Do-it-yourself pyramid bed for strawberries: dimensions, design options + photos

Today there are a great many similar designs that differ in properties and functionality.
A variety of greenhouses and greenhouses are a striking example of the creation of similar systems. There are also buildings of a completely different kind, designed not only to ensure high crop yields, but also to significantly embellish a summer cottage or garden plot. One of these structures is multi-tiered beds, which have all the necessary qualities to perform the above functions. The use of multi-tiered structures to create beds and its relevance

The beginning of the dacha season marks a new stage associated with the choice of plants and a place for planting them. This process becomes especially relevant for those who do not have the opportunity to use large areas of vegetable gardens. As statistics show, such people are the majority in our country. Even they can get involved in gardening, since there are designs that allow you to grow crops even on your own balcony.

This approach will allow you not only to enjoy vegetables grown with your own hands, but will provide the opportunity to control and observe this process. A similar device is multi-tiered beds, which can be made from almost any available materials and given exactly the size that is needed for a particular case. To create a design of small dimensions, an old chest of drawers or kitchen cabinet is quite suitable. More massive and large objects can be created using any waste material that is available, from ordinary boards to leftover building materials.

Initially, before carrying out such construction, it is necessary to determine which crops are to be grown and where exactly they will be located. Based on these parameters, the final choice of the number of tiers is made and the overall shape of the product is determined. As a rule, such beds have several identical levels, characterized by the same proportions.

Features of a strawberry bed in the form of a pyramid

It was not by chance that the ridge acquired such a name. In shape it resembles a pyramid, assembled from containers filled with earth. The structure consists of several tiers. Each row of the next level is smaller. Due to the difference in size, each container forms a planting area for growing plants.

The bed got its name because of its appearance, which resembles the shape of a pyramid.

The number of tiers depends on personal preference. There may be 2, 3, 7 or even more. However, it is not recommended to assemble a pyramid higher than your height. Access to the upper tier becomes more difficult when servicing strawberries. However, the problem is not only height. Firstly, the more tiers, the more the pyramid expands towards the base. It takes up a lot of space on the site, and again, due to the wide bottom row, it is difficult to reach the top. Secondly, the higher the strawberry bed, the more pressure the higher tiers exert on the base.

The pyramid is most often assembled from boards, knocking together boxes of different sizes. You can use car tires or other available material. The most common shape of a wooden structure is square. However, it is possible to assemble a rectangle, triangle and polygon from boards. When using tires, the pyramid shape is round.

Car tires for structures

Car tires are another available “raw material” for creating beds. Repair shops or tire shops offer to buy old tires. It is also quite easy to give this material any desired color by simply painting it in the desired shade. To build beds or flower beds of several floors, you need to buy tires of unequal diameters and stack them on top of each other using a descending method. The steps with the largest diameter are placed on the bottom, and each further tier is reduced. Some summer residents prefer to create beds in the shape of a pyramid. Each tire must be filled with drainage. This could be broken brick, crushed stone or construction waste. Fertile soil must be laid on top.

Pros and cons of a multi-level strawberry bed

Multi-tiered structures are popular among gardeners for a reason. Garden beds have many benefits. They are not without several drawbacks, but more on them later. First, it’s worth considering the main advantages:

1. The main advantage is economic benefit. Do-it-yourself pyramid beds for strawberries take up little space on the site - usually up to 2 m2. You can plant several times more seedlings than on a piece of land of the same area. The exact amount of plant capacity depends on the number of tiers.
2. The berry crop is protected from weeds and pests that live in the garden. If the area is waterlogged, strawberry roots do not rot due to lack of direct contact with moisture.
3. The pyramid makes it easier to care for strawberries. Weeding is practically not needed. Occasionally, a sprouted weed can be easily pulled out by hand. It's easier to pick berries because you don't have to bend over to pick them up. The harvest is always clean and has a good presentation.
4. In early spring, the soil in the boxes warms up faster in the sun. Strawberry growth accelerates and the crop ripens earlier.
5. Covered with green strawberry foliage, the pyramid will decorate your yard in summer. It is often placed instead of a flower bed. White inflorescences and clusters of red berries add decorativeness.

Important!
The pyramid is the best solution if you plan to grow a climbing variety of garden strawberries. There are few disadvantages, but they do exist, and they are associated with the same care. Isolated soil quickly depletes and dries out. In order for a self-constructed pyramidal bed for strawberries to generate profit in the form of berries, the soil must be watered more often. Increase the intensity of feeding. Typically, mineral complexes and organic matter are added once a week.

What a gardener should know

This method of growing is not without its drawbacks, and the gardener should familiarize himself with them first:

• the soil in vertically located boxes quickly dries out and is depleted, so there will be additional hassle associated with fertilizing and watering;
• Diseases appear less frequently, but when they develop, they spread rapidly. Plants will have to be removed from the soil, replaced or “etched” in case of infection;
• Certain difficulties arise when constructing a shelter for a berry garden for the winter. Since there is little soil, it freezes quickly.

How to make a multi-tiered strawberry bed

Before you start assembling the pyramid, you need to decide on its height and number of tiers. It is important to consider how much space is expected to be allocated on the site. The next step is to think about what material is available. You should also not forget about the drawing if you decide to assemble a multi-tiered bed for strawberries from boards. The diagram will help you determine the optimal dimensions and calculate the amount of material.

Choosing material for a pyramid bed for strawberries

In principle, it is possible to build a pyramid from many building materials, even laying out a brick structure. However, such difficulties are rarely resorted to. Wood is most often in demand. The boards quickly rot in the ground, but they are easy to process and convenient to work with. When using pine, the bed is guaranteed to last 5 years. If the boards are made of hard wood, and are additionally treated with an antiseptic and waterproofing material, the service life will increase to 10 years.

It is optimal to use boards made of hard wood

In second place are car tires. The difficulty is finding tires of different diameters. After all, this is the only way to create a conical bed for strawberries with a smooth transition of tiers. The advantage of tires is their resistance to destructive factors. However, when heated in the sun, rubber will release toxic substances into the ground. Reduces the likelihood of soil contamination by tire staining.

Before laying in a pyramid, the side flange of each tire is cut off with a knife.

Tires are prepared before laying. Use a knife to cut off one side shelf so that it does not cover the seat for the strawberries.

Important! Metal is sometimes chosen as another material for the pyramid, but its disadvantage is that it is susceptible to rapid corrosion upon contact with damp soil.

Drawings and dimensions of a pyramid bed for strawberries

There is no point in building a complex diagram for a pyramid due to the simplicity of its design. The bed is simply made up of several boxes stacked on top of each other. When using tires, a drawing is not needed at all. The same applies if you are collecting a three-tier bed for strawberries or two levels.

Things are more complicated with the pyramid, which has about 7 tiers. There is a problem with watering a high bed. To ensure that moisture is evenly distributed over the ground, the pyramid is equipped with a perforated pipe in the center to fill the water. An example is shown in the photo, where a do-it-yourself multi-tiered strawberry bed was made using this technology. In addition, the scheme provides for the protection of the bottom of the box with a galvanized mesh, which will prevent rodents from entering the garden. If the bed is placed on asphalt or paving slabs in the yard, there is no need for an armored mesh.

The high pyramid is equipped with a perforated pipe for irrigation, and the bottom of the boxes is covered with galvanized mesh

Technology for assembling a pyramidal bed for strawberries

The easiest way is to make a pyramid of tires. It is difficult to find a large number of tires of different diameters, so such a bed is usually limited to two or three levels. First, use a sharp knife to cut off one side flange of the tires. In its place there will be a planting area for strawberries. The inside of the tires can be painted any color. The paint here serves only as a protective layer. The outside of tires is painted in multi-colored patterns to decorate the garden bed.

The large wheel is placed on the ground. You can put a galvanized mesh under it if the bed is on the ground and there is no hard covering under it. The tire is filled with a drainage layer of sand and prepared soil. A second smaller tire is placed on top. Do the same actions as with the lower wheel. All subsequent tiers are arranged in a similar way. If there are only two tires, you can put a plastic basin on the third level.

The top tier of a pyramid of tires can be a plastic flowerpot or basin

It is more difficult to assemble wooden cascading beds for strawberries with your own hands. First, prepare an edged board with a width of 25 cm and a thickness of 4 cm. It is easier to make a square bed. If the pyramid is high, the optimal size of the lower box is 2.2 × 2.2 m. To create a square structure, cut a board of the same length - 2.2 m. The sides of the second tier box are made 30-35 cm smaller. Similarly, the square boxes of all subsequent levels are reduced in this proportion.

The principle of assembling a pyramid from ready-made boxes is no different from arranging a bed of tires. The only exception is the installation of a perforated plastic pipe with a diameter of 100 mm in the center. It is closed from below with a plug. The walls are perforated with a 10 mm diameter drill and wrapped with geotextile to prevent soil from getting inside through the holes. The pipe is installed simultaneously with the lower level box. During backfilling, it will be pressed down with soil.

The boxes of each tier of a wooden bed can be mounted on racks made of timber

Advice! To protect the wood from moisture, before filling the pyramid is treated with an antiseptic and drying oil. You can spread roofing felt inside the boxes.

Advantages of do-it-yourself slate beds with photo examples

The use of flat slate for beds has been known for a long time. Every gardener has seen such structures at least once. The material for the sides has a number of advantages:

• durability due to the absence of corrosion and rotting processes;
• looks beautiful and neat;
• easy to mount tall structures, and even multi-level options;
• affordable price;
• Available for open sale in any city or online store.

Classic corrugated slate fencing

Despite the ease of installation and undemandingness in additional processing, slate has negative aspects that must be taken into account when choosing fencing for a place for planting strawberries:

• gets very hot in the sun , so the beds should be watered more often;
• vulnerability to mechanical damage: if you accidentally touch it with a shovel or cart, the slate will crack.

Flat slate looks very beautiful in any garden

But the wavy material makes very neat and beautiful beds:

The simplest homemade beds

Two-level design

A combination of beds with slate fencing and simple options

Interesting shape with an acute angle

How to make wavy beds from slate with your own hands

From the photos above, you can see that creating a bed of wavy slate does not have to be even and rectangular. You can make structures in several levels or bevel corners, choosing the best option for your site.

Prepared material

Sometimes slate scraps left over from the roof are used. This is the cheapest option for arranging a vegetable garden, since it does not incur additional costs, but there are inconveniences in working with different pieces. The easiest way is to buy corrugated slate sheets of equal thickness and length. Moreover, the average price for them varies between 200-300 rubles. for 7-8 waves. Average dimensions: length – 1.75 m, width – 1.13 m.

Multicolored vegetable garden

To lay such a fence in the ground, it is enough to dig a small trench along the perimeter of the future ridge. Place the slate in even lines in this hole, about half the total height, and cover it with earth. To understand the sequence of actions, watch the video on the topic:

Features of do-it-yourself flat slate beds

Many summer residents prefer to fence their beds with slate, as it is affordable and simple. It also does not require any specific skills or abilities, as is the case with laying a stone border.

Tall structures in a greenhouse

At the same time, such a practical and harmless material has several recommendations for installation as a fence for flower beds or beds:

• For convenience, a full sheet of flat slate is sawed in half or divided into parts of 1 and 0.75 m.

Sheet slicing

• The elements should be secured to each other using metal corners, painted with a special anti-corrosion varnish. This prevents the ridge from spreading.

Along the length of the bed, you can make the structure stronger with the help of pegs

• If you want to change the color of the material used, do it in advance and not after installation.

Also, follow safety precautions and carry out installation wearing construction gloves so as not to injure your hands on sharp corners or screws. The result may be a beautiful vegetable garden that stands out from the neighbors’ beds:

Neat vegetable garden with paved paths

The cleanest greenhouse

Spring strawberry seedlings under spunbond

Narrow ridges of slate

Price for slate for beds

If you don't have any leftover pieces from your roof repair, you can buy slate bed strips. The price for them varies, depending on the thickness of the material:

It is easier to work with ready-made strips, since the need for cutting is eliminated. At the same time, you can find very cheap options with or without delivery, and also order a kit through online stores.

Combination of flat and wave slate

To calculate the required quantity, decide in advance how many and what kind of beds you plan to make. It is better to take the material with a reserve in case of breakdown during transportation or installation.

The installation of flat slate for beds itself will not take much time. Watch the video instructions to understand all stages of the work:

Planting strawberries in multi-level beds

The technology of planting in a pyramid is no different from the actions performed in a regular garden bed. First, prepare the soil mixture. It consists of garden soil, peat and compost. Sand and perlite are laid for drainage. Sometimes the components are added to the soil itself, if it is too heavy for strawberries.

Planting is done in spring or early autumn. Strawberries cannot be planted closer to winter. In a pyramidal bed it will not have time to take root. The boxes will freeze in winter and the plantings will disappear. Planting begins from the top tier so that during the process the soil does not cover the growing strawberries below.

The number of seedlings in each box depends on which tiered bed for strawberries was put together with your own hands. If there are five levels, then 7 seedlings are usually planted on one side of the bottom box, and 2 on the top box. On the second tier, 5 plants are planted on each side, and on the third and fourth levels - 3 pieces. After planting, the seedlings are watered and shaded from the sun.

Making raised beds (video)

We install along the perimeter, or rather, according to the finished markings, the material that we have chosen. Be sure to adjust the level of the bars for building walls.

We compare the dimensions, check them diagonally to understand that we are building a structure of the required shape.

A hammer will help with alignment and tighter installation; it can be used to direct the beam in the right direction, press the walls, and so on.

Now we drill holes or immediately install self-tapping screws, which will create the necessary strength, connecting the walls into a single whole.

You can always increase the height; to do this, you just need to install another one on top of the existing structure. Determine the height, material, and carry out careful work.

It is advisable to lay geotextiles at the bottom of the ridge, but immediately it must be thoroughly cleaned of weeds. Instead of geotextiles, you can use ordinary drainage made of broken bricks, pebbles or crushed stone.

Now you can fill in the prepared soil, purchased or prepared yourself for certain plants. Also, you can start planting and mulching.

When the garden bed is already in use, you can do some light decorating. Remove the turf around the perimeter to the size of a brick, make markings and start decorating.

Make the masonry using cement-sand mortar, sand, other mixtures and special materials, observe the dimensions and seams, it will be much prettier.

To lay bricks, use a trowel, a level and a rubber hammer so that the work goes quickly and comfortably.

After laying the decorative edging, sprinkle all the seams or cover them with the same solution that was used for laying.

As you can see, the result is a rather interesting bed, which can be used as a raised flower bed, a nice flower garden, a container for growing ornamental plants, or for its original purpose - a tall garden for vegetables and herbs.

Do not forget about determining the right place to form such a bed, as well as other requirements, the fulfillment of which is mandatory for a high-quality harvest. Knowledge of the agricultural technology of the plants being planted, the correct height of the bed, high-quality soil mixture and other parameters play a significant role here.

Caring for strawberries in multi-tiered beds

All actions related to care are no different from maintaining strawberries in ordinary beds. It is optimal to consider only a couple of nuances that require attention.

Strawberries grow on the pyramid exactly the same as in a regular garden bed.

The first nuance is watering. There is not enough soil in the garden bed. In hot weather it dries out quickly. The frequency of watering will have to be determined experimentally, checking the soil by touch every day. If dryness is felt, water is poured into the perforated pipe. Through the holes, moisture will gradually flow to the roots of the plants. Low two-tier strawberry beds are usually not equipped with a perforated pipe. Watering is done carefully from a bottle or watering can into the cells. However, the threat of soil washout remains. It is optimal to organize drip irrigation with adjustable droppers through which a certain portion of water is supplied.

Feeding is the second important nuance. Due to the limited amount of land in the garden bed, it is quickly depleted. Liquid fertilizing is applied once a week, simultaneously combined with watering. The nutrient mixture is diluted from organic matter with water in a ratio of 1:10. Mineral complexes are diluted according to the instructions.

The bed does not need weeding. Occasionally, a weed whose seeds have been blown by the wind can germinate. It is simply pulled out by hand.

Sheltering pyramid beds with strawberries for the winter

The third nuance of care is preparing the bed for wintering. You can't just leave her on the street. Freezing of a thin layer of soil will lead to the death of strawberries. Before the onset of frost, the pyramid is covered with spruce branches or several layers of dense agrofibre. Sometimes wooden pyramids are made mobile on wheels. This structure is rolled into a barn, where it remains until spring.

Types of tall vegetable gardens

At the moment, professional gardeners distinguish between several types of tall vegetable gardens:

• Bulk beds with a triangular cross-section;
• Bulk beds with a trapezoidal cross-section;
• Tall vegetable gardens in several tiers;
• Ornamental vegetable gardens with combined design;
• High vegetable gardens and beds, which involve the formation of soil with the help of structures.

The first two types are standard, and they can be made without special tools, using only a shovel or glander. The next ones are more difficult, but each of us can do them.

Triangular high mound vegetable gardens

Embankments are being created for growing vegetables and other crops. To form, you only need a shovel for the initial design of the bed, as well as a sap for forming the corners. At the end of the work, you get a small triangular-shaped mound, which has many positive characteristics.

If we talk about the size of the beds, then it is worth starting from the agricultural technology of the crops that will be grown there, the size of the root system, and other requirements. On average, the height of the bed is about 15-30 cm; its width can be up to 70 cm. You should not compact the soil too much; it will compact itself after a few waterings.

High raised beds in the form of a trapezoid

The principle of creation is the same, the only difference is the form. In appearance, the bed should resemble a trapezoid, that is, its upper plane should be straight and not an angle. And, if the width of the ridge, like the triangular one, is about 70 cm, then the upper part should be 20-30 cm wide.

Side slopes can be covered with boards, but quite often the embankments are left without covering. This is necessary for better and faster heating of the soil, as well as for its high-quality aeration. It is also possible to mulch embankments, which has a positive effect on the quality and properties of the soil.

Multi-tiered raised beds and vegetable gardens

Such options are used specifically to save space in the dacha area. By building a multi-tiered structure, you can use it to grow several crops at once. But you should be careful about the conditions of detention. For example, plant stronger crops that prefer shade and coolness on the lower tiers, and heat-loving crops that need a lot of sunlight on the upper tiers, and so on.

Multi-tiered structures are created by welding or bolting metal fittings, pipes, angles or profile pipes. Boxes or special containers are installed on the finished beds and loaded with fertile substrate.

Decorative tall vegetable gardens

The main difference from the classics is the specificity of plants planted in containers or on embankments. Most often, these are ornamental plants, flowers and herbs, low-growing shrubs, evergreens and berries. Even bonsai and similar masterpieces can be grown in this way, but you will have to be attentive and patient with the whims of such long-growing “pets”.

In addition, there are real ornamental gardens with vegetable crops, when cabbage, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, herbs and other crops are grown according to a certain scheme, in the form of an exclusive flower bed or flower garden, adding a bright appearance to the landscape.

Advice from professionals

Each technology for growing a certain crop has its own secrets. To get a good harvest of strawberries from the garden, you should listen to the advice of experienced people:

• place the bed in a sunny, bright area, further from apple trees and other trees that suppress strawberries;
• planting seedlings begins a week after filling the pyramid so that the soil settles;
• for high beds, specially bred varieties are chosen, usually they are ampelous or low-growing;
• maintain a distance of 20-25 cm between seedlings in a row;
• the root of the plant must be developed and maintain a vertical position during planting;
• It is unacceptable to let the garden bed dry out in the heat.

Optimal fruiting of strawberries is observed in a sunny area.
Over time, a novice gardener will gain experience. New secrets for better growing strawberries will appear.

How to choose a suitable site

Before you start making the structure, you need to choose the optimal location for it. The main goal is to grow strawberries, so the bed is placed in places suitable for it.

They must meet the following criteria:

• optimal lighting mode. If there is a lack of sunlight, the berry plant will not develop, the fruits will be small, and ripening will slow down;
• it is better to place the garden bed near water or arrange a drip irrigation system;
• Before installing the structure, stones, weeds and their remains are removed from the ground; the ground must be clean;
• the area must be leveled using a construction spirit level, so the pyramid will be stable;
• Place a chain-link mesh under the bottom layer of the structure; it will provide complete protection against rodents that can damage the plantings.

Attention! Orient the pyramid so that one of its edges points north.

Potato box

High wooden bed for potatoes.
Anyone who has ever experienced growing potatoes on the ground knows that they are often attacked by Colorado potato beetles and other pests. If you are not going to grow a whole hectare of potatoes and do not want to spend the whole summer hilling and spraying the beds, the editors recommend paying attention to high beds. For example, you can put together tall boxes from boards, equip them with doors, insulate them, select drainage and plant potatoes. Next, all you need to do is water the beds on time and prepare for harvesting.