In yesterdays program Cathy Isom discussed why you should consider double reach rows. She continues her series on this with letting you know how to make and maintain double reach rows in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Making and Maintaining Double Reach Rows
Ideally, double reach rows run along the contour lines of the garden, helping to eliminate erosion issues and allowing the water to sink into the landscape rather than completely running away.
Lasagna style garden bed
For smaller gardens, say 20-feet long or less, making long lasagna-style beds is best. This would create instant raised rows with plenty of nutrients to come and great drainage right off that bat. Just build the rows one at a time, extending the garden as material becomes available.
For a larger space, the rows would be created by dealing with the garden as normal, then simply heaping the soil into wider rows. Just remember to move across the slope (on contour) rather than with it so that the water doesn’t drain and erode the landscape.
Garden rows or beds should not be stepped in or on. Make the rows only so wide as to be able to reach the middle from either side. Keep the garden soil fertile and loose by adding mulch. Leaves or grass clippings can be piled on the rows in the autumn to rot down over the winter. Then, put on some fresh compost once plants are going in the spring.
I’m Cathy Isom…