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Easy Gardening

A "How To" guide for the lazy gardener :)

Did you ever want to take the drudgery out garden maintainance?

Here's how!

This is a pictorial walk through of the process for some video of this technique go to the Video page.

This section of the site has two features, the first is a step by step bed installation, and the second are some examples of established beds installed several years ago here on our site. The success of those beds prompted this step by step demonstration to teach others how to get these incredible results with very little effort.

Here's a direct link to the established bed section or you page through the demo and get there too :)

These few simple steps quickly create beautiful landscapes that require very little effort to install or maintain. The next several pages are a pictorial step by step of a demonstration bed installed on a baking hot July day in 2005. Total time spent was less than two hours and total cost (before plants) at retail was about $145 before tax back in '05.

If you've ever wanted your gardens to be play space when you feel like it instead of a second job that requires regular attention then read on! I've been using this technique since I discovered it years ago and have the beds to prove my claim! Al Funke

If you'd like to see a larger version of any of the pictures just click on them to open an 800x600 version in a new window.

Step 1 - pick a site

 The site I picked for the demo bed was bewteen two yews in my front yard and is reasonably level.  

Step 2 - scalp the turf

With the lawn mower on it's lowest setting scalp the turf. No, you don't need to remove it! It rots into the ground when covered at this depth and adds organics for your plants to feed from! 

*NOTE*

If you have dallas grass, bindweed, bamboo, or other invasive root runners you will have to kill them or they'll take over your new flowerbed.

  

Step 3 - build raised bed sides

For this demo I used RR ties. The same effect can be achived using any building material. Stone, concrete stacker block etc. I prefer to use non mortared materials as hard seals can create drainage problems.  

Step 4 - add the planting mix

In this application I used Funke's recovered potting soil "compost". Calling this material compost compared to what others sell and call compost is to insult it :) This material is 90% Funke's own potting soil and some compsted leaves raked from our grounds and is the result of crops that didn't sell due to rain or cicadaphobia over the course of the last several years. Yes, I used a skidloader to put it in here but a pickup truck would have been just as effective backed up to the bed and shoveled out by hand :)  

Step 4a - soil mix detail

Here 'tis!

Is this stuff incredible or what?? It will grow anything! We reccomend using a weed preventer since it will sprout anything too. Preen (treflan) or Corn gluten which I am told works well on the organic side.

This material is a finite resource call for current pricing and availability.

This is the "business end" of what really makes this system work. :)

  

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