Many gardeners grow vegetables and flowers in special beds. But the question arises before them: from what to make the walls of the structure so that they are strong and at the same time light?
Why are beds needed?
Creating beds is a rather laborious process. But then, in the process of their use, it is much easier for gardeners to cope with all agricultural activities. The walls of the beds usually go deep into the ground. As a result, perennial creeping weeds cannot penetrate into the garden. Plants are better illuminated and warmed up. After all, the sun's rays warm not only the tops of plants, as in the garden, but also their roots through the walls of the beds. Caring for them is much easier.
Usually a few beds for growing vegetables are needed. Often they are placed in rows parallel to each other. Only the distance between the beds should be large enough to work on them was convenient. They should not obscure each other.
By watering the beds, you save water, which all goes into the workspace, and does not spread around the garden. On beds it is easier to fight with rodents. Working on the beds, you process only their territory, and not the entire garden. It saves time and effort. Behind the barriers, you can hide the hoses and other equipment. And the soil because of them does not fall out on the path. The bed is easier to cover from frost than the plot in the garden. And the aesthetic value of beautiful beds has not been canceled. It's nice to see how your plants look beautiful on them.
Horizontal beds
The beds are horizontal and vertical. Horizontal ones are made narrow, their height can reach 80 cm. Traditional ones are 20 cm high. Reviews of gardeners suggest that it is convenient to care for plants at a bed height of about 40 cm. Most garden crops, including potatoes, are grown on such beds. An exception may be plants with long stems.
The height of the beds depends on climatic conditions. If hot and dry weather prevails, it is better to make them low. Then the evaporation will not be so strong. High beds will help to get a crop of early vegetables. They are less susceptible to frost.
Vertical beds
They are made specifically for crops that require tying to a support. They look very beautiful and original. The base area of such beds is small.
There are different options for arranging the beds. Frame for them you can buy ready. The disadvantage of this option is its cost. In addition, the size of the purchased structures does not always correspond to the size of the plot allotted by you to the beds. You can build them yourself. It will cost much cheaper. What materials can be used for this?
For the construction of the box used:
- Wood is an affordable but short-lived material.
- Old slate taken from the roof, fragile from time to time.
- Metal sheets. But ordinary rust quickly, and stainless steel is very expensive.
- It is worth paying attention to modern materials, one of which is polycarbonate.
Protections for beds from polycarbonate, slate are more durable and reliable than wooden. Various pathogens do not multiply so actively on them. They can be disinfected in case of infection of the soil or individual plants.
Polycarbonate Properties
Polycarbonate is a plastic made from polymers. It has a number of properties that make it indispensable for building greenhouses. Polycarbonate is transparent, lightweight, quite durable. A very important property is flexibility at low temperatures. It can be bent, so polycarbonate beds are easy to build not only with straight walls.
You can use it to build a box for beds. Especially if they are located in greenhouses.
Polycarbonate can be chosen in different colors and structures. A cell consists of two sheets, between which are partitions of the same material. It is convenient in that the air located between the layers makes the sheet warmer than monolithic, continuous. And there is also a profiled one.
It is good to use polycarbonate for the box box also because it does not heat up from the sun as much as slate. Therefore, less moisture evaporates.
Additional materials
In addition to polycarbonate for the construction of the beds, a profile and fasteners for connecting the walls are needed. They are bought at the store along with the sheets. Polycarbonate must be cut before building a greenhouse. This can be done right in the store. Then the process of building a bed of polycarbonate will be even easier.
Creating beds
Most likely, you will have to deepen the walls of the box into the ground. Therefore, the soil set aside under the greenhouse needs to be cleaned of all unnecessary: stones, weeds, stumps.
When the site is ready, you can proceed with the installation of the walls. Polycarbonate itself is flexible, so it needs to be strengthened. This is done so that the wall of the box does not bend. Lay a corner or profile under it, which is buried in the ground to a depth of half a meter. Top edges also need protection. It can also be made from a profile. Set the corner or profile vertically. Attach sheets of polycarbonate.
Placement of beds
Polycarbonate beds cannot be planned only for where you have the most space in the garden. The most famous is the Mittlider method of growing vegetables. He proved scientifically that the optimal width of the beds should not be more than 45 cm. The next 90 cm should be left in the passage between the beds. You do not need to think that the wider the polycarbonate beds, the more crop you will collect from them. It is with these parameters that the beds are best lit. It is only necessary to take into account that they should be placed behind the Mittlider from south to north. It is with this arrangement that the beds will not close each other from sunlight.
Experience shows that beds according to the Mittlider are quite rare. More often, gardeners are guided by their understanding of expediency.
Not for all cultures, such an amount of light is needed. Now there is an opinion that the best option is the placement of beds from east to west.
The paths between the beds are best poured with expanded clay or gravel. This will prevent the weeds from growing on their territory.
Garden Irrigation
Although the illumination of plants when growing on beds increases, they need to be watered more often than a normal garden. Therefore, it will be useful to install a drip irrigation system. It will deliver water directly to the roots, moistening the soil. No need to be afraid of root rot.
Garden beds in a polycarbonate greenhouse and railings for them
Often gardeners first build a greenhouse and only after that they begin to think about how to place the plants there and which ones. This is the wrong approach. Even at the planning stage of the greenhouse, you need to carefully consider not only the appearance, but also the internal arrangement of the greenhouse. This is the type of beds (low or high), their width and relative positioning. Fences for beds in a polycarbonate greenhouse can be made from pieces left after its construction. And nothing will be lost, and they will turn out beautiful.
Making beds in a polycarbonate greenhouse with your own hands is not difficult. The principle of construction is the same as ordinary beds in the garden. They also make a recess, fix the polycarbonate sheet with a profile. Connect the pieces together using a corner or profile. Only to build them a little closer than in open space.
The beds in a polycarbonate greenhouse can be unpaved (planting in the soil) or shelving (growing plants on special shelving). The first are much more common.
The length and width of the beds in the greenhouse is determined by its size. Most often, two or three beds are built. Their width does not exceed 1.2 m. Otherwise, it will be difficult to work on them.
After the beds were built in a polycarbonate greenhouse, their arrangement consists in the introduction of soil, fertilizers, planting of plants.
Options for placing beds in a polycarbonate greenhouse:
- Two beds, passages crosswise.
- Two beds with a passage in the middle.
- Three beds in parallel.
- One wide (up to 3 m) and two narrow (up to 1 m) along the edges.
If you are going to harvest you are going to a wheelbarrow, then you need it to freely pass along the aisle.
Pay attention to the material that arranges the passage between the beds. The coating should not be slippery, especially when water gets on it. It should be convenient to walk on it yourself and move the car. You can make it from old brick or gravel.