Lesson 8: Raised Beds And Container Gardening
Maximizing A Small Space
Intensive gardening is catching fire all across the United States. Today’s tinier lots and time constraints make this an ideal way to have it all, with minimum effort. There are a number of outstanding books available to help us get the most out of limited spaces.
In a 2x12 bed for instance, you can grow corn, cucumbers, melons, tomatoes and squash easily and productively. It all depends on what you want and having great soil. The soil is custom blended to ensure maximum harvests. Weeds don’t grow as the space is filled with healthy thriving plant growth.
One of the best books on this method of gardening is Chris Bird’s Cubed Foot Gardening. He takes you step by step through the entire process in clear, easy to understand fashion.
Another great resource is the best-selling Square Foot Gardening, seen on PBS and now available as a book. Mel Bartholomew shows us how to grow all we need in a 100 square foot plot. Both of these resources will help you gain valuable insights on how you can make the most use of your time and garden spaces.
One key element intensive gardeners need to be aware of is replenishing the trace minerals in the soil. Iron, copper, zinc, manganese and magnesium, are all needed to produce such vigorous and healthy plants. Simply replenishing the soil without adding these key components will decrease yields and impact the overall health of the plants.
Close, intensive planting creates an ideal self-sustaining environment. Roots are protected by the dense foliage and moisture retention is increased. It is very important to keep the area picked clean of rotting fruit and plant debris. 15 minutes an evening should be all the maintenance required. This is truly the wave of the gardening future, and one way we can dramatically increase yields for our shrinking planet.
Topic of Discussion: Let’s read the book and plan our own areas of intensive garden. We can compare notes, offer tips and brag a bit about our whopper tomatoes.
