) plastic and are designed to admit air and water but exclude four-legged scavengers, which may be a problem if food scraps are added to the pile.
Compost tumblers and mixers are designed to produce finished compost quickly and with minimum effort. Instead of adding organic matter over time, you fill these so-called batch composters all at once (preferably with a mixture of both leafy green materials and dry brown materials). Frequently rotating the barrel ensures that the organic matter is well aerated, speeding decomposition.
Worm composters are very effective in composting kitchen waste. Each pound of worms consumes a pound of kitchen waste a day. Vermicomposting bins don't stink, so you can keep them indoors. The end product is worm castings, an excellent soil additive. Special worms called Red Wigglers are required for vermicomposting.
First, cultivate (loosen up) the soils. Then, use a shovel to spread at least 4 inches of compost evenly over the surface of the soil.
Fork in the compost, mixing it thoroughly with the surrounding soil to a depth of about eight inches. After the compost is sufficiently mixed in, rake the soil surface to a fine tilth.
Gather 4 wooden pallets together and some chicken wire. Lay the pallets on the ground, placing them against one another.
Use a staple gun to secure one end of the chicken wire to the first pallet. This will hold the chicken wire in place as you unroll it. Unroll the chicken wire over all four pallets and staple it to the pallets. The more staples you use, the sturdier your contraption will be.
Stand the pallets up on end and unfold the pallets so that they form a box. The only corner not connected with chicken wire should be lashed together with rope or bungee cords to create a door. The corner that serves as the hinge of your door should be loosely connected with utility wire.
Unroll the fencing on the ground, and measure a length of about 10-12 inches. It may be necessary to weight down the fencing to keep it from rolling up again. Use heavy-duty wire cutters to cut the fencing to the proper size.
Stand the fencing up on end, and overlap a few inches of the material. Tie the ends of the fencing together with utility wire to finish the bin.
All you need to make compost is organic matter, air, and water. Dump fallen leaves, grass clippings, and garden debris in an out-of-the-way corner, and you'll probably have crumbly black compost in a year or two without any effort on your part. If you'd rather make compost more neatly and efficiently, you can build a bin or purchase a composter.
Homemade bins are typically made out of wood, wire, or cinder blocks. They are designed so air can reach the compost from all sides and so the gardener can turn and remove compost. Many people build bins in pairs or threes, collecting the raw materials and beginning the composting process in the first bin, then turning the compost into the second (and perhaps third) bin for "finishing."
However, ready made bins less time consuming to make and look after. They are generally made of heavy-duty (often recycled) plastic and are designed to admit air and water but exclude four-legged scavengers, which may be a problem if food scraps are added to the pile.
Compost tumblers and mixers are designed to produce finished compost quickly and with minimum effort. Instead of adding organic matter over time, you fill these so-called batch composters all at once (preferably with a mixture of both leafy green materials and dry brown materials). Frequently rotating the barrel ensures that the organic matter is well aerated, speeding decomposition.
Worm composters are very effective in composting kitchen waste. Each pound of worms consumes a pound of kitchen waste a day. Vermicomposting bins don't stink, so you can keep them indoors. The end product is worm castings, an excellent soil additive. Special worms called Red Wigglers are required for vermicomposting.
• Bedding (coco-fiber, sphagnum moss or shredded newspaper)
• Kitchen scraps
• Newspaper
• Red wiggler worms
• Vermicomposter
Composting with worms is an effective way of composting kitchen scraps. Earthworm castings are considered the most beneficial of all soil amendments. Here's how to set up a tri-level worm composter.
First, prepare the bedding. You can use coco-fibre, sphagnum moss, sawdust, or shredded newspaper. Soak the bedding in warm water for 10-15 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture.
Next, lay wet newspaper on the bottom level of the composter. This will keep the first layer of bedding from falling through the bottom grate. Spread the bedding over the newspaper and add a layer of soil or compost on top of the bedding.
Finally, add the worms to the bin. Worms are sensitive to light, so if you leave the top off of the bin for 15 minutes all the worms will burrow into the bedding. Special worms called "red wigglers" are required for vermicomposting. Regular earthworms will not work.
Once the worms have migrated into the bedding, add some kitchen scraps to the bin. Cover the kitchen scraps with more damp newspaper, and the lower bin is ready. Place the second bin on top of the first. When the bottom bin fills up with worm castings, add more bedding and kitchen scraps to the second bin. The worms will move freely between the two, consuming whatever scraps you put in the second bin. Eventually the second bin will fill up, and you can start working on the third bin. By this time, most of the worms will be in the second bin, so you can empty the first bin and move it to the top.
