Easiest-Ever New Raised Bed!

One of my favorite PBS gardening shows is
"Growing a Greener World".
(Click on the name to find out when you can watch it in your area.)

From the website:
"Each week, gardening and sustainability expert Joe Lamp’l 
demonstrates hands-on gardening projects at his scenic north Atlanta farm, 
while Chef Nathan Lyon blends grassroots with gourmet 
to create an innovative cuisine using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. 
Canning/homesteading expert Theresa Loe shares secrets 
for capturing that fresh-picked flavor in a jar 
to be enjoyed long after the growing season is over.

A few weeks ago, the episode featured an amazing product.
With plans for a new raised bed 
in the upcoming redesign of the garden,
it seemed like the perfect time to give it a go.



These are OldCastle Wall Blocks
and they are a simple and quick way to create a raised bed.
I don't usually endorse products on the blog,
but this tool helped our new bed 
come together in mere minutes!
I paid just over $2.50 each at a big box store for the blocks
and also bought six 8-foot long 2 X 6 pieces of lumber to fashion the bed. 
(The wood can be cut to any length,
but the wood must be 2 X 6 to use with the blocks.)



The wood slides right down into the inserts of the blocks.



I leveled as best I could, but the area is sloped,
so it was a bit of a challenge.
For this new bed,
we are using two boards per side to raise the bed higher.
Rebar will be inserted into the center of the blocks
to ensure stability.
There is an existing hole for just that purpose.

It took longer to cut the end pieces than it did to put this puppy together.

Of course, it can be made as deep as needed,

as the blocks just keep getting stacked.

The next step of the process was to fill it with yard debris.
We are experimenting in this bed with hugelkultur.
This word translated means "hill culture" and although
we are adapting it to our needs, we hope to witness a noticeable difference
in how the crops in this bed germinate and grow.

Traditionally, hugelkultur is more free-form.
Hills of debris are piled up and crops are planted on top.

Since our garden is unconcealed,
(we live in a neighborhood on a corner),
we decided that the tamer version suited our site.
Logs and twigs from our property were collected
and added to the bottom of the bed.
The idea is that all of this organic matter
will continue to break down and feed the soil
and give the plants what they need.

I love that we are able to use all of our brush piles
to feed our soil.
Leaves will now have a designated place in the garden.
There is no need to take plant debris to the landfill
where it will do absolutely no good. 
Keeping it on site sits well with me.

Once we get our soil delivered,
we will fill in this bed and start growing for fall.
Depending on how this bed does,
another elongated bed is planned for the bed 
on the opposite side of the garden.

Two simple ideas, one fabulous garden bed.
Dontcha just love learning new stuff?

"Education is what remains
after one has forgotten 
what one has learned in school."
~Albert Einstein