COLBERN HOMESTEAD ELECTRICAL SERVICES
Serving Northeast Kansas and surrounding areas
Full service electrical contractor, alternative energy, agricultural, residential, commercial
Homesteading expert: gardens, chickens, livestock
Raised Garden Beds
Ergonomic, Efficient, Elegant, Flexible
Raised garden beds are a great place to start growing your new life. We can design and install a raised garden bed for most any location--even on a patio or deck. A simple raised bed is a great place to get started developing our gardening skills.
Benefits of Raised Beds:
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Ergonomic--with well designed beds you can garden in ways that are less strenuous. The soil is lighter and easier to dig in and weeding can be minimized with simple techniques. Taller beds will reduce bending in the garden allowing you to enjoy the garden even with mobility issues.
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Efficient--with amended soils your raised beds can produce more food per square foot than other methods and requires less time weeding and watering. This technique also allows you to grow a wide variety of plants in the same space.
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Elegant--with numerous design and material options we can help you create a space that is attractive and productive.
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Flexible--options are available to help you produce more food, see below.
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Building Materials
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Treated lumber is often used in the construction of raised beds and is considered safe. Treated lumber prior to 2003 had some chemicals of concern, but current products are considered safe. The article below provides more details.
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https://extension.oregonstate.edu/raised-bed-lumber-pressure-treated-safe
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Cedar is naturally resistant to rotting and insects and is aesthetically pleasing so it is an excellent choice. Unfortunately, it does cost a fair bit more than treated lumber.
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Concrete blocks and patio pavers provide all kinds of options for beds.
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Options for Raised Garden Beds
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Season extension with row covers and mini-green houses will help you grow food earlier in the spring and later into the fall.
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Trellises can be added onto your raised bed garden to allow space for vertical growth. This will help you get more food out of the same square footage of bed. Growing vertically will also help with weeds, pests, and disease as well as making harvesting much easier.
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Automated watering is an option that can help you save time and get more food.
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Elevated beds can be trimmed with edging that gives a nice finished look and provides a comfortable place to sit while working in the bed.
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Several options exist to protect your garden bed from back yard animals and wildlife based upon your specific needs.
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