Small gardens, gardens on a slope or with soil that is unfavorable for herbs can still be used as herb gardens - you just have to create the right conditions. Raised beds, for example, are very suitable for this, as they offer locations for very different herbs.

The raised bed offers various advantages

Which is better: raised beds made of wood or stone?

Simple raised beds can be built from wooden planks, which are connected with brackets and fixed in place with impregnated wooden stakes. However, not every type of wood is suitable: unplaned planks made of larch wood have proven to be particularly favorable for bed construction, because they are very resinous and do not rot so quickly. Alternatively, you can also use robinia or oak wood. In any case, the thickness of the planks should be at least 30 millimeters. However, those made of stone are more durable than raised beds made of wood. These can be made of bricks, sand-lime bricks or concrete blocks. However, since stone is very heavy, you will need a concrete foundation in this case.

Line raised beds before filling

Before filling the raised bed with soil, you must protect it from moisture. Raised beds made of wood can be impregnated on the inside or lined with roofing felt. Be careful not to select outgassing materials in the last case. Brick or sand-lime brick walls, on the other hand, must be painted with waterproof paint. Voles can be kept away by installing durable wire mesh (€14.99) at the bottom of the bed.

Fill a raised bed optimally

The most important thing, however, is the right filling. It is best built like a well layered compost heap. The bottom layer consists of chopped material or twigs cut into small pieces, whereby you should not use acidic coniferous wood. This is followed by a layer of foliage, which in turn is covered with mature compost. This is followed by topsoil (which should make up about 50 percent of the filling) and finally a thin layer of compost. The bed must be filled very well, as the rotting process that begins will quickly cause the soil to sag again. In the fall, fill in the sacked soil with fresh compost.

Building a raised bed - step by step

Here we show you how to build a simple raised bed yourself:

  • Choose a suitable location.
  • Clear the soil of wild herbs.
  • Level it with the rake.
  • Set up the wooden planks provided.
  • Align them with the spirit level.
  • Screw them.
  • Fill the raised bed.
  • Now you can plant it in tight rows.
  • Casting is particularly important.

tips

After three years at the latest, the content of the raised bed is completely composted and the structure must be completely renewed.

Category:

Indoor plants