 Building Raised Garden Beds
Why build raised garden beds? Raised beds are beneficial if you live in an area with poor quailty soil or have limited space to dedicate to your gardening adventure.
Raised beds may be purely decorative, such as our wheelbarrow of petunias to the right. This style certainly adds interest to your landscape! Or you may choose to construct your vegetable garden in raised beds.
Raised beds offer an environment that may be more easily controlled than a regular garden bed: you are supplying the soil as well as all the elements and additives in the soil; you are able to plant things closer together so your crop yield is likely to increase, and weeds are less likely to bed down in your raised garden bed; your soil does not get packed due to foot traffic; you're able to feed and water your plants more effectively; your garden bed soil is warmer than the surrounded area, so your seedlings will get a jumpstart on their grown. And some people find raised beds more aesthetically appealing.
As for the material used to make the raised bed - you are only limited by your creativity, just remember it is basically a frame: a bottomless and topless frame to provide structure and support to your future garden bed. The most basic choice of course is wood. Once constructed, add good quality soil, compost and fertilizer, and you are ready for planting.
You may take your raised garden bed one step further and construct a hoop house around it that will provide a greenhouse effect to your young plants. You may set up fencing or netting to deter critters.
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Preparing Your Soil
The majority of preparing your soil should have been done in the Fall, but if you have Spring fever, and you've just started thinking about gardening, it's not too late. You will need to work up the ground as soon as it is dry enough. Soil should be dry and loamy, and you should work up 8-12 inches deep, making the soil smooth and aerated - not clumpy. We suggest adding three important things to your garden area: peat moss, compost and fertilizer.
Peat moss provides quick absorption of nutrients which it disperses to your plants as needed, it keeps the soil from hardening, and it retains moisture.
Compost is the end result of the decomposition of organic matter. Compost provides nutrients and beneficial microorganisms to the soil, adjusts the soil's pH, binds contaminants to prevent leaching and absorption by plants, helps to prevent weeds, and retains moisture. Read more about compost here.
A granular 5-5-5 or 5-10-5 fertilizer should be added to the soil. Till or turn over the soil, and rake smooth.
Provided you have planned out your garden, have all the supplies you should need (which you can find at All Seasons), and have made all possible considerations about your garden: You are ready for planting!
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Prom
Our florists are always on hand to help you choose the perfect corsage and boutineer. We have a wide selection of flowers ranging from the traditional rose or carnation to the exotic orchid. Combined with accents, greenery, glitz and/or ribbon, your corsage is sure to be one of a kind.
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Spring Flowers
Tulips & Irises are the stars of Spring! But don't forget Daffodils, Hyacinths, Allium, Crocus, Narcissus and Muscari. All Seasons carries these bulbs and more in the fall months.
Winter in North Dakota can be extreme, which is why seeing the first flowers of Spring can be a relief to all. Bulbs should be planted as soon as they purchased in the fall.
Begin feeding bulbs with liquid or dry fertilizer as they emerge from the ground.
Tulips
Tulips come in many colors and sizes and are easy to grow. They prefer full sun and well-draining soil, but will do all right in part shade. Pictured is the new Giant Sunset tulip which was named by our own Dieter Heitmann while traveling in Holland. It is like no other tulip!
Iris
Irises are among the most popular garden plants and many iris species are native to our area. Irises can be planted any time Spring through Fall and are grown from rhizomes. Over time the rhizomes crowd together and need to be dug up and divided; roughly every three or four years the rhizomes will need to be split. Our Georgia Heitmann is an expert on Irises and available if you have any questions about this gorgeous spring flower.
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Starting Seeds
Our growing season here in zone 3 is short, so it is adventageous to start seeds indoors; you never know when we might get one of those spring snowstorms! Starting plants from seeds is also less expensive, and it may give you more pride in your gardening experience to see your work go from seed to harvest. May 20th is generally our last "chance for frost" date, so you will want to keep that in mind in figuring out when to start your seeds. Read the back of your seed packets. Certain plants need to be started sooner than others. For instance, tomatoes should be started indoors 6-8 weeks prior to the last frost date and certain types of squash only need 3 weeks before transplanting in the garden.
Seeds need to be started in a sterile, well-draining soilless medium which should consist of sphagnum moss, vermiculite and perlite; you can purchase a ready mix, mix it yourself, or use seed pellets, all of which All Seasons carries. Any small container or tray will work provided there are drainage holes. The soilless medium should be thoroughly moistened before planting seeds. Seeds should be spread on the top and then covered. The smaller the seed the closer to the surface it should be planted. Pay attention to your seed packet information for any special sowing instructions. Avoid the temptation to oversow. Thin seedlings if needed.
Seeds should not be kept too cool (seedlings will germinate slowly) or too warm (seedlings will grow quickly, get leggy and then die off). Seedlings need lots of light, proper moisture, and fertilizer. They may be transplanted into subsequently larger containers, but you will want to plant them outside just as they become large enough to withstand transplanting, this is generally when they have two sets of proper leaves.
A common problem with seed starting is a disease called Damping-Off. This is represented by seedlings flopping over at soil level and is caused by a fungus due to excess moisture. Avoid this by watering from the bottom, and providing sufficient ventiliation and air movement to the seedlings. You may also use an organic or non-organic fungicide.
Get creative and experiment with different types of seeds. Keep a journal and record your experience: what worked, what didn't, things to try next time. All Seasons has all the tools you will need to get started, and we are available to answer any questions that come up in your gardening adventures.
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Thinking Organic
There is a lot to think about when it comes to organic gardening. And there are many sources of information out there, so this segment is really just to get you started. The reasons for 'going organic' are many, but center around one principle and that is the promotion of a less toxic environment for all living things. With that in mind, you may want to consider the following topics: pest and animal repellent, weed control, natural fertilizers and plant foods, disease prevention and care, companion planting, growing techniques, garden soil composition and compost.
Repelling Pests and Animals
There are many tricks of the trade on this topic, and you may have to try a few different things to see what works best for you. After all, the whole of gardening is a learning experience. Find out what kinds of things you can grow that naturally repel critters, such as marigolds, onions, garlic and mint whose pungent smells are all believed to keep rabbits and deer away. Companion planting may also act as a natural pest repellent as some bugs may be drawn to certain plants, but then repelled by others, which works well for the gardener who chooses to plant them next to each other as a safeguard (please see more on this topic, Companion Planting).
When thinking about pesticides, it is important to remember that there are many beneficial insects that we do not want to lose in an effort to get rid of the troublesome critters. After all, part of organic gardening is promoting harmony within our ecosystem: taking from the environment, and then offering good things back to it (such as compost). Please visit http://www.organicgardening.com/ and follow the link OG Solutions for detailed information on controlling a number of common garden bugs.
Weed Control
Nothing works better than the old-fashioned pulling weeds by hand (or by hoe). Pull them when they're young, and then stay on top of weeding throughout the growing season. Weeds compete for sun, moisture, and nutrients from the soil, some gardeners choose to plant their rows close together to drown out the weeds. Putting down a layer of mulch will help prevent weeds as well as offer benefits to the soil such as moisture retention, but mulch should be kept a couple inches away from plants' stems to prevent rot. Again, gardening is a process of trial and error, you will find out what words best for you.
Natural Fertilizers and Plant Foods
All Seasons has many natural and organic fertilizers for sale, which you can check out on our Product Guide. Interested in really getting your hands dirty? Try composting. Read about it here.
Disease Prevention and Care
Plants are happiest in areas that offer good air flow, low humidity and abundant sunshine. By providing these elements, you are already doing your part to prevent disease. Rotating crops from year to year will help prevent any diseases that may have overwintered in your soil from popping up again. Lime, sulfur and copper sulfate naturally prevent diseases in plants, so you might want to consider them as an additive to your soil, which All Seasons carries. Keep plants from getting too bushy as moisture can gather in the dark recesses provided by excess foliage. Treating diseases organically may be a bit tricky (but definitely do-able, considering how popular organic gardening is), which is why it is so important to take all the preventive measures possible.
Companion Planting
Companion Planting is the concept of planting certain crops together for a benefical consequence, as well as planting certain crops separate from each other to prevent transfer of bugs or diseases. Companion planting is a good practice regardless of your gardening methods - organic or non, because it generally promotes harmony in the environment of your garden. Read all about it here. This document was provided by Steve Sagaser, Grand Forks County Extension Agent.
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Transplanting
Seedlings
You will first want to harden off your seedlings. Hardening off is a good practice to use which basically toughens up the plant. Set your seedlings outside for a gradually longer period of time each day, keep with your watering schedule, and by the end of a week, your plants should be ready to go in the garden. Water them before transplanting. Loosen up the roots with your fingers. Dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball, set in the plant so about 1/4" of soil covers the root ball. Pat down the dirt and water every day until the plants are established and growing well. Spacing of plants varies, so do your research. Tomato plants should be planted with their tomato cages or stakes from the start. Here in ND, the wind blows and blows, so you may want to consider staking your peppers to encourage establishment.
Shrubs & Trees
With the excellent care you are going to give your plants, shrubs and trees, it is important to keep in mind that they are all going to grow, grow, grow, so knowing the correct spacing is essential, as well as location. Trees and shrubs can be moved, but only up to a certain size. Consider the surroundings and avoid any possible future obstructions the shrub or tree may encounter. Shrubs and trees may be sold in any one of several options: container grown, balled and burlapped (B & B), field-potted, bare root, or a tree from a tree farm that would need to be planted with a tree spade.
When planting a containerized shrub or tree, always remove the container at the plant site, and try not to disrupt the root ball, unless the item is root bound, in which case you may need to cut some of the roots to loosen the root ball before planting. The hole should be twice as wide as the root ball, but not as deep, the top of the root ball should be a little higher than the ground. It is a good idea to amend poor soil with peat moss or compost; mix this thoroughly with your soil before backfilling the hole.
Bare root shrubs and trees should be planted early Spring, before its dormancy period ends. The Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association recommends "bare root plants should be placed with the largest branches facing the prevailing winds and with the roots straightened and spread evenly within the hole."
Balled and burlapped trees and shrubs may need special equipment for planting, due to the weight of root ball which is held in place by twine and burlap or a wire basket. The size of the hole should be roughly one foot wider, and once the plant is placed, any burlap, twine and wire may be removed from around the trunk and the top of the root ball. This should not be completely removed as disrupting the root ball may severely damage the tree. Start backfilling, water to remove any air pockets, finish backfilling, water thoroughly and enjoy!
Other Notes and Aftercare
It is a very good idea to apply root stimulator to your new tree or shrub to encourage establishment. Adding mulch at its base will help the plant retain soil moisture as well as prevent weeds. Fertilize plants and trees early spring when they need the extra boost for spring growth and production. Water regularly and pay attention to rainfall amounts to ensure proper watering amounts. Plants and trees generally require one inch of water per week. Test the soil, if it is dry a couple inches down it needs to be watered. If there is a hot spell, plants and trees will require more frequent watering.
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