Best soil for raised bed?
tatianahdz
16 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (29)
Kimmsr
16 years agoRelated Discussions
Container garden soil question
Comments (6)My wife is sure that the cheap bags of soil we purchased at our local home center had the beetle eggs or larvae already skulking in them. Well, this may or may not be true. But sometimes you get what you pay for. Cheap soil does not mean quality soil. Go to the following links of these people who have literally created raised bed vegetable gardens, describe them in detail, and use the following growing medium in the frames they constructed: * 1/3 Peat Moss - available at any garden center or supermarket. * 1/3 Vermiculite - Buy the coarse grade in large 4 cubic-foot bags at any garden center. * 1/3 Blended Compost - created from at least five different materials, not just one so as to provide a balanced diet. It is the only source of nutrients these vegetables get from their soil because it's all they need: Examples Page 1 Examples Page 2 Examples Page 3 Examples Page 4 Examples Page 5 Here is a link that might be useful: Raised Beds Thread for You to Browse...See MoreHow can I make best soil mix for new raised beds?
Comments (7)Contact your counties office of your state Agricultural Universities Cooperative Extension Service about having a good soil test done (usually in the $6.00 to $15.00 range). These simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains� too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. may be of some help in determining what you have. A good soil for plant growth will have between 5 and 8 percent organic matter....See MoreHow do you raise the soil in a raised bed?
Comments (5)I know what you mean! It seems like the soil gets used up. I just dig up the plants and replant them after refilling the box to the new level. Obviously, you can't do that if the plants are too fragile to take that kind of treatment as in a nursery bed. I have one bed that I use just for nursery purposes and the level keeps going down and I will have to wait until most of the plants are moved to more permanent quarters to refill that box. My beds are 4 feet across and 6,8 or 12 feet long and filled with compost from my livestock. I don't till or agitate the soil in them but add layers to them sort of like lasagna beds. spiderwoman...See Morebest choice of soil for raised bed vegetable garden
Comments (26)I wouldn't worry too much about putting wire under the beds in your area. In Upstate NY, you're definitely going to want a fence that keeps animals out. The garden-pest animals in that area of the country are deer, rabbits, woodchucks, and the occasional raccoon (opossums and skunks too, but these aren't too bad in a raised bed garden.) The rabbits and woodchucks will burrow under a fence (skunks and opossums too,) but they're not known for tunneling under a garden bed. Moles can be an issue, but again, they don't usually tunnel deep under a raised garden bed. The deer will jump over a fence, but only if they have a landing area. The trick with the fence is to either bury the bottom 6" - 12" under the ground, or... just make it into an L-shape - where you put about 1' - 16" flat on the ground, and then 90 degrees up. Any of the burrowing animals will encounter the fence with their claws and give up quickly. The trick for the deer is to not give the deer a landing zone, make it very high, or put 2 fences close enough together to mess up their depth perception - again, they won't see a safe way to jump (the first 'fence' can be just one or 2 wires that they would have to go over. If it's close, but not too close to the inner fence, they won't do 2 jumps.) Remember, there's usually other food around. You can't get rid of them, you're deterring. For raccoons and climbing woodchucks: leave the top 16" of the fence loose. As they climb, they will grab the loose area, it will sway back on them, and down they go (make sure it's very secure below the loose zone.) Or... think electric. An electric wire along the bottom 6", and the top, will keep them well away. And relocating is fine to my sensibilities, but it won't solve the problem. More will show up after those are removed....See Moregardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
16 years agoLloyd
16 years agoesthermgr
16 years agocrabjoe
16 years agocurtludwig
16 years agowest9491
16 years agoidaho_gardener
16 years agoken_bldwn_yahoo_com
13 years agojoeworm
12 years agonorthwest37
10 years agoKimmsr
10 years agotoxcrusadr
10 years agoklem1
10 years agoseysonn
10 years agotoxcrusadr
10 years agorobertz6
10 years agotoxcrusadr
10 years agoseysonn
10 years agoceth_k
10 years agoKimmsr
10 years agotoxcrusadr
10 years agoklem1
10 years agoKimmsr
10 years agotoxcrusadr
10 years agoKimmsr
10 years agotshaw2362
10 years agoart_1
10 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESGrow a Beautiful Garden in Alkaline Soil
Got alkaline soil? Learn how to manage it and the many beautiful plants that will thrive in this ‘sweet’ soil
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES10 Solutions for Soggy Soil
If a too-wet garden is raining on your parade, try these water-loving plants and other ideas for handling all of that H2O
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGardening Solutions for Heavy Clay Soils
What’s a gardener to do with soil that’s easily compacted and has poor drainage? Find out here
Full StoryFARM YOUR YARDHow to Get Good Soil for Your Edible Garden
The nutrients in your soil feed the plants that feed you. Here are tips on getting it right — just in time for planting season
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESThe Poop Scoop: Enrich Your Soil With Good Old Manure
Get over the ick factor already — this natural super-ingredient for soil has so many benefits, you'll wonder why you ever went chemical
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESHow to Stop Worrying and Start Loving Clay Soil
Clay has many more benefits than you might imagine
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGet the Dirt on Your Garden’s Soil
Understand how your soil supports your plants so you can ensure your garden’s success
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGardening Solutions for Dry, Sandy Soils
Has your desert or beachy site withered your gardening creativity? Try these ideas for a beautiful, easy-care landscape
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGBuild a Raised Bed to Elevate Your Garden
A bounty of homegrown vegetables is easier than you think with a DIY raised garden bed to house just the right mix of soils
Full StoryFARM YOUR YARDHow to Build a Raised Bed for Your Veggies and Plants
Whether you’re farming your parking strip or beautifying your backyard, a planting box you make yourself can come in mighty handy
Full Story
crabjoe