Are you looking to start your own high garden experience and grow your own vegetables, to be more, you know #SVRGN ?
Here’s a quick #DIY guide on how to make your own.
Preparation
When it comes to creating a high garden, there are no hard and fast rules about what your garden bed should look like. While wooden boxes are a popular choice, you can get creative and use a variety of materials to keep your garden in one place. For instance, you can often find wooden boxes for free at warehouses or other locations, but if you need inspiration, Pinterest is a great place to start. Try searching for ideas using the hashtags #HighGarden or #RaisedGarden to look for what others have created.
Wood protection
Wood burning, also known as charring, is a traditional Japanese technique called Shou Sugi Ban. This method involves burning the surface of the wood until it turns black, and then brushing off the charred layer. The resulting #wood is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it also has several benefits for outdoor use.
Burning wood for your garden box may seem unconventional, but it’s actually a great way to provide natural protection against the elements and pests. Charring the wood creates a layer of protection that is highly resistant to water, pests, and rotting. The heat from the burning process causes the wood fibers to become more compact, making them less permeable to moisture. This makes the wood last longer and reduces the need for constant maintenance.
Furthermore, burning the wood also has a natural insect repellent effect. The heat causes the release of certain natural oils and resins within the wood that repel insects, which can help prevent pests from infesting your garden box. This can be especially important if you live in an area where pests are common and can quickly destroy your plants.
While burning the wood may sound daunting, it’s important to note that the process should be done carefully and under controlled conditions to ensure safety and prevent damage to the wood. It’s also important to use untreated wood that doesn’t contain any chemicals or preservatives that could be harmful to your plants.
Aside from charring the wood, there are other options for treating the wood to protect it from outdoor conditions. Applying a clear sealer or protective oil can help repel water and prevent cracking and warping. However, if you’re looking for a natural and effective way to protect your garden box, burning the wood is definitely worth considering.
In the end, the choice of how to treat your #garden box wood will depend on personal preference and the specific conditions of your garden. But if you’re looking for a low-maintenance and natural way to protect your garden box, burning the wood may be the perfect option for you. Just be sure to take the necessary precautions and use untreated wood for the best results.
To protect the wood from excess moisture, you can add some protection to the inside walls of the box. However, it’s important to ensure that the bottom of the box remains breathable.
Now that your garden box is ready, it’s time to find the perfect sunny spot to place it. Look for a sunny location where the sun is shining for at least 6 hours per day and the ground is level and sturdy enough to support the weight of your box once you start adding layers. Keep in mind that as you add layers, your box will quickly become heavier. Therefore, it’s important to choose a location that will be suitable for your box because once it’s full, it will be difficult to move around.
Layers
Now it’s time to add layers to your high garden. This can offer numerous benefits to your plants and make gardening easier and more efficient.
Here are some benefits of layering:
Weed suppression: By adding a layer of weed barrier fabric or newspaper at the bottom of the garden bed, you can prevent weeds from growing up through the soil and competing with your plants for nutrients and water.
Improved drainage: Adding a layer of coarse material, such as rocks or gravel, at the bottom of the garden bed can help excess water drain away, preventing water from pooling and damaging your plants. One of the key layers that many gardeners swear by is using thick branches at the bottom of the garden bed.
So why are thick branches such a great choice for layering?
First and foremost, using thick branches can help with drainage. When water is poured onto the soil, it will naturally move downwards. If the soil is too compacted or doesn’t have good drainage, it can lead to standing water, which can drown the roots of plants and cause them to rot. By adding thick branches at the bottom of the garden bed, excess water can easily drain through the gaps between the branches, preventing standing water and keeping the soil healthy.
In addition to improving drainage, using thick branches can also help with aeration. The gaps between the branches provide space for air to flow, which can help prevent the soil from becoming too compact. Compacted soil can make it difficult for roots to grow and absorb nutrients, which can stunt the growth of plants.
When adding thick branches to your high garden, it’s important to choose branches that are thick enough to create gaps for water and air to flow, but not so thick that they take up too much space in the garden bed. Generally, branches that are between 5 and 10 cm (2-4 inches) in diameter are a good choice.
Warmer soil: Adding a layer of insulation, such as straw or leaves, on top of the soil can keep the soil warm, extending the growing season and helping your plants thrive in cooler temperatures.
Nutrient retention: Adding layers of compost or other organic matter can help your soil retain more nutrients for your plants to use, while also improving the structure of the soil.
Reduced soil compaction: By layering different materials such as straw or leaves on top of the soil, you can reduce soil compaction. This creates a looser and more porous soil, allowing air, water, and nutrients to circulate freely.
Increased biodiversity: Adding multiple layers can create a diverse habitat for soil organisms such as earthworms and beneficial bacteria. This promotes healthy soil and enhances the growth of your plants.
Pest control: Certain layers such as crushed eggshells or coffee grounds can repel pests such as slugs, snails, and ants.
Cost-effective: Layering allows you to reuse and recycle materials such as cardboard, newspaper, and yard waste, reducing the cost of buying new soil and other gardening supplies.
Once you’ve added your layers, your high garden is nearly complete.
Wildlife protection
Living in an area with a large population of forest wildlife can be both a blessing and a curse for a gardener. While it’s wonderful to be surrounded by nature and wildlife, it can also be frustrating when animals start to eat your precious plants. High gardens can be particularly susceptible to wildlife looking for an easy meal. However, with the proper precautions, you can protect your high garden and enjoy a bountiful harvest.
Disclaimer: The pleb of this note is not a professional gardener or horticulturist. All information and advice provided in this post were researched online, text curated by AI, and based on personal experience. Plebs should consult with a professional pleb if they have specific questions or concerns about gardening practices. However, the pleb believes that with a little research and effort, any pleb can create a high garden and enjoy the benefits of growing their own vegetables and herbs.