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How to arrange high beds on the site. The location of the beds on the cardinal points

At the beginning of each summer season, many owners of the cherished six acres are concerned about the same question - the arrangement of beds in the country. And even if the layout of the beds in the summer cottage has developed over the years, you still want to use something innovative in order to increase productivity, use the usable area of the site more rationally, and give it an aesthetic appearance.

It is not difficult to equip beds in the country with your own hands, the main thing is timely planning, and in order for this to work out rationally, you need to think through several points well. Below we will consider the main criteria that must be considered when determining places for growing various types of plants in the garden.

When arranging beds in the country:

It is necessary to divide the site into sunny zones. Determine in which places there is constantly sunlight, and which zones mainly arrive in the shade. Since not all horticultural crops need a lot of sunlight. It can be very beneficial for some plants and detrimental to others.
Then you should highlight places of high humidity, and arid zones. For example, next to the reservoir, if there is one on the site, it is better to plant moisture-loving plants.
Next, you need to determine the location of the cardinal points. On the north side of the site, it is recommended to plant shrubs and trees to protect from cold winds, and on the south side, the site can be left open.
After that, in accordance with the obtained zones and cardinal points, it is possible to determine in which areas which plants to grow.
Draw up a layout of the beds in accordance with the above points. In the case of using a centralized one, determine the routes for supplying water to the site.

Existing types of beds

At the moment, there are many innovative solutions in the direction of arranging a garden plot. Most gardeners use standard types of beds, but their use is not suitable for all crops. There are no universal beds on which you can grow any kind of garden plants. Therefore, for each individual plant species, the most suitable types of beds are used.

Ordinary beds

The most popular type of beds are beds made at ground level. For their arrangement, no special structures are required, it is enough just to dig up and loosen the soil. Such beds are well suited for growing cold-resistant horticultural crops such as cabbage, potatoes, and other root crops. In some cases, ridges are built on the beds, in which plants are planted.

high beds

Multi-layer bulk beds are well suited for growing cucumbers and green crops. Their height can reach 40 centimeters. To get neat beds in the country, you need to build a border, because without it, after watering or rains, the upper layers of the soil can crumble. How to enclose such a bed depends only on the imagination of the summer resident.

Making a high bed is not difficult, step by step performing simple steps:

Before you raise the beds in the country, you need to markup.
Remove the fertile layer from the soil.
Install borders around the perimeter of the garden.
Lay a fine-grained mesh to protect against pests.
From small branches, foliage, create several layers, sprinkling each layer with earth.
Pour the final fertile layer from black soil. Its thickness must be at least 30 centimeters.

This design of beds has many advantages. Since heat is released when the compost layers are humus, plants can be planted earlier than on beds at soil level. Due to the heat released, the plants develop faster. Thanks to early planting and fast growing plants, it is possible to get up to two harvests per season. In addition, the beds do not need to be dug up, since their service life is several years. Such a bed for garlic is well suited.

vertical beds

In order to increase productivity, you can use at their summer cottage. They are not suitable for all types of plants, they mainly use such beds for strawberries and remontant strawberries.

Vertical beds are made in several ways:

A do-it-yourself garden pyramid for strawberries - the dimensions of which are correctly calculated, is capable of yielding one and a half times more than the same plot planted in the traditional way. This is achieved by increasing planting density.

Neighborhood of horticultural crops

When planning the planting of horticultural crops, it is very important to distribute the plants so that they do not negatively affect each other. In addition, “predecessors”, that is, plants that grew on the site before, are of great importance. Gardeners have rules for planting horticultural crops based on plant compatibility and choosing a planting site based on what was grown in that area last season.

Subject to the rules for growing plants in one garden, you can plant several garden crops that will not only not interfere with each other, but also promote mutual growth. For example, a spicy garden bed in the country can successfully combine 13 plants: fennel, rosemary, lemon balm, thyme, lofant, oregano, marjoram, sage, snakehead, savory, lavender, hyssop, dubrovnik.

Combinations of a successful neighborhood in the garden:

We make beds in the country with our own hands

Every gardener wants to see beautiful beds on his site. This can be implemented in two ways. The first is to buy ready-made borders for beds, which are made of galvanized steel and coated with a polymer layer. Such systems are mounted using mounting pegs and corner mounts. With the help of them, you can make beautiful beds in the country with your own hands, of almost any kind.

If there is no desire to use ready-made structures, then improvised materials will fit for arranging the beds in the country. This is slate, old boards, galvanized sheets - you can do it simply and beautifully. Very often, gardeners throw out everything from which beds can be made in the country as unnecessary. If you turn on your imagination, even cobblestones can come in handy, from which beautiful ones can be folded using a solution. The scope for activity in this direction is limited only by the creative thinking of the gardener.

Before you make beds in the country with your own hands, you should think about its size. The width of the bed should be such that you can easily reach its center with your hands. You need to understand that the optimal size of the beds in the country is the size of the area of \u200b\u200bthe site at which it is convenient to process it. The optimal width is 0.7-1 meter. The length of the beds in most cases can be any.

In order to have easy access to the plants, it is recommended to make paths in the country between the beds. Very often, gardeners dig up an entire part of the site, and then tread paths that divide the garden into beds. This design of the beds is suitable for creating unpaved paths designed for one season. In order not to waste time on arranging paths every year, it is advisable to lay them before making beds, while the soil is firmer. You can use many options for how to arrange tracks. They can be laid out with paving slabs or bricks, poured with rubble, concreted with mortar.

The formation of beds in the country is a responsible and time-consuming process, on which it depends how beautiful, comfortable and most importantly fertile the garden plot will be.

Despite all the difficulties that arise in the arrangement of a summer cottage, the arrangement of beds in the country does not require a large budget, and one person can do it. For some, a dacha is hard work that takes time and effort. Someone considers work in the country a vacation. In a sense, both are right, since it all depends on how competently and rationally the summer cottage is equipped. Of course, it is easier to process a modern greenhouse with heated beds and an automatic irrigation system than unplowed virgin soil without the use of running water. A summer cottage in the literal sense can be for someone a “slave plantation”, and for someone it can be a resort, depending on how much work is invested in it.

Spring is the time to take a fresh look at your summer cottages.

Now it is very important to correctly plan the location of future beds and landings on them. This is one of the main components of summer success.

Change orientation

It is believed that the beds should be arranged according to the compass - from north to south. But this general recommendation is not for everyone.

It is much more important that the morning and evening rays of the sun could illuminate the rows of plants, so that high plantings do not obscure low ones in the morning. After all, it is not hot morning and partly evening sun rays that are most favorable for the best photosynthesis, for the development and fruiting of plants. If the plants are tall, then the optimal location of the ridges in the direction from west to east, so that the low morning rays of the sun can freely "slide" along the rows of plants, illuminating each of them.

Here is what is important to know when choosing a place and preparing beds:

1 Ridges stretching from north to south are good only for low plants and a horizontal area where water during irrigation (or rain) does not stagnate and does not roll faster than it should.

2 If the site has a slight slope, then it is more important to place the landings horizontally, that is, across the slope. So the plants will receive the same amount of moisture. Small irregularities should be leveled by pouring earth.

3 Make the beds the same length and width. For experienced gardeners, they are nine, four and a half or three meters long. And the optimal, and the most "fashionable" width among specialists today, which makes it possible to cultivate the land with convenience, is 45 centimeters for all crops. This standardization helps in calculating planted plants and fertilizer consumption.

4 With an uneven plot, the south side is considered ideal for growing vegetables - due to more intense solar activity, the crop ripens much faster there.

5 For one family (with a properly planned plot), it is enough to allocate one hundred square meters of land for vegetables. With proper care, it will provide a harvest of plums.

friend onion

Plants have a special relationship with each other. Plant a beet next to a cucumber and you will get an excellent harvest. But it’s better not to plant tomatoes next to cucumbers - they have different views on life: one loves constant humidity, and the other gets sick from it.

Properly planted nearby crops even help each other get rid of pests.

For example, experienced summer residents practice such an unusual neighborhood: onions and garlic are planted among garden strawberries. This is a reliable remedy for gray rot and strawberry weevil. And if you plant parsley along the edges of the beds, then the number of slugs will noticeably decrease. What else do you need to know about the neighborhood of plants?

Garlic- beneficial effect on many plants. Plant it between rows of different crops and the strong smell of garlic will drive pests away. It is especially effective for fighting aphids; from such a neighborhood, it disappears after a few days.

Beet- stimulates the growth of spinach, beans, tomatoes, potatoes. One of the interesting features of this crop is that the secretions of its root crops have antibiotic properties, therefore planting it next to some vegetables, in particular carrots, has a healing effect.

Bush beans- significantly reduces the number of Colorado potato beetle on the ridges with potatoes. Beans are also "friends" with carrots, beets, eggplant, pumpkin, feel comfortable next to corn. If you plant radishes next to bush beans, the root crops will turn out to be especially tender. Favorably affects beans and tomatoes.

Tomatoes- grow well next to celery, radish, radish, lettuce, corn, cabbage, onion, garlic, spinach, parsley. The neighborhood of white cabbage and tomatoes is favorable, cabbage butterflies do not like the smell of tomato tops.

Cabbage- grows well next to most crops, but ideal neighbors for her are potatoes and onions, as well as celery and lettuce (protect cabbage from earthen fleas), dill (the plant fights aphids and improves the taste of heads of cabbage).

Dill- growing on the same bed with cucumbers, it prolongs their fruiting period. And the neighborhood with garlic and onions save cucumbers from many diseases.

cucumbers- favorable to beans: they grow faster from living together. Plant beans along the edge of your cucumber patch and you won't be disappointed.

But cucumbers have many rivals - potatoes, corn, radishes, radishes, spinach, basil are no less hungry for neighbors with beans. The basil is even ready to help the coveted neighbor - it reduces the defeat of the beans by the caryopsis.

Pepper- a wonderful "partner" for basil and thyme. Eggplant can be safely planted next to beans, onions, thyme, herbs.

Carrot- Feels good next to peas, beets, onions, tomatoes, radishes, parsley, spinach, lettuce, marjoram, sage.

Onion- best friend and carrots. Planted side by side, they are successfully protected from pests. Each of them has its own pest - the fly, respectively, carrot and onion. But the onion fly does not tolerate the smell of carrots, and the carrot fly disappears if onions grow nearby.

Onions also relieve many other pests, and also help cabbage, carrots, beets, parsley, celery, radishes, spinach, and chicory salad in nitrogen nutrition.

To hate - one step

Sometimes the plant neighborhood, on the contrary, turns out to be unfavorable. So, all legumes do not grow well next to onions and garlic. Grapes do not tolerate the neighborhood with cabbage. Garlic develops slowly if beets are planted nearby.

Cucumber does not tolerate cohabitation with essential oil crops. He doesn't like tomatoes either. It is only in a salad that tomato and cucumber go well together. And in the garden, their relationship is close to hostile.

For successful growth, tomatoes need dry hot air, rare but plentiful watering. Excessive soil moisture provokes late blight in tomatoes.

Cucumbers prefer warm dampness. But planting tomatoes on those beds on which cucumbers grew last year, and vice versa, is possible.

Many gardeners in early spring scatter the ashes over snow-covered beds, as soon as the sun warms up. At the same time, the earth is freed from snow and melt water two weeks earlier and warms up faster.

Melting snow is very helpful. Melt water contains a large number of various microelements that are easily assimilated by plants. Therefore, try to retain this moisture, make furrows and rolls across the slopes. Arrange drainage grooves in the lowlands.

Do not repeat the common mistake: do not delay the melting of snow under the crowns of trees with manure, sawdust and other things. You will not get any benefit from this technique, and the harm can be significant. Under the influence of positive air temperatures, the aerial part of plants awakens and requires nutrition and moisture. The roots at this time are in frozen soil and are not able to "work". As a result, the so-called physiological drying of the crown may occur.

You can quickly and easily dry the cellar from spring dampness with a mini-fan installed on the suction ventilation pipe.

For growing seedlings, a box with a removable bottom is well suited. When transplanted into the ground, the plants are not damaged at all.

A convenient watering can for seedlings is obtained from a plastic bottle. To do this, make a hole in the lid with a hot nail and insert a cocktail tube with a bent tip.

Two polyethylene strips laid crosswise on the bottom of the container with seedling soil will help to extract the plant quickly, easily and without damaging the root when planting it in the garden.

So that the seedlings do not stretch too much, they should be transferred to a cooler place at night. For example, from the window near the heating battery - to the floor or to the balcony doors.

If every morning you several times (5, 10 or 20) pass over the seedlings on the windowsill or in the greenhouse with a cardboard or hand, then your plants will grow more squat and strong.

The garden bed is the basis of the garden, the harvest, the effort and time spent on processing and agricultural technology for growing crops depend on its laying. When thinking about how to arrange the beds on the site correctly and conveniently, it is important to take into account a set of factors: location and topography, climate, soil features, cardinal points and a number of other factors. Study the theoretical aspects in advance to avoid problems in practice and increase the yield of each hectare.

Basic rules for creating beds

To optimize garden work, even before the start of field work, it is necessary:

determine the types of vegetables to be grown, as well as their quantity;
using special tables to calculate the required area;
draw up a plan of the site and the location of the beds on it.

The right beds are functional and beautiful

Such simple preparation will help to avoid unnecessary labor costs and, perhaps, will allow allocating a place for recreation, or fruit and berry crops, on the territory.

Area and location of the site

To determine the required area of \u200b\u200bthe garden, first of all, decide whether you will grow vegetables only for the family, or also for sale. Kurdyumov N.I., the author of the book "Encyclopedia of a smart summer resident", claims that a family of five people will have enough 90 square meters of landings, without taking into account the paths between them. He uses ridges 0.5 m wide with wide passages of 1 m, that is, the area of the occupied site is about 4 acres.

It is not necessary to rely on other people's advice. Using special tables, calculate the annual need for vegetables per family, as well as the required area for their cultivation. To save space as well as increase yields, grow crops such as cucumbers, tomatoes, beans and the like on a trellis, or tie them up.

Table of the needs of vegetables and the area of their cultivation

Having calculated the size of the garden, proceed to its location on the plan. Consider here:

grow vegetables on the south side of the cottage, there is more sunlight and the earth warms up better;
trees and buildings should not obscure the garden, place them on the north side of it;
the relief of the allotment should be as even as possible, if this cannot be achieved, take care of drainage grooves in low-lying places, or consider a terraced garden.

An example of a site layout on paper

The shape of the allotment for growing vegetables can be any, do not go in cycles in standard rectangles. However, keep in mind that when processing it is undesirable to walk between plantings, so do not make the beds too large. Ideally, if standing on the path, you can process the plantings across the entire width, or at least more than half.

If the backyard area is small, consider high, vertical or multi-level landings. They are especially popular for growing strawberries, wild strawberries, herbs. Keep in mind that it is better to make vertical structures with perennials mobile in order to be able to hide them for the winter, otherwise the vegetables may freeze.

Non-standard multi-level beds

Rules and features of the layout

A serious approach to growing vegetables requires a little preparation and competent planning of beds in the garden and their location.

Prepare a separate notebook where you will write down how to distribute the beds on the site.
Make a summer cottage plan in a notebook, mark the location of the ridges on it.
Number the ridges.
On a blank sheet, write the year of sowing and the numbering of the islets with the crops that you will grow.

Such a notebook and diagram will serve for many years, preserving important information for the gardener. It helps to navigate between crops, adhere to sevosmen and correctly select neighboring plants, which is extremely important even for a small area. After all, non-observance of crop rotation of vegetables and ignoring their compatibility threatens with soil depletion and a significant reduction in yield.

For the convenience of the seed shift, conditionally divide the territory into four zones, where you will grow crops with different requirements for soil nutrition, as well as perennials.

Very demanding - cabbage, cucumbers, pumpkin, potatoes, garlic.
Moderately demanding - onions, carrots, beets, lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi, radishes, peppers, potatoes, melons.
Undemanding - the legume family.
Perennials - strawberries, wild strawberries, rhubarb, perennial herbs.

Proper layout facilitates crop rotation

When planning your garden layout, be sure to mark the location of the compost heap. If you do not want to spoil the appearance of the landscape, put a composter. The remains of plants and other organic matter, stacked here, are processed better than in a regular pile. To enhance the effect of decay, use special bacteriological additives.

The layout of the cottage on the slope

The location of the cottage on a slope is not an obstacle to growing garden crops. Practical advice from experts will facilitate this process:

Position the beds across the slope to reduce erosion.
On a slope up to 50, place vegetables in its upper part. Plant shrubs at the bottom or make high beds, with excessive soil moisture there.
On a slope with a steepness above 5.10, equip terraces on which you already place plantings. The recommended ratio of their length and width in this arrangement is 4:1 or 5:1.
On a slope steeper than 70, make ditches up to 20 cm deep in the middle of the garden and at a distance of 1 m from the edge of the terrace. This will further protect the soil from erosion.

Terraced vegetable garden

Creation of new beds

Raised or recessed fenced plantings are very popular with modern gardeners. They are easier to process, you can use special earthen mixtures with the right composition, it is easier to calculate the required amount of fertilizer, and a fine mesh at the bottom will protect you from rodents. Make these beds "warm" and harvest two crops a year, because vegetables will ripen a couple of weeks faster.

If you plan the location of the garden on an unplowed virgin land, use one of the methods:

Remove the layer of sod, but don't throw it away, chop it up and compost it. Dig up the bare earth, if possible, add new fertile soil. Reinforce the edges with ribs.
Less time-consuming method: Dig up a vegetable garden and plant it with potatoes. The number of weeds will decrease significantly, but don't expect a bountiful harvest in the first year.
Make raised beds: dig a place for a vegetable garden or just trample (mow) the grass. Equip the sides of the desired height. Put branches, thick stems of plants, cardboard, paper at the bottom, cover with quickly distilled organic matter and soil. In dry climatic conditions, such ridges are best deepened into the ground.

Creating raised "warm" beds

There is a wide variety of techniques for arranging beds:

high - very popular with American farmers;
hillock;
according to the Mitlider method;
multi-tiered and others.

In each case, be sure to put bumpers around the edges, this prevents the soil from spreading and prevents weeds from spreading to them from the paths. For edging, purchase ready-made garden borders or use any available materials:

tree, pre-treat it with an antiseptic;
concrete;
plastic;
metal;
brick;
slate.

Be sure to follow the order of planting the beds marked on your layout plan. To save space and increase yield, plant new plants in the areas vacated after the collection of predecessors. This way you can grow not only vegetables with a short growing season, but also, for example, potatoes, if you dig them up young.

Bed parameters - a little geometry and mathematics

Professional gardeners are advised to abandon the traditional continuous planting of land in favor of separate rather narrow beds with wide paths. It is claimed that the yield of crops in such a garden is higher, because, thanks to a well-thought-out arrangement, the illumination of each plant is significantly increased. In addition, properly selected planting parameters make it easier to care for them.

Comfortable wide aisles are a must

How to calculate the optimal width

The recommended optimal width of the beds in the garden differs in different sources. The only thing that all farmers agree on is that it must be such that it is easy to process vegetables without entering the soil.

Thus, the width of the last strip should not exceed 1 m. Between plantings, it is necessary to have passages with an optimal width of 90-100 cm. You should not make the distance between the beds, because the sprawling tops of plants will significantly reduce this area.

Narrow beds along the Mitlider are also popular. This American farmer developed the "ideal garden" system, which alternates 45 cm wide beds with 90 cm aisles. Plants planted in this way receive maximum sunlight and are well ventilated. These factors, together with a balanced top dressing, guarantee a high yield even in the absence of good weather conditions.

Location in greenhouses

What should be the ideal length

Focus more attention not on the length, but on the fact that all the tapes are the same size, this will greatly simplify the care of crops. However, some amateurs ignore this point, creating whole compositions from landings of different lengths, thus ennobling the design of the site.

Original approach to form

What height to choose

The height depends on the climatic conditions and the characteristics of the soil on the site. On light sandy loamy soil, you should not raise the plantings, especially if the climate is dry. High beds warm up better, but also dry out faster, so they will require frequent watering. In such conditions, make a “warm” bed deep, not raised.

Heavy clay soils, especially in places that are often flooded with water, or with a close occurrence of groundwater, need raised structures. The optimal height for processing is 40 cm, but sometimes they are made even higher - 60-70 cm.

In small areas, it is possible to place a vegetable garden at different levels. At the same time, make the lowest landings on the south side, gradually increasing their height, so the plants will not shade each other.

Raised beds are easy to handle

Raised beds have a number of advantages:

convenient watering;
water does not stagnate;
hilling is not necessary;
if mulched, weeding is not needed;
no need to dig, it is enough to loosen by 7 - 10 cm;
early planting of vegetables is possible;
easy to do crop rotation;
when planting, it is unnecessary to fertilize the hole;
with the smart use of organic matter, there is no need for inorganic fertilizers;
can be used forever.

The location of the beds relative to the cardinal points

Experts recommend drawing up a diagram of beds in the garden, taking into account the characteristics of the site, the climatic factor and orientation to the cardinal points. Given the latter, many often violate the standard arrangement along or across the site, replacing it with an oblique or diagonal placement of beds in relation to the sun. The unfamiliarity and aesthetic imperfection of such an arrangement is compensated by a number of advantages.

What gives an accurate calculation

The correct orientation of landings contributes to:

reduction in the number of diseased and underdeveloped plants;
uniform illumination of crops;
reducing the frequency of watering;
increase in productivity by 10-15%;
reduction of the ripening time of some crops by 3-5 days.

Orientation from north to south with a predominance of cloudy days

In addition, some gardeners claim that vegetables grown in the correct direction of planting are better stored.

Planning features for different regions

So, residents of the northern and central regions, where there is less sunlight and more cloudy days, as well as with insufficient heat and excess moisture, are advised to orient plantings from north to south. Plants planted in this way will not shade each other.

Vegetable gardens in the southern hot and dry regions need beds oriented from west to east. With such a planting, crops shade the ground between the rows, respectively, it dries less, in addition, the negative effect of overheated soil decreases. Farmers' experiences show that in conditions of lack of rainfall, the yield of corn sown in this way was 20-25% more than that which grew in rows from north to south.

The location of the beds on the cardinal points is not always justified. The presence of strong constant winds in the region or the location of the site at an angle significantly correct this scheme. So, the negative effect of dry winds on plants is compensated by planting across the direction of air currents. In this case, plantings dry out less and retain more carbon dioxide, which contributes to photosynthesis. Ridges on an uneven area are made only across the slope.

Mitlider layout

Paths between beds

The width of the paths between the beds is described above (at least 90 cm), but it is important not only to correctly calculate the parameters of this zone, but also to equip the passages to exclude weeds. It can be both capital paths and temporary flooring. Such floorings not only prevent the growth of weeds, but also make the work of the gardener more convenient.

What to make garden paths

What to put between the beds so that the grass does not grow:

wide boards or flooring from narrow boards, knocked down for strength in one line;
fiberboard sheets;
ruberoid;
mulch from sawdust, hay, grass from the lawn. It is important to remember that fresh sawdust oxidizes the soil;
a mound of pebbles, rubble, broken bricks - such paths between the beds are very decorative and decorate the landscape;
old linoleum;
carton boxes.

Tree cuts

If the location of the landings does not change and the paths always remain in place, it makes sense to make capital paths. The most reliable covering between the beds from weeds is concrete. Concrete passages can be monolithic, under an artificial stone or under a tile.

You can also lay out the tracks with tiles and not only concrete. The rubber tile looks very nice, in addition, it does not slip, which makes the movement of the summer resident safe.

Passages decorated with tree cuts look spectacular, but grass will still grow between the cuts if the recommendations below are not followed.

capital approach

How to prevent weeds from sprouting

This method is suitable for the design of permanent passages, that is, for those who do not plan to change the location of the beds.

How to make paths between beds so that weeds do not grow:

Having worked out a clear plan of the garden, mark the passages.
Remove the top layer of soil in the aisles. If the beds are raised or with high curbs, you can not remove.
Lay cardboard, layers of paper, rags, black film for beds or geotextiles - a special material from grass.
Cover with sand or sawdust.
From above, make a hard and rain-resistant coating, for example, fill it with pebbles or broken bricks.

Beds-hills, located taking into account a complex of factors

As a result, capital passages will be obtained, on which nothing will grow. In the case of redevelopment, all this must be removed and the passages filled with fertile soil.

To figure out how to place the beds on the site and how to close the paths from weeds, you do not have to spend a lot of time. Consider the climatic conditions of the region, the cardinal points, the features of the soil and relief, as well as the developments of famous farmers, and as a result, collect good crops without wasting effort, energy and time for processing.

This article discusses beds for the lazy: photos of the easiest structures to manufacture for those who want to get a neat garden with a minimum of effort, the most common materials and technologies for creating structures based on them. The reader will learn how to combine vegetable crops in one garden and prepare the soil for planting cucumbers. The article contains practical recommendations for beginner gardeners.

Designing the right beds in the garden will solve many problems and open up new opportunities for the owner of a summer cottage:

protection against soil erosion in the garden when a large amount of precipitation falls or watering plants. The bed borders will keep the nutrient soil in place, preventing it from washing out onto the paths. In addition, the passages between the structures themselves will remain clean, no dirty puddles and streaks;

the possibility of forming the basis for the creation of a temporary greenhouse for the spring. By installing high sides as fences, inside the structure you can organize a multi-layered garden bed, which can be used as a greenhouse. To do this, it is enough to install special arcs and stretch the film. The result is a neat greenhouse house;
improving the appearance of the garden due to orderly and even plantings with a beautiful frame;
creating borders that prevent the spread of weeds.

Making your own beds from boards and other materials allows you to clearly limit the landing area, so weeds and harmful plants do not have the opportunity to spread widely. If the garden fence is dug in to a great depth, the level of protection increases and perennial weeds that are unable to overcome this barrier can no longer penetrate into the garden bed.

Note! With the help of beds with well-buried fences, the spread of plants such as reeds and couch grass is effectively blocked. Their root system is capable of covering large distances underground if left unchecked.

Photos of interesting designs of beds, recommendations for their creation. Tips for designing unusual landscape design on the site.

The best place is the area where the sun is present throughout the day. It is allowed to install beds where the shadow is present in the morning or in the afternoon. If the proposed construction zone is dark throughout the day, you should not use this place for arranging a garden.

How best to make beds in the garden: choosing the optimal design

The choice of the design of the beds is carried out at an early stage of planning, when a place for the garden has already been selected.

Each type of beds has certain advantages:

raised or - the most efficient designs that are best suited for growing vegetable crops. Building materials for their creation are not expensive, while the soil does not need to be dug up. The width and height of the structures determine how much effort and time it will take to build them. Most often, summer residents prefer wooden beds made of planks. On the network you can find photos of bulk beds with your own hands, such structures do not have a fence. They are also categorized as elevated structures;

container beds - will be beneficial in cases where the space of the site is limited. For organizing such beds, pots of small, large and medium sizes are suitable. Garlic, peppers, lettuce and greens feel especially good in containers. Mobility is another advantage of container beds, which, if desired, can be rearranged to any place;
open ground beds are the oldest way to grow crops that are planted directly into the ground. In such conditions, it is more difficult to get a good harvest, so the technology of joint planting vegetables in the garden is often used.

Helpful advice! If it is planned to plant crops in open ground, it is recommended to determine the quality of the soil, fertilize it and check the compatibility of vegetables in the garden according to the table.

How to make beds from boards with your own hands: useful tips

Most often, raised beds are made of wood. This material in comparison with others is considered the most practical and environmentally friendly. Similar designs look very aesthetically pleasing in the photo. Do-it-yourself beds from boards have other advantages:

a simple maintenance system that involves easy weeding, harvesting and watering plants;
the possibility of growing vegetable crops even where the soil is completely unsuitable for these purposes. On the basis of the boards, a frame is made, which is subsequently filled with fertile soil bought in a store, so there is no connection to the quality of the earth and its composition. Thanks to this, plants can be grown even in areas with a rocky surface;

box structures allow you to keep the soil inside the beds. In addition, the presence of sides simplifies the process of mounting arcs to form a greenhouse. It is much easier to fix these elements on the fence than to dig them into the soil;
even without knowing how to properly make beds in the garden, any summer resident will cope with the manufacture of wooden structures-boxes. The boards are easy to process, and the construction and assembly of the frame does not require an expensive tool;
there is no chance that plants planted near the sides will get burned in the summer heat. Wood, unlike metal, is not prone to overheating.

Note! The ecological purity of the material allows you not to worry that harmful substances will get into the soil. Wood is much safer than asbestos-cement sheets (slate). The exception is boards treated with chemicals designed to double the life of the material.

Making practical beds from boards: how to make the right choice of material

Summer residents most often create wooden structures based on blanks that are found on the farm. For the manufacture of beds, timber, round timber, slab, lining can be used.

When it comes to purchasing boards in a store, you should pay special attention to the type of wood from which they are made:

a board made of ash or oak will last a very long time. Although the cost of such products is quite high;
pine remains the most favorable in terms of price and processing. But this type of wood is highly susceptible to decay while in the ground, so its service life is short. Due to impregnations and antiseptic agents, the life of a pine tree can be extended for a couple of years;
boards made of cedar and larch wood are considered the most suitable material for making boxes. Larch has a natural impregnation with resin, thanks to which the product will retain its novelty for many years without the use of additional impregnations. Cedar wood is characterized by a lower resin content, but it is not inferior to larch in terms of durability and at the same time has an affordable price;

boards made on the basis of acacia feel good in the ground. It is worth noting that this type of wood is durable and has a solid structure, so the process of processing it will be more difficult. To work with acacia, you need a powerful electric tool.

Helpful advice! It is not recommended to save on the quality of the material. Boards made of bad wood are prone to rapid decay. After a few years, holes will appear on the fences of the beds, through which fertile soil will be washed out during rains and watering plants.

Making beds from boards with your own hands: photos, dimensions of structures

The beds-boxes have a rectangular shape and are made of boards. The simplest design does not require special knowledge and skills, so any novice summer resident can handle it. The main thing at the same time is to correctly calculate the dimensions of the boxes.

height- many summer residents strive to create the highest possible sides. However, this approach is erroneous if it is not planned to build a warm bed for cucumbers or other types of crops, where a fence height of up to 0.7 m is welcome. The manufacturing technology of such structures requires the laying of a multilayer insulation. For ordinary beds, such high fences are not required, it is enough to limit yourself to 0.15-0.2 m. In addition, wood is susceptible to deformation changes under the influence of moisture, so there is a risk that over time, high fences will swell and lose their attractive shape;

width- experienced summer residents recommend choosing a width equal to half the height of the person who will take care of the beds. Most often, this parameter is in the range of 0.9-1.2 m, because in the process of work, a person should be able to reach the middle of the structure from the side of the side rail;
length- this parameter is practically unlimited. Although unnecessarily long structures reduce the level of rigidity of the side rails, it is therefore recommended to choose a length in the range of 4-6 m.

Helpful advice! When choosing dimensional parameters for wooden beds, it should be taken into account that between them it is necessary to organize passages 0.4-0.6 m wide. Only after that is the layout of structures on the site considered.

Creating mixed plantings of vegetables in the garden: photo examples and optimal schemes

The method of combining cultures in practice is very effective if the companion plants are chosen well. Therefore, site owners calculate according to a special table of the neighborhood of vegetables in the beds before planting. Some types of vegetables have a depressing effect on each other, others can improve the growth and development of neighbors, provide them with protection from pests.

The correct neighborhood of vegetables in the beds: compatibility table

Many summer residents note that due to the proximity of beans as a compaction for the garden where potatoes are grown, the number of Colorado potato beetle is significantly reduced. Marigolds effectively protect cabbage from white butterflies. Despite this, a certain balance must be maintained. After all, an excessive amount of marigolds in the garden can drown out the growth of cabbage.

Table of neighboring vegetables in the garden, creating a successful tandem:

The name of the vegetable crop	Plants for a successful combination
strawberry	beans, spinach, marigolds, garlic, lettuce
kohlrabi	cucumber, lettuce, onion, beetroot
peas	carrot, corn, cucumber, calendula, eggplant
onion	tomato, celery, beetroot, savory, carrot
beans	potato, cucumber, tomato, strawberry, eggplant
cucumber	radish, pepper, peas, cabbage, beans
carrot	lettuce, onion, sage, tomato, peas
salad	strawberry, cucumber, carrot, radish
pepper	lettuce, cucumber, beans
tomato	calendula, basil, beans, nasturtium, parsley

The following pairs of plants are characterized by poor compatibility of planting vegetables in the garden:

cabbage and strawberries;
onions and beans;
carrots and celery, dill, parsley;
cucumbers and potatoes.

Helpful advice! In the garden, in addition to the main crops, it is recommended to plant spicy and ornamental herbs pointwise. Thus, the garden will be not only beautiful, but also useful.

Examples of mixed planting vegetables in the garden: popular schemes

A good example of the compatibility of vegetables in the garden is the combination of onions and carrots. As an independent crop, onions are able to produce about 2.5 kg of yield from 1 m² of beds. Carrots on the same area gives about 6 kg of crop. With the joint cultivation of these crops with 1 m², you can get 9 kg of vegetables. These plants create protective barriers for each other against pests, so the efficiency of the used area increases.

Of course, when planning to grow crops together in a garden, you need to group the plants according to their height so that none of them blocks the light for the other. This is necessary because vegetables can not only have different heights, but also grow at different rates. It is desirable that compactors that are planted additionally be lower in height than the main vegetables. The principle of a multi-tiered neighborhood of vegetables in the beds allows you to create favorable conditions for the root system of crops, and also contributes to the rational use of solar energy.

High yields are collected from the beds where beets and late cabbage are planted. To do this, beets (9 plants) and cabbage (4 bushes) should be planted on an area of \u200b\u200b0.8x0.8 m, while not forgetting to fertilize the holes with a glass of compost and a handful of eggshells (pre-grind).

To get an excellent result when planting beans and tomatoes, it is recommended to place the plants in a row with a step of 0.3 m. Along the row with bush beans, it is installed so that each plant is at the dropper. Tomatoes are planted in the central part of the garden. As a result, bean and tomato bushes should be staggered.

Helpful advice! It is better to cut the stems of tomatoes for the winter, and as low as possible. And the beans, on the contrary, are recommended to be left untouched.

Table of crop rotation of vegetables in the beds by crop groups

Crop rotation can also affect the yield of beds. If the annual change of crops grown in the same garden is carried out in the correct order, the garden will produce good yields.

Benefits of proper crop rotation:

the probability of soil fatigue on the site is excluded, since the same vegetable every year absorbs the same set of nutrients from the soil and does it from the same depth;
the spread of diseases and pests that infect plants of the same family is prevented;
it becomes possible to rationally use fertilizers.

The most primitive way of organizing crop rotation in the garden involves planting plants from different families on the same area every year. It is easiest to break cultures into four groups:

Leafy crops - these include various types of cabbage, green onions, leafy lettuces, as well as spinach.
Fruit vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, pumpkin.
Legumes - beans, chickpeas, peas.
Root crops - potatoes, beets, radishes, carrots.

Table of the simplest crop rotation in the garden:

Order of disembarkation by year	Recommended crops for planting
Order of disembarkation by year	1st bed	2nd bed	3rd bed	4th bed
1 year	fruit	roots	legumes	leafy
2 year	roots	legumes	leafy	fruit
3 year	legumes	leafy	fruit	roots

Arrangement of beds for cucumbers in the open field: photos and recommendations

For growing cucumbers in open ground, the beds are usually prepared in the fall. This should be done before the onset of rain and temperature drops. The planting area must be carefully dug up and saturated with organic fertilizers. Cucumbers like fertile, light soil that has a good level of air and water permeability. If the soil in the area is heavy, sawdust, peat or sand can be added to the ground to facilitate loosening.

Helpful advice! To get a rich harvest, it is recommended to add a tablespoon of superphosphate and a glass of ash per 1 m² of area. Instead of ash, you can use dolomite flour.

The process of preparing the beds for cucumbers in the spring includes the procedure for disinfecting the soil. For this, the place of the future garden is spilled with potassium permanganate. The solution should be hot and strong. In addition, soil fertility can be increased by introducing chicken manure or manure. This procedure is carried out locally, that is, the fertilizer is placed directly in the trench or hole. After that, the bed is covered with a small layer of soil, where the seeds are then planted.

How to make a bed for cucumbers: agricultural secrets

To get a rich harvest of cucumbers from the garden, you must adhere to the basic rules:

Near the beds should not be canals for irrigation, streams and flowing reservoirs.
If the planting area does not have protection, the garden is best placed in a quiet place where there are no drafts.
Procedures such as watering and loosening the soil should be performed on a regular basis. Otherwise, a hard crust will form on the surface, and the bed will dry out a lot.
Cucumbers grown in open ground need to be fed much more often than plantings growing in closed beds.
During harvesting, it is not recommended to change the position of the lashes of the plant or turn them over.
Weeding plants in open beds should be done more often than it is done in closed ground.
It is recommended to cover the entire surface of the bed with a black film.

Cucumbers need a rich biological composition of the soil. Therefore, it is recommended to fertilize the land with organic matter, for example, grass, humus, branches, rotted manure, food waste. In the process of their decomposition, not only the fertility of the soil increases, but also heat is released, warming the soil. So that the high temperature does not damage the root system of cucumbers, experienced gardeners advise to carry out abundant watering.

Interesting fact! Sometimes the decomposition of organic fertilizers is so active that the soil in the garden warms up to 80 ° C. Under the influence of such a high temperature, many pests, viruses and pathogenic fungi contained in the earth die. The result is a natural sterilization of the soil.

There are several ways to grow cucumbers outdoors. For these purposes, you can form a long ridge bed, a hole, dig a ditch, or build a high structure.

How to make beds for cucumbers with a bookmark in the garden

To form a bed with a bookmark, you will need to dig a trench. The depth of the ditch should be equal to two shovels. Then branches are laid out across and sawdust is poured. The next layer consists of straw and garden waste. You can add autumn leaves, cardboard or newspapers, compost. The thickness of the fertilizer layer should be within 5-7 cm. The bookmark is filled with warm water and covered with a mixture consisting of compost and earth.

A bed with a bookmark can effectively serve for 5 years. In the second year of operation, you will not need to add compost to the top layer, because during the decomposition of organic components, the bed itself will produce nutrients.

Advantages of a bed for growing cucumbers with a bookmark:

convenient irrigation system;
water stagnation is excluded;
in the spring you do not need to dig up the soil, it is enough to loosen the soil.

Plants can be planted on such a nutrient base much earlier than is customary to do in ordinary beds. It is not recommended to use beds with a bookmark in low-lying areas and areas where water stagnates.

Warm surface beds for cucumbers in the open field

This type of warm beds for growing cucumbers is built on the surface of the prepared soil. This technology will be the best option for areas that are located in the lowlands. In order to enhance the heating process, the bed is covered with a film. As a result, a greenhouse effect is formed, which has a positive effect on the growth of cucumbers and their yield.

Surface beds also include structures in the form of boxes made of brick, slate or boards. The bottom of these containers is covered with sand, then with wood waste. Next comes a layer of organic waste and straw. After laying each component, the contents are carefully compacted and filled with liquid manure. Finally, the bed is covered with a mixture consisting of and soil.

Helpful advice! Skins of vegetables and fruits, fallen leaves, eggshells (pulverized) can be used as organic waste.

Cucumbers are planted in two rows. Plants are placed along the edges of the bed-box, which ensures a sufficient level of illumination. If it is planned to plant cucumbers in early spring, the structures can be converted into greenhouses. To do this, you will need to install plastic arcs and stretch a plastic film over them. Thus, heating is enhanced and it becomes possible to get an early harvest. Moreover, the result is completely independent of weather conditions.

Raised beds for cucumbers in the open field

Warm raised beds are used when the site is located in a region with a cold and humid climate. Due to this, there is a full warming up of the soil, which allows to achieve a harvest in the early stages. If groundwater comes too close to the garden, the bed rises high, due to which the plantings do not get wet on soil oversaturated with moisture. Stone trees, whose roots are severely affected by groundwater, are planted in a similar way.

Various materials are used as borders for these structures. The most popular of them are slate and wood. In rare cases, metal is used. This type of beds can be installed even in the middle of the lawn. If you make a frame in the form of paving stones or tiles, a raised garden with cucumbers will become a worthy decoration of your summer cottage.

As an alternative solution, it is possible to build an artificial mound on the territory that does not have a fence. You can take any length for such a bed, the optimal width parameter is 1 m. You should not raise the decorative garden to a height of more than 1 m. The air that remains in the voids formed between the elements of large organic matter provides good ventilation and contributes to the rapid heating of the soil.

To speed up the process of decomposition of fertilizers, the soil is spilled with a solution saturated with special bacteria. The procedure is carried out twice a year. The first time the soil is watered with bacteria in the spring. Before planting plants after processing the beds, you should wait at least a week. The second time the soil is spilled in the fall after the crop is harvested. When the earth has already been treated with the composition, it should be loosened so that the soil is saturated with oxygen, and the preparation itself is evenly distributed.

How to make beds in the garden: a video review of technology

Many people create vegetable gardens as a separate part of their summer cottage: without paths and ornamental plants.

But you can also turn the garden into a real decorative vegetable garden.

Even in the XVI-XVII centuries. such “kitchen” gardens were created in England and France.

After all, vegetables are not only tasty and healthy, but also beautiful!

It is better to place such a garden closer to the fence, hedges, fruit trees, as if limiting it. To make it convenient to take care of the plants, make a square plot as anyone allows an area with beds 1.5 m wide.

Like any garden, paths and beds are created here for several years with the change of vegetable crops.

Paths should be created with minimal maintenance costs.

Gravel requires regular maintenance to remove weeds and sticks to feet in bad weather. Grassy paths require mowing, so it is easier to create paths from improvised materials left over from construction work (usually old brick, cement blocks, beautiful pebbles).

Their width should not be large in order to save the total area. Therefore, the main paths can be made 70 cm wide (convenient for passing a wheelbarrow), and the secondary ones - no wider than 45 cm.

Planning solutions for paths can be very diverse.

The simplest option is a breakdown into rectangular beds with an emphasis on the central bed.

Another option - a square layout - makes it possible to further enhance the decorative effect of the central squares.

Another solution - diagonal-square-circular placement of paths - will diversify the rectangular planning network with a circular line.

If the area allows, you can implement several options for planning decisions at once.

No less than paths, it is important to select ornamental plants that would attract attention from different parts of the garden and unite a vegetable garden with a fruit garden.

These can be pyramidal or framed apple trees, small “balls” of ornamental plants that could be planted at the intersections of paths.

To emphasize the line of paths, along them you can plant borders of lavender, hosts or boxwood, which do not lose their decorative effect for a long time.

The main purpose of such a vegetable garden is to harvest. Therefore, for the cultivation of high-quality vegetable products, the following crop change scheme can be recommended.

In the first year, legumes are planted in a certain area, after harvesting which nitrogen-fixing roots remain in the ground.

After them, cabbage is planted in the second year. In the third year, the soil passes under tuberous crops.

But such alternation of plants can be carried out within one year.

For example, beans are planted in the spring, and when they grow up, onions are planted between them.

As soon as the beans are ripe, they are harvested, the roots are left in the soil as nitrogen fixers, and the beds are filled with small plants of broccoli, kale, or other types of cabbage.

The combination of vegetables is determined both by growth rate, ripening time, and aesthetic features.

Onions, dill, parsley are planted closer to the paths, because they most often have to be thinned out.

Of course, for such intensively cultivated soil, it is necessary to use top dressing in the form of garden compost or well-rotted mullein every year.

Numerous varieties of lettuce allow you to create decorative groups with curly, shaggy, flat and lacy leaves of various color shades and different heights.