The Milwaukee Post

By MELINDA MYERS Don't let a sore back, bad knees or lousy soil stop you from gardening. Elevate your garden for easier access and better garden- ing results. The simple act of creating a raised bed improves drainage in heavy clay soil. Add in some organic matter to further increase drainage and improve the water holding ability for sandy soils. And if your soil is beyond repair or you don't want to wait, a raised garden allows you to bring in quality soil and create a gar- den right on top of the existing soil or even paved areas. The quality soil and easy access will allow for dense plantings without path- ways. This means greater yields, up to four times more, in raised beds than in-ground gardens. Raised beds also help conserve water. You'll concentrate your growing efforts in smaller areas and that means less water wasted. Increase the benefit by using soak- er hoses or drip irrigation in order to con- centrate water application to the soil near- est the plants, right where it is needed. Make your raised bed a comfortable height. Elevating the garden minimizes bending and kneeling. Design raised beds in corners or edges suited for sitting or areas narrow enough to set a garden bench alongside for easy access. Design raised gardens so they are nar- row enough for gardeners to easily reach all plants growing within the garden. Or include steppers or pathways if creating larger raised garden areas. Add a mowing strip around the edge of the raised bed. A narrow strip of mulch or pavers set level with the soil surface keep the area tidy and eliminate the need for hand trimming. Select a material suited to your land- scape design. Wood, brick and stones have long been used to create raised beds. Consider using materials that are long-last- ing and easy to assemble, like Lexington Planter Stone (lexingtonseries.com). These stone sections can be set right on the ground, fit together easily, and can be arranged and stacked to make planters the size, shape and height desired. Start a raised bed garden by measuring and marking the desired size and shape. Remove the existing grass and level the area. For taller raised gardens edge the bed, cut the grass short and cover with newspa- per or cardboard prior to filling with soil. Be sure to follow directions for the system being installed. Once the raised bed is complete, fill it with quality soil. Calculate the volume of soil needed by multiplying the length times the width times the height of the raised bed, making sure all measurements are in feet. Convert the cubic feet measurement to cubic yards by dividing it by 27 (the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard). For a 4 by 8 feet raised bed that is 2 feet deep you would multiply 4 by 8 by 2. This equals 64 cubic feet. Divide by 27 and you will need just a bit more than 1 cubic yard of soil. Don't let the math overwhelm you, most topsoil com- panies and garden center staff can help you with the calculations. Just be sure to have the raised bed dimensions handy when you order your soil. The best part is that this one time invest- ment of time and effort will pay off with years of gardening success. 12 • Milwaukee County Post • June 6, 2014 Elevate your gardening success for comfort Submitted photo $1,250 Cool Cash Greenspeed Rebate ($1100 59MN7/25VNAU + $150 Infinity Touch WiFi control) + $225 59MN7 (NG) FOE reward. 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