Gardening is a great activity that allows you to commune with nature. For one reason or another, you might not have enough room in your yard for adequate gardening space, so you will have to explore other options. You might not have thought of it before, but your deck offers great opportunities for showcasing your love of gardening. Some people actually build their decks with this type of plan in mind.

Garden decks are designed so that one area can be filled with soil for planting. If you didn’t take this step when you built your deck, all is not lost. You can add an extension or make changes to your deck to facilitate your love of growing things.

Important Considerations

Gardening always comes with challenges, and doing it on a deck adds a few more to the list. Since plants have to be watered, a major concern will always be the possibility of rotting wood. Two ways around this are proper staining or sealing, and proper drainage. You can build special boxes for your plants. The sizes of the boxes will depend on the deck space available and how big the plants will be when grown.  The box should not sit directly on the deck, as this will cause water to settle in some areas. Raise it a few inches so that water will run out easily, and the air will dry the deck quickly. You can also place a container below the plants to catch the water so that it does not reach the deck itself.

Modifications

You can make changes to your deck to make it easier to nurture your plants. If the deck space you have is already fully utilized, consider an extension to the structure. This does not have to be a large project, as adding a few feet is usually enough for most people. It might be best to avoid using a bolted trellis for your gardening. This will limit your ability to rearrange your deck as you see fit.

Consider adding a pergola to your deck, since you can adorn it with hanging plants. This is easy to maintain, and it will add a decorative touch to the structure. A part of the pergola can be covered if you want to use it as a spot for relaxation.

Plants and flowers are not the only gardening options available to you. Edible gardens are very popular in these types of settings. You can plant herbs and spices, and vegetables like lettuce. Your hobbies do not have to be restricted by the size of your deck or yard.

Call us any time at 443-579-5701 to talk about the kind of deck you dream of, and we will try to make it a reality. We fully understand that it is only January, but here at Authorized Construction Group, LLC in Essex, Maryland, we like to plan ahead and get creative with amazing deck design ideas.