Sustainable Gardening | growing in raised hilled rows.
If you are having troubles with standing water in your garden, consider using the raised row method.
We have been using the raised garden row method in our own garden spot now for over six years with some very good results.
Previously our garden output was pretty embarrassing, despite adding compost and sand to the soil.
Growing in raised rows allows the plants to stay up and out of standing water left after heavy spring rains.
Raised rows also provide many of the same benefits as raised beds, without the cost of frame work. These benefits include allowing the plants to warm up quicker in early spring and bringing the vegetables up closer for harvesting without having to bend over to touch your toes.
For years people have planted vine crops such as cucumbers, cantaloupe and squash, as well as tomatoes and potatoes in mounds.
Growing in the raised row method uses the same concept, except the mound runs continuous, allowing trenches in between each row for water to pool and drain off or gradually percolate into the ground, while your plants remain high and dry
We now use raised rows to grow just about everything in the garden including corn, beans, tomatoes, and all of our root corps. Potatoes seem to thrive and are so much easier to dig out during the harvest.
For small garden spaces a 36” or 48” wide aluminum landscape rake will allow you to pull up the dirt quickly after the garden has been freshly tilled. We pull up the loose soil on both sides and then use the rake to tamp down a 12” wide crowned top. Then move on to the next row leaving enough room to make a pass with the rototiller.
For larger gardens a row builder designed to attach to a three point hitch on a compact tractor or use with an ATV or garden tractor equipped with a three point fifth wheeled adapter makes perfect rows quickly in fresh tilled soil.
Cottage Craft Works carries both the aluminum landscape rake and the row builder three point hitch implement as well as the wheeled ATV three point adapter.
We built four legged wood growing towers and they straddle the mounds perfectly for the tomatoes and other heavy fruit vegetables needing support. For the cucumbers we use salvaged metal towers from ornamental windmills, they also straddle the mounds.
The tops of the mounds are easy to mulch leaving the trenches in between for the tiller. The tiller will not be able to do the sides of the mounds, in fact you will need to be careful not to till too deep into the sides to damage the plant roots, but when we are finished with the trenches we pull the rake back out and refresh the sides of the mound pulling out any remaining weeds with the rake teeth. Frequent tilling will help keep the weeds under control.
You can find and purchase the aluminum landscape rake, the row builder, plus the three point hitch fifth wheel implement adapter to use on a garden tractor or ATV which are not equipped with a three point hitch at this link at Cottage Craft Works .Com
If you haven't had the chance to check out this wonderful back-to-basics general store you are in for a real old time treat. Stop by to enjoy a little nostalgic time in the simpler times of our country. With over 3000 old time products you are sure to find something to make your own life a bit more self-sufficient, even in this high tech world we live in today.
