HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-04-15, Page 45E
Page 19
HlC
H RAISED BEDS ARE RIGHT FOR YOU? Spring isthe time to get
backyard equipment in shape
Many people can get into
raised bed gardening
What has been around for hundreds of
years yet, to some gardeners, is brand new?
What can be as wide as five feet and as
narrow as a foot and a half?
What can help root crops straighter and
longer?
What can give more control over soil con-
tent in the garden?
What type of gardening has a typical size
of 4 x 6 ft. and has growing space eight in-
ches higher than walkways?
The answer is raised beds. According to
the experts, raised bed gardening is the
answer for many flower and vegetable
gardeners.
Where do raised beds work best? Raised
beds work especially well if soil is poor,
rocky or compacted; if the spring season is
cold and wet; or if the garden soil is too
muddy to enter following a rain.
What's the best way to make a raised bed?
NGA experts found three basic methods
work to construct a raised bed.
•The easy way — Shovel, hoe or rake the
earth from the path to the raised bed, then
rake along the top to even the soil, then
tamp the edge firm with a hoe.
•The tiller way — With a hiller-furrower
attachment, drive the tiller so the machine
pushes soil from the path to what will be the
beds on either side of the path. To make
beds higher, repeat as necessary. Repeat
entire process on each path until finished.
•The hard way,— This is the double digg-
ing method of digging a trench with a
shovel, the depth of the shovel blade, putting
the soil in a wheelbarrow and then loosening
the base soil with a fork.
Dig a second trench adjacent to the first,
putting top soil into first trench, then loosen
the soil at the base of the second trench.
Continue moving top soil and loosening sub-
soil until all beds are done.
Complete by adding soil in wheelbarrow
from first trench to the last trench. Never
stand on soil in bed.
For all three methods, add organic matter
to soil.
Rows can run the length of the bed but ex-
perts advise that rows running across the
raised beds are easier to hoe, weed and
harvest.
Plant in blocks to cut down on weeds.
Mix vegetables and flowers in raised
beds. (Example: Lettuce and herbs grow
well in the shade of tomatoes, with radishes
and marigolds and/or john jump -ups along
edges. )
The hard way:
double digging.
- - - - - - — — -
Choose plant varieties that like warm dry
soil. NGA finds that root crops succeed,
while corn does not, nor do crops that need
to be hilled like Leeks and potatoes. Peren-
nials such as strawberries need to be well
mulched.
LOVE
YOUR
LAWN
With springtime just around the corner,
now is the time to get backyard equipment
in shape. After the long winter, it would be
wise to see how well lawn and patio furniture
weathered the storm and to make any
necessary repairs
One of the best ways to repair furniture
made from wood or metal is 'with epoxy.
However, up until now, most epoxies have
been difficult to work with and messy to use.
New from the Devcon Corporation this
season is an epoxy in putty form that makes
backyard furniture repairs a snap.
lin-Reel, a fast -curing epoxy putty on a
handy pocket sized spool, features Devcon's
5 -Minute Epoxy Putty in a new easy-to-use
form. Simply tear or cut the needed amount
from the spool, blend together between
fingertips and apply to a clean dry surface.
Both resin and hardener are layered
together on the spool to make application
easy, quick and clean.
Devcon 5 -Minute Epoxy Putty is extreme-
ly effective for filling gaps, plugging holes
and making durable repairs to lawn fur-
niture made from wood, metal and other
materials.
See what's new
in home decorating
at our booth at the
Goderich Home Show
GODERICH ARENA - APRIL 24-25-26
VISIT OUR BOOTH
AND SEE THE LATEST IN
LEVOLOR WINDOW FASHIONS
3 See our
WINDOW FASHION BOUTIQUE
display at the Home Show
LEVOLORTM
•Vertical Blinds •New 1/2" Micro
•Woven Woods •RIVIERA' 1"
•LEVOLITE Pleated Shades
•Custom Laminated Blinds
NORHOLM
Decorating Centre
53 KING STREET, CLINTON
(Just across from the Post Office) 482-3528