HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-05-05, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2005. PAGE 17.
Raised beds an alternative to traditional garden
Uplifting
Adding a peat-based potting mix makes it easy to plant and
maintain a garden, like this four-foot, by four-foot raised
bed.
(MS) — Whether they’re sick of
wrestling with poor backyard soil, or
simply looking for a unique
alternative to traditional gardens,
more and more homeowners are
“going to bed” — turning to Faised
bed gardens — to indulge their green
20 tips to refresh your home
thumbs.
If you’ve never considered
creating a raised bed, you’re missing
out on one of the most personalized
experiences gardening has to offer.
A made-to-order raised bed offers
several advantages over a
conventional garden, including:
* Comfort. Gardening doesn’t
have to be a pain in the back. You
can design and build a raised bed to
your exact specifications,
constructing an easily accessible
garden that’s the perfect size and
shape for you to work on. You can
even raise it several feet so you can
sit while you garden. Just be sure
that it’s made of stable materials that
won’t topple in bad weather.
* Flexibility. A raised bed is
limited only by your imagination,
likes and dislikes, and ambition. The
options are endless: You can use just
about any material to form your
walls, from cement block or brick to
pressure-treated lumber, stone or
even plastic. After you’ve put up the
sides, add some gravel to the bottom
to ensure that it will drain well, lay
the soil — preferably a potting mix
with peat — then water the bed
thoroughly and let it settle for a few
days before you begin planting.
Before you know it, you’ll have a
versatile, vibrant and one-of-a-kind
garden, custom-designed down to
the last detail.
* Less compaction. In a
conventional garden, footprints and
heavy machinery often compact the
soil, making it difficult for air and
water to reach a plant’s roots. A
raised bed avoids those problems.
Since you’ll be able to do all of your
gardening from outside its walls,
you’ll avoid tramping on the soil.
* Higher yields. One study found
that the average raised bed garden
could yield twice as many
vegetables and flowers as a
traditional one. Since a raised bed
can be tended without actually
stepping into the bed, you don’t have
to leave walking paths between the
rows. That means you'll have more
room for more plants.
* More control. Poor terrain, a
forest of weeds, or thin topsoil? Who
cares? A raised bed lets you start
from scratch and not have to rely on
whatever Mother Nature dealt your
yard. Most important, a raised bed
lets you control the condition of the
soil. A potting mix that contains peal
moss is an ideal growing medium for
raised beds. It helps regulate the pH,
strengthens plants to protect against
weeds and pests, and releases
moisture and nutrients over time.
Canadian peat moss — a good
option for your raised beds - is a
sustainable resource. Only one acre
in every 6,000 is harvested, and
when harvesting stops, the bogs are
restored to functioning peatlands.
For more information on peat and
the environment, visit the Canadian
Sphagnum Peat Moss Association’s
Web site at www.peatmoss.com.
Tidying up
Install shelves in garages to
organize and clear clutter, and
create a functional work space.
MS) — It’s time to wake-up your
home from its long winter slumber.
To help you get started and achieve
instant impact inside and out, here
are some tips and ideas:
1. Line the home’s front
walkway with four to five new
shrubs.
2. Use asphalt sealer and asphalt
caulking compound to fill cracks in
the driveway.
3. Install shelving units in the
garage to organize gardening tools,
auto supplies and athletic
equipment.
4. Pamper loved ones by
fastening a multijet showerhead into
the master bath.
5. Clean outdoor grill
components thoroughly, and
vacuum out accumulated debris with
a wet/dry vacuum.
6. Use binoculars to inspect
roofing. Call for a professional
inspection if tom or broken edges,
pinching or bending in the shingles
or loose adhesive is spotted.
7. Transform a battered front
door with a new door knocker or
lockset.
8. Replace all burnt-out
lightbulbs indoors and outdoors.
9. Conquer clutter one day at a
time. Choose one cabinet or drawer
to re-organize each day with the
help of a caddy or expanding shelf
or divider.
10. Hang a window box filled
with flowers and greenery outside a
prominent window.
11. Scrub recent motor oil stains
or other spilled substances off the
driveway, deck and other walkways
using a scrub brush, liquid dish soap
and water.
12. Install a light dimmer switch
for an instant way to improve a
room’s ambiance.
13. Weave decorative paper
lantern or twinkle lights through
outdoor patio umbrella spokes or
small trees near spaces reserved for
entertaining.
14. Check gutters to make sure
they are all attached to the house and
working properly.
15. Focus on filter maintenance.
Replace or clean the home’s water,
furnace, dryer, stove exhaust fan and
air conditioning filters.
16. Enhance curb appeal with a
new mailbox or by brushing a fresh
coat of paint on the mailbox post.
Replace or polish tarnished house
numbers for extra “oomph.”
17. Eliminate dirt from
windowpanes with soapsuds and a
squeegee.
18. Give the kitchen a fresh look
by adding sparkling new cabinet and
door hardware.
19. Repot cramped house plants
that have outgrown their current
pots.
20. Unwind after a project is
complete by suspending a hammock
or hammock swing from two trees
or a deck.
Tackling spring spruce-up
projects one at a time will help you
create an attractive and livable
home.
■ shovels ■ lattice
■ bagged potting soil, mulch & organic fertilizer
■ mini ties ■ rakes ■ brooms
■ treated deck & fence materials /fa
■ paint, stains, rollers, brushes
■ picnic tables -
pressure treated
& spruce
///.WZ
BLYTH BUILDING SUPPLIES
■ . -y- 208 Hamilton St.. Blyth
□CstJ (519) 523-9305 castle
building centres
GARDEN
UJcillpaper
everyday $5.00
& Auburn Co-op
(519) 526-7262
Extended hours for Spring
including Saturday
Be
centre)