VISIT: www.HomeOrganicGarden.netIntensive gardening is nothing new. It is a method that has been around for centuries and is still practiced in many parts of the world. The close spacing of plants, maintaining a fertile soil, crop rotation and succession planting combined together is what sets this method of gardening in a class of it’s own, along with apart from the traditional row method. Raised beds are the ideal when incorporating these methods of gardening together. The preparation of a raised bed by digging, along with adding organic soil amendments to the existing soil before building your garden beds will greatly improve the soils structure. Double digging, adding amendments and mounding your garden beds above the existing ground will improve the soils aeration, drainage, moisture retention and tilth to allow for deep root penetration. Mounding of the soil also allows for added space to be planted over a flat surface. A fertile, well balanced, organic rich soil is very important with this method of gardening. The bulk of the organic amendment to the soil being compost. Minerals like greensand and rock phosphates are also very beneficial. Green manure crops planted and turned into the soil will also help provide nutrients needed when planting crops at a close spacing along with improving the soils structure by adding organic matter. In the traditional row method of gardening only 1 of the total gardens space is planted, compared to more than 3/4 when intensive …
