How to build a raised garden bed with pavers

You can use a variety of materials to construct raised beds. Most beds are made of wood.

However, pavers make great edging material that lasts virtually forever, and this works great when edging up to a concrete path. A simple paver costs between 40 cents and $2 at Home Depot(depending on size). You will need about 30-60 pavers (depending on size) to build one raised garden bed. Here is a good example of such inexpensive paver: Pavestone Holland 4 in. x 8 in. Concrete Paver, 39 cents http://goo.gl/F2OEF

To get good alignment, get some chalk and draw a line across them to indicate how far you bury one end into the ground. You can also put a wooden stake at each end, and stretch a piece of string across the top at the right height to get the tops level if the ground is uneven and can’t be used as a reference. You can hang a small builders line level on the string to make sure your string sits level if you have one.



Pavers at Home Depot





How to Build a Raised Island Garden Bed with Retaining Wall Bricks:



Paverstone Landcaping & Garden Edging - DIY videos from Home Depot:





$35 raised bed at Home Depot

How to Make a Raised Garden Bed from Bricks - YouTube http://buff.ly/1f7U9AH



References:

Raised Garden Beds « Deep Green Permaculture http://goo.gl/5o1qa

Raised Beds & Accessories -  at The Home Depot http://goo.gl/aj5kE

Greenes 48 in. x 48 in. Cedar Raised Garden Bed, $34.97 at The Home Depot http://goo.gl/FtSK5

How to Build a DIY Raised Garden Bed - The Home Depot http://goo.gl/9nqyc

Pavers & Step Stones at The Home Depot http://goo.gl/bMmD0

Successful Raised Bed Garden - Cement Block Construction - YouTube http://goo.gl/4q34e

Home Depot Buying Guide: Pavers http://goo.gl/bPc2T

Raised bed with pavers - Minneapolis Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://bit.ly/VklZML

Square Foot Garden - 5 videos by Wingard's Nursery

n his Limited Space Gardening workshop, Dale Miller of Wingard's Nursery & Garden Center presents two gardening systems: the EarthBox and Square Foot Gardening.

Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest

You can plant the "CLeaR" vegetables in your fall vegetable garden:

Cabbage
Leafy plants - Lettuce, chard
Root crops - Radish, turnip. The root crops can be remembered by the mnemonic RBT ("rabbit"): Radish, Beet, Turnip.

In August 2012, Mel Bartholomew, the creator of Square Foot Gardening, suggested the following Fall Seed Kit http://bit.ly/PyLBrL

Plant -- Variety -- Days to Harvest
Spinach -- Tyee 45
Turnips -- Tokyo 40
Radish -- Cherry Belle 22
Swiss Chard -- Lucullus 60
Loose Leaf Lettuce -- Red Fire 29
Loose Leaf Lettuce -- Black Seeded Simpson 45
Beets -- Ruby Queen 55
Bibb Lettuce -- Buttercrunch 68
Scallions -- Evergreen 65
Leek -- Lincoln 50
Carrots -- Nantes 70
Peas Super -- Sugar Snap 66

Here is a brief summary of each plant based on Jung Seed descriptions:

Tyee Hybrid Spinach

The disease resistance makes this spinach cultivar adaptable and productive. Semi-savoyed leaves are dark green, growing to a height of 10 inches. Plants are slow to bolt in high temperatures and have a high tolerance of Races 1 and 3 of Downy Mildew. Leaves stay cleaner than other varieties thanks to an upright growth habit. Excellent for both home and commercial growers. Maturity: 45, typical planting: Spring, Seeds Per Packet: 350.



Tokyo Cross Hybrid Turnip

It produces smooth, white roots that are semi-globe shaped with white flesh that is firm, crisp, fine-grained and mildly flavored. A rapid grower. Seed sown as late as July 15 still produces a fine crop. Maturity: 35-40 days, Seeds Per Packet: 500, Planting Depth: 1/2", Spacing: 2" to 4".



Cherry Belle Radish

This cultivar is noted for earliness (22 days), quality, and appearance. Round red radishes are uniform in size and shape. Tops are small, making it suitable for bunching. 1949 AAS winner. Spacing: 1" to 2". Planting Season: Spring & Fall. Maturity: 22. Planting Depth: 1/2". Seeds Per Packet: 500



Lucullus Swiss Chard

Thick, white 12 inch stalks and crinkled green leaves. Very productive. Height: 12". Spacing: 4" to 6". Planting Season: Spring. Maturity: 60. Planting Depth: 1/2". Seeds Per Packet: 350.



Red Fire Lettuce

The New Red Fire leaf lettuce takes the prize for red color and bolt resistance. It forms heavy loose heads. Planting Season: Spring. Maturity: 29. Seeds Per Packet: 1000.



Black Seeded Simpson Loose leaf Lettuce

This 100 year-old garden classic can be relied upon whether sown early in the spring or during the summer. Heat resistant. Spacing: 6". Planting Season: Spring. Maturity: 45. Planting Depth: 1/4". Seeds Per Packet: 1000.



Ruby Queen Beet (Beta vulgaris)

This is a time-tested favorite. Globe-shaped roots are smooth and uniform, deep red, tender and sweet. 1957 AAS Winner. Spacing: 3" to 4". Planting Season: Spring. Maturity: 55. Seeds Per Packet: 300. Planting Depth: 1/2".



Buttercrunch Lettuce

Buttercrunch lettuce is easy to grow. It remains in good condition longer than other bibb-types. 1963 AAS Winner. Spacing: 8" to 12". Planting Season: Spring. Maturity: 68. Seeds Per Packet: 1000. Planting Depth: 1/2".



Evergreen Bunching Onion Seed (Scallions)

This is a non-bulbing variety, suitable for bunching or green onions. Seed sown in early spring produces slender, white stalks with green tops ready to eat by midsummer. Planting Season: Spring. Maturity: 65. Seeds Per Packet: 500. Planting Depth: 1/2".



Lincoln Leek

You can grow baby leeks or mild giants with this variety. Suitable for containers. Sow seed thickly like scallions and harvest when finger-size for baby leeks, leaving some to mature into full-size giant leeks 2-1/2 inches or more in diameter. Plant from early summer to fall for a steady supply. Hilling your leeks will encourage longer shanks. Maturity: 50-80. Seeds Per Packet: 250.

Nantes or Coreless Carrot

This is a popular "half-long carrot", averaging 6 inches in length by 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Smooth roots are orange color throughout with a small core free of any woody fiber. Matures quickly for early use. Spacing: 1" to 2". Planting Season: Spring. Maturity: 70. Seeds Per Packet: 750. Planting Depth: 1/4".



Super Sugar Snap Pea

This cultivar has all the qualities of the original Sugar Snap with even thicker pods for extra sweet, crisp flavor. It bears several days earlier and has added resistance to powdery mildew and tolerance to pea leaf roll virus resulting in higher yields. Compact vines grow 4 to 6 feet (suitable for containers). Height: 4' to 6'. Spacing: 2". Planting Season: Spring. Maturity: 66. Seeds Per Packet: 1 1/2 ounce. Planting Depth: 1".



Cool-season Crops - WSU - Organic Farm http://goo.gl/cU1pI

Hardy
Asparagus
Broad Bean
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Chive
Collards
Garlic
Asparagus
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leek
Mustard
Onion
Parsley
Pea
Radish
Rhubarb
Spinach
Turnip
Parsnip
Potato
Salsify

Half-hardy
Beet
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chicory
Chinese cabbage
Globe artichoke
Endive
Lettuce

References:

Fall 2011 Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/DwY8t

Fall and Winter Vegetable Planting Guide - Ed Hume http://bit.ly/RQ8sKf -- What to Grow for a Family of Four http://bit.ly/RQ8vG4

Monthly Garden Projects - Ed Hume's Year-round Gardening Projects Calendar http://goo.gl/z98HA

Fall Winter Chart for Planting - Westcoastseeds.com (PDF) http://bit.ly/11QWzJd

What to Plant in a Fall Vegetable Garden

You can find out what you can plant at any moment using the calculator available at SproutRobot:  http://bit.ly/159mzCW

Plant CLeaR in your fall vegetable garden:

Cabbage
Leafy plants - Lettuce, bok choi, chard
Root crops - Radish, beet, turnip

Remember to add a handful of homemade compost to each square foot before you plant.

1. Cabbages

The first group to be planted in the fall would be the cabbage family, and that would include different types of cabbage, like red or green with different leaf patterns. Next would be:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussel sprouts

2. Leafy plants - Lettuce, bok choi, chard

The second group of fall cool weather planting would be all of the leaf plants like lettuce and spinach. There are many different colors, shapes, and varieties in the seed catalogs. Look for some that are particularly cold-resistant and you’ll be able to carry them right into the winter. They don’t grow fast in the cold weather, so you won’t have as large a harvest, but you will still be successful.

3. Root crops - Radish, beet, turnip.

All kinds of carrots, beets, and radishes can be planted in the fall. Don’t forget to save your unused seeds in a Ziploc bag in a refrigerator so they’re ready for next spring. All root crops are best grown from seeds planted directly into the garden where they will grow rather than from transplants.

The root crops can be remembered by the mnemonic RBT ("rabbit"): Radish, Beet, Turnip.

What NOT to do

Don’t plant any of the summer warm weather crops, like:

Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplants
Squashes
Cucumbers

Here is how it looks in real life:

UME Master Gardener shows off his food garden and speaks about when he plants and harvests his fall vegetables:





"What to Grow" Plan for August-September for Illinois

An example for 6 sub-irrigated planters (12-inch):

1. Radish (22 days to harvest)
2. Turnip (40 days)
3. Lettuce (45 days, you can start earlier if using as microgreens)
4. Swiss chard (50 days)
5. Parsley (50 days)
6. Swiss chard, radish or turnip

Potting mix

Add potting mix/soil, fertilizer in the mix, plus a fertilizer band at the top. I add vermiculite to the commercial potting mixes available at The Home Depot such as Miracle Gro Organic Choice. A good option is to mix 2/3 potting mix with 1/3 coarse grade vermiculite. For Chicago, a local retailer called Brew & Grow sells a 40-lb pound of vermiculite for $24. I add organic dry powder fertilizer made of fish.

Plastic "mulch" cover

Some people place a plastic "mulch" cover at the top but in my experience this causes mold to develop below the cover. You can still use the plastic mulch method when transplanting larger plants such as tomato or pepper in the spring. The DIY version of the plastic mulch cover can be made easily and cheaply from a black trash bag. Cut holes for planting through it. One large trash bag is enough for six 12-inch planters.



Fall Seed Kit suggested by Mel Bartholomew, the creator of Square Foot Gardening http://bit.ly/PyLBrL

Here are the seeds suggested by Mel:

Plant -- Variety -- Days to Harvest
Spinach -- Tyee 45
Turnips -- Tokyo 40
Radish -- Cherry Belle 22
Swiss Chard -- Lucullus 60
Loose Leaf Lettuce -- Red Fire 29
Loose Leaf Lettuce -- Black Seeded Simpson 45
Beets -- Ruby Queen 55
Bibb Lettuce -- Buttercrunch 68
Scallions -- Evergreen 65
Leek -- Lincoln 50
Carrots -- Nantes 70
Peas Super -- Sugar Snap 66

Cool-season Crops - WSU - Organic Farm http://goo.gl/cU1pI

Hardy
Asparagus
Broad Bean
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Chive
Collards
Garlic
Asparagus
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leek
Mustard
Onion
Parsley
Pea
Radish
Rhubarb
Spinach
Turnip
Parsnip
Potato
Salsify

Half-hardy
Beet
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chicory
Chinese cabbage
Globe artichoke
Endive
Lettuce

References:

Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest

Here is how to plan what to plant according you where you live: Average First and Last Frost Dates by State http://goo.gl/6Bc8P

Free Seed Starting Calculator - free, downloadable Excel spreadsheet from PlanterTomato website http://goo.gl/HtHn0

How To Plan A Fall Square Foot Garden | Mel Bartholomew, Creator of Square Foot Gardening http://goo.gl/14ywG

Eat Live Grow Paleo: GROW  http://goo.gl/zpWXE

Fall 2011 Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/DwY8t

Fall and Winter Vegetable Planting Guide - Ed Hume http://bit.ly/RQ8sKf -- What to Grow for a Family of Four http://bit.ly/RQ8vG4

Monthly Garden Projects - Ed Hume's Year-round Gardening Projects Calendar http://goo.gl/z98HA

Fall Winter Chart for Planting - Westcoastseeds.com (PDF) http://bit.ly/11QWzJd

Recommended Crops to Plant Mid to Late Summer to Harvest in Fall - Johnny Seeds http://bit.ly/13EhG8o

Free online calculators for vegetable planting in square food garden

Here are 2 free online calculators for vegetable planting in square food garden:

Design your garden bed - Gardeners.com http://goo.gl/8bhKi

Vegetable Planner http://goo.gl/vkHWF