We have been adding some raised garden beds to the Kitchen Garden. Like so many we are looking at different ways to increase our vegetable growing space. Michael made the raised garden beds from rough sawn Tasmanian Oak, we don’t stain or “treat” them with anything. They generally last about ten years, and when no longer used for garden beds they can be dismantled and burnt or go in the bottom of another raised bed to break down and return to the earth. No landfill, no plastic, no chemicals. Safe for us and safe for Michael when he is making them.

I’ve designed the raised beds with the scalloped edge. Making them four boards high is just high enough for our Spoodles to go around them when they are playing and running about the garden. This height means the dogs don’t run over the raised beds or jump in them.

We will only fill the raised beds half/ to three quarters the way with soil and homemade compost, that way plants will have some protection from the wind that does so much damage as it whips through the garden.

We fill the beds up with layers of  garden/shrub clippings, small twigs and sticks, fennel stalks, this all breaks down. There is a twenty to thirty centimetre layer of compost/soil at the top and a thick layer of mulch to cover it all. We won’t plant anything until Spring, resting the beds before growing helps everything break down over winter, and come Springtime they will be ready to plant into.

I’ll share more photos when the raised garden beds are put into place.

Until next time,

Jude x