The steps to creating a kitchen garden sound deceptively easy: build some raised beds, plant vegetables, harvest. Recently when we featured LA garden designer Art Luna’s work, he revealed his secrets for raised bed gardens:
Dig Deep
Above: Most of the kitchen gardens Luna designs are built and maintained afterward by Pam Rownak of Culver City. Luna’s beds are often 24 inches high (slightly taller than average), a feature that has several benefits. Roots can develop and spread out easily in soil that’s a luxurious 2 feet deep. The design is visually appealing and practical, as well, because it’s a comfortable height for a garden who wants to sit on the edge of the bed while weeding. Photograph via Pam Rownak.
Repel Slugs
Above: Luna frequently designs beds that are detailed with copper edging. Copper tape repels slugs and creates a finished, tailored look. Photograph via Art Luna Garden.
Above: The tape “comes in different widths to accommodate the size wood you choose to build the raised beds,” says Luna. If you use 6-inch-wide copper tale, it will give you a 2-inch lip on each side of a 2-inch top edge. A 13-foot-long roll of Copper Slug Tape (1.25 inches wide) is $9.95 from Gardeners Supply.
A Uniform Layout
Above: Uniformity in size, shape, and height creates a pleasing arrangement in a kitchen garden. Photograph via Pam Rownak.
Wine Barrel Planters
Above: Luna often adds wine barrel planters to a kitchen garden design. Not only do they provide visual contrast, they’re also “a nice alternative for anyone who doesn’t have the space,” he says. Photograph via Art Luna Garden.
Above: A repurposed oak Wine Barrel Planter is $169 from Viva Terra.
Teepees for Climbers
Above: Plant teepees lend support to peas and other climbing plants.
Finally, learn how to successfully design and create an edible garden with our Hardscaping 101: Edible Gardens guide.
This is an update of a post originally published Nov. 3, 2012.
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