The Basics of Raised Bed Gardening with Natasha McCrary of 1818 Farms

Would you like to create a garden but just don’t have time for all the work? You’ve probably dreamt of a well-tended vegetable garden with rows and rows of plentiful crops, weed-free, lush and sparkling in the afternoon sun.

In reality, it can take years of hard work to create such a garden. For some folks, all that “work” is the joy of gardening – but if you’re like the average Joe, your schedule is limited, especially during thistime of year.

Great news! You can still have a productive vegetable garden of any size! How? Start with a raised bed. It’s the shortcut to a plentiful harvest, even in the first year. A raised bed makes gardening easy. Sun, good soil, water, and nutrients are the essentials for a bountiful garden. Natasha McCrary with 1818 Farms provides the following helpful “tips” for starting your raised bed gardening project:

1. What are the benefits of raised bed gardening?
   • Soil: You can choose your own soil. Natasha recommends a mixture of peatmoss, vermiculite, and different composts and manures. This will provide a very rich soil so that you will not have to use any additional fertilizers. With a raised bed, the temperature of the soil will heat up quicker producing mature plants quicker. In contrast, traditional gardening requires more time for the soil to reach the temperature it should be.
   • Drainage: The raised bed provides excellent drainage needed to grow picture-perfect vegetables and flowers.
2. Where should you place the garden? Place the garden in a location where it will receive at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.
3. What kind of “plan” should I have before planting? What should I plant and where? How much space in between plants? A planting grid is recommended to use as a guide for spacing plants in your garden. Tomato plants do very well in a raised bed garden and should be placed near the back section or top tier. In addition, Marigolds are excellent companion plants that provide a pop of color and also keep pests away.
4. Direct seed vs. transplant planting? A transplant is anything that already has the leaves on it, therefore “relocating” the plant to a new location. When it comes to direct seed planting, you should plant the seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Direct planting a tomatoplant is not recommended.
5. Watering tips? A “finger test” is recommended when it comes to watering your garden-if the plant feels dry, water it. If the leaves are yellow, you are watering too much. If the leaves are wilting, you’re watering too little. Create your own raised bed garden today! Contact 1818 Farms for more helpful tips, or if you would like to attend a gardening class.

Special thanks to Natasha McCrary at 1818 Farms for providing us with simple tips for the garden. If you would like to attend a garden class or receive more information, please see the contact information below:

1818 Farms
24889 Lauderdale Street
Mooresville, AL 35649
e-mail: info@1818farms.com
phone: 256.714.3220
website: www.1818Farms.com