Build raised garden beds
If it’s almost impossible to grow plants in your soil (heavy clay, poor drainage, rocky), a raised garden bed is the perfect solution. It lets you bring in good soil and create the ideal garden bed. It also lets you garden without bending over as far or working on your hands and knees.
Limit the size of the bed so you can reach all the plants from the border, and build it at least 30 centimetres deep to fill with topsoil.
You can use a variety of materials to build a raised garden bed. Natural rough-cut stone blends perfectly into the landscape; clay bricks - both new and reclaimed - add a formal or casual touch, and railway sleepers or relciamed beams creates a rustic feel to the garden.
Using standard tools and a diamond-grit circular saw blade you can build this project in two weekends.
To begin, cut the grass in the area and cover it with cardboard or layers of newspaper to kill it. The paper will decompose into organic material. Then build the bed and fill it with topsoil, mixing organic matter into the top 30 centimetres.
Start by marking the planter outline on the ground, using a rope or garden hose. Dry-stacked walls like the one shown above are limited in height to avoid them tipping over.
Once you determine the shape and size of the structure, you can order the materials. Take your dimensions with you to the supplier, who can help determine the quantities of material, pea gravel, landscape fabric and topsoil you'll need. Order 10 percent extra stone so you have plenty to choose from. You can always use leftovers for borders around gardens.
When you're ordering materials, ask about delivery fees as it's worth the extra charge to have the materials placed right next to the work area. Trust me on this.
Step 1
Mark the border of the raised bed with a rope. Dig a 20 centimetre deep x 20 centimetre wide trench next to the rope.
Level the bottom and create steps to accommodate any sloped areas.
Step 2
Fill the trench with 10 centimetres of pea gravel. Set stones on the gravel and check for level.
Add or remove gravel to form a level base all along the trench.
Step 3
Lay landscape fabric over the gravel and then place the base course of stones over the fabric.Check the stones for level.
NOTE: The landscape fabric should sit under the brick course and be wide enough to reach up the back of the laid wall.
Add gravel under low stones and pound down high stones. Butt the outside edges of the stones tightly together.
Add a second course of stones, mixing sizes and staggering the joints from the base course. Keep the joints tight on the exposed side.
DIY TIP:
Use a hammer and masonry chisel to knock rough spots off the stones so they fit more tightly together.
Once the base course is installed, lay the remaining courses, except the capstone (top row). Offset joints between courses to give the walls greater strength and to achieve a more pleasing look. When you're laying the final course, patiently select and place stones so the top of the entire course is flat and level.
ix stone height, length and colour as you lay the stones. Place exceptionally thick stones where you want to break up a uniform pattern . Backset each course about 1 centimetre inside the previous course so the wall slopes slightly inward.
Step 4
As you complete every couple of courses, pull the landscape fabric tight against the stones and shovel backfill (topsoil) against the walls.
Backfill to the top of the last installed row. This helps hold the stones in place.
Step 5
Use a utility knife to trim the landscape fabric, making it cover the last course of stone by about 10 centimetres.
Step 6
Install the capstones so they slightly overhang the underlying courses. We made ours overhang 5 centimetres.
Leave gaps at least 1 centimetre in. wide between capstones so you can tuck mortar between them.
Setting capstone is a time-consuming process, since you have to mark, cut and dry-lay them one at a time. The positions of the capstones will change slightly after cutting, so mark and fit them one at a time all along the wall.
Remove a few capstones at a time and lay a thick bed of mortar over the back half of the wall. Fold the fabric over the mortar. Add another layer of mortar, then set the capstones in place.
Let the mortar dry, then use a whisk broom or a wire brush to brush away any that has splashed onto the stones. If you discover stains later, scrub them away with a diluted mix of muriatic acid.
Allow the mortar to set overnight before topping off the planter with soil and mulch. Then fill it with the flowers of your choice!
[ via family handyman magazine ]