www.urbanagrlculLure.org.

au
1

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1here's a loL of ways Lo make your own garden beds. WhaL you declde Lo do
depends on whaL you wanL from your garden, and Lhe space and sunllghL you
have. ?ou can use an exlsLlng paLch of grass, a run-down garden bed or a paLch of
concreLe. ?ou can use ralsed beds, or even grow upwards. Whlchever way you go,
you'll be rewarded by Lhe freshesL, LasLlesL produce avallable anywhere.




Fact Sheet 2.09
0*12,3 3#&4'-.
ulg lL! Cr don'L! no-ulg gardens are perfecL for
lazy gardeners and wlll glve you greaL resulLs!
no-ulg gardens leL Lhe worms do Lhe work, leave
your soll lnLacL, and Lhe layered organlc maLLer
makes rlch, ferLlle soll. 1hese gardens follow
naLural sysLems of growLh and decay. As Lhe
mlcro-organlsms ln Lhe soll are lefL undlsLurbed,
Lhe soll underneaLh wlll gradually lmprove wlLh
Llme.
no-dlg gardens are easlly made followlng a few
slmple sLeps:
lf bulldlng over concreLe, flrsL place a 10cm
layer of dry branches Lo allow alr clrculaLlon. lf
bulldlng over a lawn, flrsL closely crop grass.
1hen cover wlLh overlapped layers of
cardboard or newspaper Lo a Lhlckness of aL
leasL 3mm. Soak each layer ln waLer before
laylng down.
nexL place Lhlck pads of sLraw over Lhls (pea
sLraw ls besL).
Add some manure.
1hen Lop wlLh 20cm of loose sLraw and some
more manure!"##$ &''()* +,# -+.&/ &)'
0&)1.# 2&3#.- +4 +,# ,#(*,+ 341 /&)+!
lanLs can elLher be grown ln a 10cm layer of
composL, or ln lsolaLed pockeLs of composL.
1op wlLh a mulch layer of sLraw.

lL's besL Lo sLarL off your no-ulg garden wlLh
seedllngs. Seeds, rooL veggles and legumes wlll
do beLLer ln Lhe garden's second season when Lhe
layers have sLarLed Lo break down produclng
more soll. Cver Llme as Lhe layers break down
(and Lhe worms do Lhe dlgglng for you!), you wlll
need Lo Lop up Lhe layers of your no-ulg garden.
lf you'd llke more deflned garden beds you can
buy beds ready-made, or make your own from
recycled maLerlals. A good general rule ls Lo make
your soll one fooL deeper Lhan Lhe deepesL rooLs
of Lhe planLs you wanL Lo grow. lf you wanL your
bed Lo be hlgher Lhan LhaL, use clean gravel or
even polysLyrene aL Lhe boLLom of Lhe bed.
lrrlgaLlon plpe can also be added Lo faclllLaLe
waLerlng.
5*-.$&67$,-3
3#&4'- 8'4.

www.urbanagrlculLure.org.au
2
We work dlrecLly wlLh Lhe communlLy Lo ensure Lhe besL envlronmenLal ouLcomes
for Lhe AC1 Lhrough LargeLed educaLlon, lnformaLlon and pracLlcal appllcaLlon. We
recognlse LhaL a healLhy and vlbranL communlLy ls much more able Lo Lake care of
lLself and lLs envlronmenL Lhan a fragmenLed one. Cur pro[ecLs supporL Lhe
communlLy Lo nourlsh lLself and Lhe envlronmenL LogeLher, and Lo susLaln
Lhemselves lnLo Lhe fuLure.
www.ecoacLlon/com.au
!,79,-3 8'4.
A wlcklng bed ls deslgned so planLs are waLered
from Lhe rooLs up. 1hls ls a greaL sysLem Lo asslsL
planLs geL Lhrough a hoL summer, or lnfrequenL
waLerlng.

Wlcklng gardens are made ln layers. Pow many
and whaL Lhey are exacLly depends a loL on Lhe
slze of Lhe garden (a small poL won'L need as
much englneerlng as a large bed). uo some
research lnLo whaL wlll work besL for you before
you go ahead - Lhere's a loL of lnsLrucLlons
onllne.

An example wlcklng bed could conslsL of:
A barrler aL Lhe base beLween Lhe garden and
any surroundlng soll.
A reservolr of waLer on Lop of Lhls.
lollowed by a layer of geocloLh or weedmaL.
1hen a wlcklng layer, whlch conLalns a medlum
LhaL wlll help waLer move up Lo Lhe soll (sand
ls a good example).
AnoLher layer of geocloLh or weedmaL (you
wanL your wlcklng medlum Lo sLay clean or lL
wlll sllL up and sLop worklng).
1opped wlLh soll for growlng your planLs.
A plpe LhaL runs Lhrough Lhe layers from Lhe
Lop of Lhe garden, openlng lnLo Lhe reservolr.
1hls plpe wlll need Lo be above Lhe level of soll
and wlll need a cover Lo keep lL clean. 1hls ls
where you wlll waLer Lhe garden. 23mm pvc
plpe works well.
An ouLleL plpe. 1hls wlll allow any excess waLer
Lo draln from your bed (such as afLer heavy
raln) and wlll leL you know when your
reservolr ls full.


:'&$,7#; 3#&4'-.
verLlcal gardens are greaL lf you have a shady
garden and a sunny wall, or a small space llke a
balcony. 1here are many ways Lo grow upwards!
SLackable poLs are made so LhaL when Lhe Lop poL
ls waLered, Lhe waLer runs down Lhrough all of
Lhem.

?ou can aLLach a number of poLs Lo your wall.
Make sure you aLLach Lhem well, as Lhey can be
heavy when full of weL soll and planLs.

Panglng baskeLs aLLached Lo hooks on Lhe wall
are anoLher way Lo grow upwards. 1hey work
really well wlLh LomaLoes and sLrawberrles.

:'&$,7#; $68' 3#&4'-.< Lhese can be boughL
commerclally buL are easy Lo make yourself. !usL
geL a plece of plasLlc plpe, llke dralnage plpe, drlll
holes large enough for Lhe planL Lo grow from
lnLo Lhe sldes, and cap Lhe boLLom lf you'll hang lL
verLlcally, or boLh ends lf you'll hang lL
horlzonLally (lf you use Lhem horlzonLally, you can
hang a number of Lhem ln rows). llll wlLh poLLlng
mlx, planL lnLo Lhe holes, hang lL up and admlre
your work. 8unnlng seeper hose (aLLached Lo
your garden hose) Lhrough Lhe mlddle of Lhe plpe
wlll asslsL wlLh waLerlng.

verLlcal Lube gardens are greaL for sLrawberrles
as lL's dlfflculL for snalls and slugs Lo geL Lo Lhem.

=.'4 +#;;'$.< Make sure Lhey're Lhe heaL-LreaLed
varleLy. SLaple weed maL over Lhe back and Lhree
sldes of Lhe palleL. MounL Lhe palleL, flll wlLh
poLLlng mlx and planL your veggles. WaLer well,
and Lop up agaln wlLh your poLLlng mlx.