Raised garden beds are a fantastic option for adding color to your log cabin. These beds are typically simpler to maintain than planting in the ground, but the plants you grow receive many of the same benefits. You can design, build, and plant over the course of a weekend for gardens that last.
Benefits of Raised Garden Beds
The most significant benefits of raised garden beds come from the soil. Since the beds need to be filled, you have absolute control over the type of soil and added amendments. These choices let you control the pH as well. Additionally, human feet never trample the soil in raised beds, so the earth does not compact.
Raised garden beds are also useful for water management. If the soil around your log cabin is sand, a raised bed helps with retention. If the area is clay, then a raised bed encourages drainage. All this means is that the plants have the water they need to grow.
Raised beds also help warm the soil. This fact is essential since it means you can plant around your log cabin earlier and enjoy the plants longer. Some designs even offer light frost protection, which is useful if you’re at northern latitudes.
The last big benefit of raised beds is the increased growing space. Building a garden bed discourages weed growth, though you will still need to pluck a few. Without weeds and competition, the plants you want have more space to grow, whether they’re flowers or vegetables.
Plan the Beds
The key to success with raised garden beds is purpose-based planning. Before you get materials, you’ll need to decide whether the raised bed is decorative or food-bearing. This choice will alter the shape and placement of your new raised garden beds.
The second step is choosing a design. Since raised beds are popular, there are many options available for free on the web. You will need to pick the style of raised bed that works for you and works with your log cabin design.
The last step in planning beds is picking the plants. By planning now, you can take advantage of companion plants, which act as natural pest deterrents for each other. You can also forecast how you would like your garden to appear throughout the seasons.
Construction Around Your Log Cabin
Constructing raised beds requires lumber and nails. You want lumber that matches the dimensions in your plan that can also stand up to the sun, wind, and rain. After all, you do not want to reconstruct these beds every few years. Making sure you use quality materials can help the structures last for years to come.
As with most DIY woodworking projects, it’s best to lay the whole project out where you intend to place it. Then you can see how everything fits together. Then it’s time to take the hammer or nail gun to build the raised bed. If you want, you can sink the wooden bed outline into the ground about an inch for added stability. Then all that’s left is filling in the soil and adding the plants so you can enjoy the beauty around your log home.
