Raised garden beds can look really elegant and are also very easy to build. These are also highly useful if the quality of soil in your backyard is of a poor quality. Here are some simple steps to help you get kick started.

Types of Garden Beds

Wood is logically the preferred choice for creating garden beds. Cedar among them, is particularly popular with gardeners. Typically the garden is at least 8 to 10 inches in height and should not be more than 4 feet wide. It would otherwise be difficult to reach the plants located at the center. You can use also wine or orange crates if you do not need much space. Beds can be constructed with other materials as well. A lot of people create beds by lining bricks or cinder blocks in a shape of their liking. These are usually set with mortar paste. This type of bed can look really aesthetic and will also give you full control over the size of bed you plan to build for yourself.

Measure out a plot of land on your backyard where you intend to grow the plants. Dig out little patches of the earth to have the wooden slabs secured firmly on the ground. You can then add more slabs one on top of the other until you have reached the required height. Glue the edges with super glue and use screws to further secure them.

Layering

One of the benefits to using garden beds is that you can fully exploit places that have only limited space. A lot of gardeners are known to create multiple garden beds each of which is used to grow a certain variety of plants. This way, you can mix and match with several different plant and vegetable varieties in your own garden. You can use high quality soil, which will nourish and supplement the saplings.

For an ideal garden bed, you are required to add many organic layers. Start off by spreading 5 layers of newspaper along the entire area. Use a black and white paper and ensure that the paper is damp to prevent it from flapping. Gloss the paper with a layer of vegetable compost or manure. This should be followed by a mulch of grass, mixed leaves, straw, lawn clippings and peat moss that would cover 1-2 inches in height. After this, you can add rich organic compost. It is essential to have the compost watered a few days earlier so that it nicely settles down. Once the layering is done, you can start your gardening work. You can now place your seedlings under the soil and watch grow to become beautiful plants. Ensure that the plants get at least 6-8 hours of sunshine regularly. During the germination stage, it is essential to have them watered at least once or twice. Hydrate the soil adequately while ensuring that you are not leaving a puddle of water behind. Follow these simple steps and your garden will be teeming with plant life.

As you prepare to plant a garden, it is important to know when to plant each vegetable. Vegetables all have different growing periods and ideal planting times to ensure that they are ready to harvest at their peak time of ripeness. When vegetables are planted at the right time, the return on crop production increases and produces higher quality produce.

Spring Harvest

In some climates, planting vegetables in the late winter and early spring for a spring harvest produces the best quality. These are hardy vegetables that can withstand cold temperatures and survive ground freezes with a light covering.

Vegetables in this category include:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Turnips
• Cabbage
• Collards

These vegetables require starting in cooler temperatures in order to develop strong root bases, thick stalks and tight vegetable heads. The veggies in this category can withstand temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

One of the benefits of these vegetable varieties is that they can be planted again in early fall for a late all harvest as well.

Summer Harvest

Planting in the mid-spring is when most gardeners do all of their vegetable planting. This is not ideal as not all vegetables can withstand dry periods or extreme heat. A majority of vegetables start as delicate seed plants. These require warmer temperatures so that their root bases grow appropriately and they feed off of the sun for growth. The gradually warming ground is best for summer harvest vegetables.

Summer harvest vegetables include:

• Zucchini
• Bell peppers
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Eggplant

The vegetables in this group should be planted after the threat of frost passes.

Fall Harvest

Fall harvest vegetables should be planted in the early summer months to allow proper growing times. These are hardy vegetables such as pumpkins, potatoes and gourds. Most of the produce for fall harvests are planted in June. This makes them ready for early to mid-October.

Winter Harvest

For a winter harvest, usually in the month of December in mild climates, vegetables should be planted in the early fall. Most of these vegetables are root vegetables or those that grow thick stalks. Temperatures down to 29 degrees Fahrenheit are tolerable for this group of produce.

Winter harvest vegetables include:

• Beets
• Cauliflower
• Rutabagas
• Carrots
• Irish potatoes
• Swiss chard

Chard can be grown nearly year round in some climates as it is able to grow during periods of high heat. Celery is another vegetable that grows year round, but does do well for a winter harvest. Most of the produce in this category are able to survive through a light freeze and still remain edible.

When planning your garden, create a planting calendar. This should be weather and temperature based with a breakdown of what vegetables to plant during specific months. The end result is beautiful produce that is ready at the peak of the season. It is acceptable to start veggies in a greenhouse or indoor peat pots so that they are hardier plants when transplanted in the ground. It helps the plants to withstand strong winds, downpours and periods of dryness.

Growing fresh vegetables in your own garden saves money and creates a hobby. Any vegetable that is designated for summer harvest should be planted in the early spring but after the threat of frost has passed. These all start as delicate plants and require time to build a strong root base for hardy plants.

View Zones

All vegetable plants and seed packets come with zone planting directions on them. It is vital that you know what zone your location falls in. This helps you gauge the right time to plant the vegetables so that they grow properly in the ground.

Zone charts show regions of the country along with their average first and last frost dates. This helps gardeners plant the vegetables for each season at the right time.

Of course, starting the plants inside for transplanting later is an option.

Squash

There are many varieties of squash. Varieties such as acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash should be planted in the mid-summer for fall harvest. Other varieties such as zucchini and yellow squash are summer harvest vegetables that should be planted with your spring planting produce.

These plants are very thin and fragile when they first sprout and begin to grow. Waiting until after the last frost of the year is a must to ensure that the plants are not killed. These should also be planted in a raised mound so that the rains do not flood the vines.

Beans

Beans are started as seeds. It is best to sew these into the ground in straight rows. Try not to overlap the bean seeds so that plants do not grow together. Since beans grow close together, it is ideal to use planting mesh over the row. Cut a slit down the middle lengthwise so that the plants can sprout properly. The mesh prevents weed growth. Weeds can get intertwined with the plants, smothering them.

Corn

Corn has a long growing period. Its harvest time is late July through early September. Corn should be planted as early as possible. It is ideal to plant kernels that are already fertilized. It is also ideal to plant the kernels in enriched soil so that the stalks grow tall and strong.

Plant corn far away from other vegetables as the stalks can hinder the sunlight from getting to the rest of the garden. It also takes up a great deal of space.

Bell Peppers and Tomatoes

Bell peppers and tomatoes are delicate as young plants. The ideal ground temperature to plant these vegetables is 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that the ground is soft enough for planting and that the temperature of the earth will not freeze the roots. Each variety of these veggies grows at different paces, so seeing harvestable vegetables as early as mid-May is possible.

Planting a garden is a science. Delicate veggies often require an indoor starting period. Make sure that you have full knowledge of your zone and when the temperatures are warm enough past the ground’s surface so that the vegetables will grow and produce hardy edibles.

Today, gardening is not limited to outdoors only. People living in apartments or places where there are no outside space can also participate in gardening. Indoor gardening is a challenging but exciting activity. Starting an indoor garden is not a complex process; all you have to do is choose a container and the plants to grow. There are different types of plants that you can choose. Below is a list of the best plants to grow indoors.

I. Spider plant

Spider plants are easy to plant. Even though the leaves tend to grow towards the direction of the sunlight, the plant can still mature well in partial sunlight. You are required to water the plants regularly especially during summer.

II. Peperomia

Peperomia is a perfect plant to grow indoors because of its ability to thrive under different conditions. This plant is similar to succulent plants in terms of appearance. However, don’t make the mistake of assuming they require the same conditions to survive. Unlike succulents, Peperomia requires a lot of water and high humidity. They require moderate lighting.

III. Gerbera daisies

Gerbera daisies are mostly grown outdoors, however with proper care they can mature well indoors. You need to provide the plant with enough sunlight for it to grow well. They require moderate water and moderate temperatures. You need to groom the plant often by cutting off dead leaves or flowers.

IV. Dieffenbachia

This can make a perfect decoration for both home and office environment. The plant can adapt to different conditions. They grow best under indirect sunlight. The plant does not flourish in too much moisture which is usually caused by over watering. As much as the plant brightens the room, it can cause irritation to the skin especially the lips. So you need to keep them away from children and pets

V. Snake plant

This plant is the best among all the houseplants as it can withstand any condition. The only thing that has been reported to hinder their growth is under and over watering. They grow well under direct sunlight and they are favored by warm temperatures.

VI. Zamioculcas zamifolia (ZeeZee plant)

This is an easy to grow and care for plant. It blends in with any environmental setting – be modern or traditional. It thrives in low sunlight. It grows slowly compared to the other house plants.

VII. Rubber tree plant

Rubber tree plant should be planted in a big pot. The plant should be watered regularly at least once a week. You should avoid over and under watering. Unlike most of the houseplants, the rubber tree needs to be fertilized regularly (every two weeks). It requires moderate sunlight to grow. You should however move the plant away from the sun when the new leaves start growing. It is important to trim the plant to avoid over growing.

VIII. Dracaena

Dracaena plants are easy to grow. They are perfect for indoor garden as they are drought resistance. It is quite important not to over water them. You are advised to allow the plant to dry (not completely) between watering.