How should I choose a piece of ground for my above ground garden?

Mic15389513
by Mic15389513
Does anyone know the best way to choose a piece of ground in the yard and to buil an above ground garden? Say....8'x8' or, Maybe, 10'x14'. How do you protect from rabbits? We had a terrible problem with rabbits this year.
Thank you in advance.
Mike
  6 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jan 03, 2017

    Build a raised garden bed and surround it with a low fence to block out the critters.

  • Paula Marie Hyde Paula Marie Hyde on Jan 03, 2017

    I assume you're talking about a vegetable garden? You will need plenty of light. Make sure where you put your garden isn't too close to trees that will cast too much shade. That's the main thing I can think of. And of course, you will want to protect from bugs. I usually just use a little dish soap and water in a squirt bottle once or twice a week.


    If you're a smoker, make sure you ALWAYS wash your hands really well, before you do your gardening. Some plants, especially tomatoes are susceptible to a particular 'icky thing' (sorry...can't remember the name specifically) that comes from being around tobacco, and if it's on your hands, you can pass it to your plants, and it'll cause black spots that will eventually rot tomatoes.


    Regarding the bunnies...probably the EASIEST way to keep them out is to put a fence around the garden. Chicken wire is probably the easiest and cheapest. OR you can use Bobbex. www.bobbex.com It's what I use, and it works really well.


    Last but not least, you need dirt of course. Since your garden is going to be above ground, you don't really need to worry about amending the soil, so I would just buy garden soil from someplace like Home Depot, Walmart, etc.


    Another idea regarding bugs...some people plant zinnias and marigolds around their vegetable garden, and it's supposed to repel some bugs. (Just a thought.)





  • Raa6539478 Raa6539478 on Jan 05, 2017

    A raised garden bed will do well in at least 6 hours of sunlight and choose a good soil. I have one and I can grow anything in it and I don't have to wait to plow the ground in the spring, it's always ready. You can buy a fake Owl to put on a post and that may keep the rabbits away, plus it will look cool in your yard.

  • Polly Polly on Jan 06, 2017

    There are many above ground patterns for building a raised bed on the internet. If you build it high enough rabbits won't be able to get at it. Where ever you put it remember to have is close to a watering source, so hoses or drip lines don't need to be dragged to it.

  • Dfm Dfm on Jan 30, 2017

    just a few thoughts. you don't want to be walking in your raised beds. 4 ft by 8 ft is a decent size that you can reach across to the middle w/o compacting your soil. to keep your plants from becoming a bunny snack...i've found that chicken wire sleeves around each plant ( tomatoe, peppers, egg plant ) works better than fencing the entire bed. I've also used pvc pipe to make a cube for peas, bush beans, cover it with netting, secure with landscaping staples.


    you can also lay out landscapers black or red 4 ft wide plastic mulch. make an x with a blade and plant your seedlings thru the plastic. the ground under will wick moisture to the plant. leave enough row space between for a push mower.

  • Willow Willow on Feb 12, 2017

    calculate how many cubic feet of dirt you'll need - most likely, it will be cheaper to buy a truckload of dirt...and then you won't have all those plastic bags to throw out/recycle.