All the Dirt on Gardening

Once in a while a garden book comes along that stands the test of time. The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Edward Smith was published in 2000, and continues to attract the attention and praise of vegetable gardeners. Smith's approach to vegetable gardens is based on his WORD. system: Wide rows, Organic practices, Raised beds and Deep soil. From Seed to Harvest: Higher Yields with Less Work is the first chapter about how wide, raised beds produce considerably more vegetables than narrow rows. In a standard garden, half the space is compacted by gardeners' feet. Planting beds that are 3-feet wide and made deeper with 18-inch deep raised beds and narrow paths gives more of the square footage to production. Wide beds save space and work. They allow closer planting and easier access for weeding and harvest. That design also conserves water. Either building plank-sided boxes around beds or simply piling additional soil onto the rows can accomplish the recommended depth of your gro...