by LeeAnn Davis, Master Gardener, Pinal County Cooperative Extension
This is the perfect time to gather the family and grow your own food. Self-sustainability in your backyard can be done in a small area and yield a surprising amount of production.
It is wonderful to go out in your yard to collect fresh nutritious homegrown vegetables. Be sure to check what zone you are living in to be sure your plants will survive. I will add a link to the Pinal County Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners webpage; there you will find a guide to planting in your area.
There are many different methods of construction for a raised garden bed, such as here brick, wood, rock, and concrete. I have tried a few methods over nearly 29 years of gardening in Arizona.
Adding a drip system to your raised bed is the standard way to ensure consistent watering.
Choosing a raised garden bed has its benefits — protection from pests, controlled soil quality, fewer weeds, no-tilling. This method also conserves water. Some folks find it easier to reach all the plants without kneeling and stretching.
Wicking beds are a fantastic way to maintain a productive garden. I have used this method since 2018, and I am excited about the results.
In the concept of a wicking bed, a lower chamber is constructed that holds water. The plants seek out the water below promoting a healthy root system. The plants use the water as needed from the chamber. It is necessary to topwater the garden until seedlings establish stronger roots.
Choose a location with at least eight hours of full morning sun in the winter and summer.
Be mindful of surrounding trees that may cast shade on your garden. You do not want to block the sun in the morning.
What size?
Decide on the size, height, and width of the raised bed you would like.
I have two sizes, the larger beds of 8 feet by 8 feet are a little harder to reach to the center. I like the 4 feet by 8 feet bed because I am short; easier to manage. The larger beds in my garden are great for trailing and climbing plants like cucumbers, squash, pumpkin, etc. A trellis can be added to either one of the sizes.
Basic construction
We used 12 feet by 8 feet fir planking; you will need 2 feet by 4 feet to secure the planks for support.
Staple 1⁄2-inch hardware cloth to the bottom of the bed to discourage gophers and ground squirrels; put cardboard on the inside of the bed to protect the plastic liner; then line the bed with poly sheeting (we used a 20 mil tarp). I would use a thicker liner. You can find pond liners online. Staple around the top edge as pictured. Then put in the perforated pipe also called French drainpipe. You can find this at your big box stores. I used a square of landscaping fabric on the end of the perforated pipe and secured it with a zip tie to keep the pea gravel out and let the water flow freely through the perforated pipe.
Attach the other end to the 2-foot PVC pipe elbow then connect the 2-inch pipe. Add a 1 inch by 2 inches to keep the pipe in place.
Drill a hole to fit the 1⁄2-inch PVC pipe for a water overflow. This will help indicate when the bed is full. As you fill the 2-inch pipe, the 1⁄2-inch pipe will begin to show flowing water when the bed is full.
Put some gorilla tape or silicone around the inside of the penetration of the drain pipe for a better seal if you like a tight seal.
Fill the bed with pea gravel then stapling landscape fabric over the pea gravel to prevent the soil from mixing with the gravel.
Time to add soil
The soil should be at the very least 12-inches deep with a mix of potting soil and organic matter such as finished compost, peat moss, coco coir. Adding vermiculite or perlite will help aerate the soil.
Fill the raised bed with water until the water flows from the overflow pipe.
Once your plants are established, there will be no need to topwater the bed with a hose or irrigation.
Mulch the beds to keep moisture in. Keep track of the days you fill the beds to get an idea of how often to fill the beds. I find every ten-plus days is efficient for my garden; yours may vary.
I watched the beds for signs of sinking soil and also use a moisture meter to check the levels.
You can create the “wicking effect” on a smaller scale with a 5-gallon bucket, storage tub, even an old trunk like the one in my garden.
I used cardboard to fill the trunk before I put in the landscape cloth. You can use any gallon containers with holes drilled in them to create a wicking effect. This is what I had on hand, and I will have to change it out to jugs soon.
Most of all enjoy the experience and happy gardening!
For a planting guide go to
www.mac-pinal-mastergardener.org
