Contained within this blog are instructions for installing
in-ground garden beds, written by Lawson, Manda’s hubby. Nice to meet you.
There are two main advantages to in-ground beds. They are more cost-efficient than raised
beds, and allow for greater freedom of total area. While raised beds usually come as store
bought kits, they are often expensive.
Additionally, the dimensions for these beds are pre-determined, which
restricts the scope of one’s gardening endeavors. So, for larger-scale gardening applications,
in-ground beds are the better choice.
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| [You may remember our garden last year] |
Soil quality is always a consideration for in-ground
beds. Usually, darker the soils are more
fertile. Also, the type of soil must be
considered. Clay soils impede upon root
growth, whereas sandy soils lack nutrients and dry out quickly. These problems can be remediated with
store-bought topsoil or compost, depending on the needs of individual soil
profiles. When in doubt, ask a county
extension agent. They even offer soil
samples to help determine each bed’s individual needs.
Again, cost effectiveness is an advantage. The tools necessary are common and cheap, if
one is willing to put forth the work. Of
course, gas-powered yard machines do lighten the workload. The beds for this blog were installed with
these tools:
Shovel
Straight tooth rake
Wheelbarrow
Gas-powered Tiller
Garden Hoe (if no tiller is used)
Stakes (or other markers)
Planning is important.
Select a site for the bed, considering soil quality, hours of sunlight
(full sun is most desired), and aesthetic value. Then stake out the corners of where the
garden bed is desired.
Begin digging around the perimeter of the bed, loosening the
sod (grassy root system). Once the
entire perimeter has been loosened, start digging up the sod. The grass roots may go as deep as six inches,
so care must be taken to ensure the root system is completely removed. It helps to shake off the soil from the sod,
both to conserve precious topsoil and to reduce the weight of the sod (It’s
heavy!). The sod is also a valuable
resource, so use the wheelbarrow to transport the grass roots to wherever fill
is needed.
Some with powered tillers are inclined to just till the
grass into the soil. This should be
avoided, because the tiller can actually serve to bury the grass roots further,
only adding to the difficulty of removing the root system from the soil.
With the sod is removed, the general area of the garden can
now be seen. With either the powered
tiller, or a standard garden hoe, begin loosening the soil. Any roots from nearby trees should be removed
with a shovel or perhaps a hatchet.
Usually the tree is older and strong enough to withstand the loss of
these outer roots. Once the soil is
tilled, the border is ready to be installed.
The beds for this blog were bordered with 2x6 lumber. They were built separately then placed on the
bed. If done in this fashion, care must
be taken to dig out around the border to ensure a snug in-ground fit. Paver stones are also a sturdier (yet more
expensive) option. With the border
installed, any additional topsoil can then be added and mixed with the
straight-tooth rake.
As it can be seen, the most demanding step in this process
is the removal of the sod. This is also
the most crucial step. Grass is a very
invasive plant, and can easily out-compete any vegetable root. As with any project, work initially invested
will lead to less work later.
Easy planting and good harvests to you.
