Raised beds

Got the loan I needed, plus work picked up. Now, hoping that trend continues..

This week, got some more seeds. Know it sounds insane to some people even here but I planted some things which do well in cooler weather. Albuquerque is an interesting place, as some people I work with live at higher elevations. Their gardens produce wildly during the growing season but then the season is really short. Where I live is called the South Valley, which has a longer growing season. The NE side of town sees large amounts of snow in the winter, while this side of the same city gets virtually no snow at all. Note that the elevation from one side of town to the other rises sharply between here and there. 

Any way, I planted two kinds of lettuce, more green beans and have seeds for some peas, broccoli and spinach which I will get in the ground this week. 

One reason I haven't planted the other seeds yet is that it requires an extension of the garden as it stands. However, I have been considering going to raised beds for some time and had decided to do so. I was going to construct them over the winter but decided now is a good time to begin. I can install some raised beds at one end of the existing garden, then change the orientation of the rest of the garden during the winter and raise the rest. Raised beds with this soil would most likely be a tremendous benefit. Easier to control bugs and keep moisture loss at a minimum. Not to mention weeds, which are quite a battle in my yard.

I'm going to just use untreated 2x6x10 lumber from Lowes, propped with stakes cut from 1x2's. The cost of each frame should come in under $20 for a 10x8 bed. 


I got some 3.5 mil plastic sheeting from Walmart, good price at $7.50 for a 10 x 25 ft roll. Even better that it's made from recycled plastic. I can use that and some PVC to build row covers. When spring and summer return, I'm going to test this plastic out as a sun shelter cover. I'm not sure of the UV properties, may write to the company and ask. In any case, it seems like it should do well at blocking some sun and dispersing direct sunlight. Worth a try before going for the expensive stuff. I figure the same plastic should be good for lining the raised bed frames. Comes in clear or black. 


I have some old mover's blankets that I got from UHaul which aren't too decorative but should come in handy for really cold days/nights. 


I'm toying with an idea now for a design for raised beds which I'll have to work on. Since compost produces heat, the concept is building long bins or trenches next to raised beds for winter use. This would extend the growing season for many plants. The concept could go as far as building raised beds on tracks or wheels and placing the compost pits directly underneath the beds. Somewhat limited use for the idea here but could be a great idea for farms and gardens in colder climes. Combined with row covers or even greenhouses, this system could allow growth to continue all winter long with little or no artificial heat source needed. If gasses were a problem, vent pipes could be routed through the soil before being vented to the outside, allowing for greater heat transfer to the soil. The insulation of the beds over the compost pits would allow the composting process to continue at a high rate through the winter and the entire system would help reduce moisture loss. 


Just an idea.