Free shipping on all orders over $50!

Search our shop

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

View bestsellers 

Pre-order our new design

Bespoke timepieces

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

Starting a Raised Bed Garden

Above ground beds, or raised beds, are a great option for a garden. Raised beds are essentially a large box with no top and often with no bottom.

 

 woman gardening at a raised bed

 

WOOD CHOICES FOR RAISED BEDS

Cedar is usually the top choice for raised beds because it is rot resistant and a hard and long lasting wood. If redwood is available in your area this is an equally good choice. 

Softer woods such as pine and douglas fir are more affordable but will not last as long as cedar and are not rot resistant. 

Avoid using treated wood as it contains toxic chemicals that leach into the surrounding soil. Railway ties are especially toxic because they are treated with creosote which is harmful to plants and people. 

 

ALTERNATIVES TO WOOD

Raised beds can be made using concrete blocks, stones, cinder blocks, logs, bricks and other similar items. Galvanized metal tubs are another option. Be sure, no matter what option you choose, that either there is no bottom or if there is, it has very good drainage. Plants roots don't like to sit in water. 

 

stone raised bed

 

SIZE & LOCATION

A raised bed should be no more than 4 feet wide so you can easily reach all your plants. If the raised bed is up against a wall and only accessible from one side, it would be best to keep your raised bed no more than 3 feet wide.

Choosing a good location for your raised bed will ensure your garden's success! Look for a location that gets 6-8 hours of direct sunlight a day. The location should be near a water source and also convenient to visit. 

If you are doing more than one raised bed, I recommend keeping paths between wide enough to fit a wheelbarrow.    

 two raised beds

 

SOIL FOR RAISED BEDS

soil close up

A simple and very good soil recipe for raised beds is equal parts Coarse Sand (or vermiculite or perlite), Top Soil and Compost. I'll break down each ingredient to understand the type and purpose for each.

Coarse Sand, Vermiculite or Perlite: 

Coarse sand is also called horticulture sand or builders sand. This sand is gritty and measures about .5mm-1mm in size. The purpose of sand is to improve aeration and drainage in your soil.

Vermiculite is a natural mineral. It improves aeration and moisture retention in the soil. This may be a good choice if you live in a very dry climate because of it's moisture holding properties.

Perlite is a naturally occurring volcanic glass (don't worry, its very light and soft and not sharp). It improves aeration and drainage in your soil. 

Top Soil:

This refers to the top layer of soil (usually between 5-10 deep) and where the highest concentrations of organic matter and microorganism live. If you have nice, weed-free top soil available to dig up, you can use that. If not, organic top soil can be purchased at your local garden center. 

Compost:

This is decomposing organic matter. There are a few types of compost to consider: Farmyard manure (aged animal manure), homemade compost, leaf compost, mushroom compost and vericompost (worm casting). Our typical blend is 60% homemade compost (made from decomposed plants, wood, and food scraps) and 40% Worm Casting and Farmyard Manure. If you aren't ready to start making your own compost, mushroom, leaf, farmyard and vericompost can all be purchased commercially. 

 

PLANTING TIME

Once your raised bed is filled its time to get planting! When planting seeds and seedlings in newly made beds, we recommend applying our Organic Starter & Transplanter Fertilizer which is rich with Mycorrhizal Fungi. “Myco” comes from the Latin word for fungus and “rhiza” is Greek for root. These “fungus roots” are greatly beneficial to most plants. The plants and fungi formed a symbiotic, or mutually beneficial, relationship where the plant give the fungi sugars and the fungi give the plants food and water. Plants then use less energy in search of water and food within the soil and can devote more of their energy to leaf and seed production. It is important to have the Organic Starter & Transplanter fertilizer make direct contact with the roots when planting.

Beyond helping your plants grow stronger, Mycorrhizal Fungi over time, when left undisturbed, greatly improves soil structure and health.

 

2 Responses

Ana SPADE TO FORK

Ana SPADE TO FORK

March 02, 2021

Hi Delia,
I’m happy to hear you are enjoying your Spade To Fork Herb Kit and that your sage plant is doing well! Usually with our herb kit we recommend planting 10-15 seeds per pot, leaving you with plenty of left over seeds to use in the future. The extra seeds will last several years if stored in a cool and dry location.
Our website recently was updated and we are working on setting up the merchant accounts so customers can order directly from us. I’m planning on that being ready next week! Thank you so much for your support of our family business! We really appreciate it and are here for you if you need any gardening help!

Delia Basile

Delia Basile

February 26, 2021

My daughter gifted me the culinary kit for the holidays. I was so excited as I always wanted to grow my own herbs. I live in NYC and was afraid the squirrels and/or birds might ear them. I will be growing my herbs indoors. Since I wasn’t so sure how green my thumb would be and this is my first time growing herbs I started with planting only one herb, sage. Four weeks later the sage is growing and I look forward everyday to taking care of plant. I planted all the sage seeds in one pot, not sure if I was supposed to? The plant is about two inches and I will be preparing on transplanting when it get closed to 6 inches. Now that I know I have some what of a green shade thumb I am confident that I can do this. My question is can I save some of the seeds to plant later in the year? If yes, how long will the seeds stay fresh before I need to plant them? These Organic Home Garden Kits are great. If I can do this anyone can do this. I noticed you are out of stock. When will you have the kits in stock again? They make great gifts.

Leave a comment (all fields required)

Comments will be approved before showing up.