raised beds: great saver for city gardeners.

• Save your back with the elevated level of a raised bed.
• Easily achieve a better quality soil in your space.
• Save water by retaining it with the bed's enclosure.
• Easy plant protection (construction of a winter/summer cover).
• Opportunity for an interesting design or raised feature.

best building material?

The best materials for raised beds are usually those used locally: they weather well in local conditions and are often budget-wise. Small boulders, rock slabs, reclaimed timber, old bricks, recycled bottles and straw bales can all be used as containing materials for raised beds. Each material has a unique adaptability. Use a material that is available and best suits your priorities.

In New Mexico, the adobe brick has lasted decades while wood seems to evaporate into dust. While there are few manufacturers of adobe bricks in Albuquerque now, this building block has stood the test of many generations. Adobe bricks can vary in size, depending on the molds used. Those readily available in town measure 10"wide x 14"long by 4"high. All things tolled, adobe bricks are currently the best priced solution-- prices do increase in cool weather when drying times are slower.

why cover it?

To compliment the raised bed, a shade cloth and simple frame can ease other issues. In the case of vegetables, even those that tolerate full high desert sun appreciate a break from it. Shading plants can reduce evaporation, reduce plant stress and help in pest control. In reducing evaporation, gardeners also reduce the worry when plants go unwatered for a day. Visit GG for assistance with a design or questions.

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