Switching to containers from raised beds... Advice on varieties?
LA Don (So Cal 10b)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
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dbarron
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Raising the soil in large container beds
Comments (8)Yes, new roots will form above the old, if you're burying part of the stem that is exposed and has no roots. You often see the results of unintentional ground-layering when nurseries bump their unsold material to larger containers & bury the old trunks. New roots form above the old, and often, the old roots are declining while the new roots are 'taking over'. I have several trees (for bonsai) that I am intentionally shortening (from the bottom up) by doing what you're about to do. The only difference is that I girdled the trunk completely, removing a ring of bark = to 1-1/2X the diameter of the trunk to facilitate the rapid formation of roots exactly where I want them to grow. I'll cut off the old rootage entirely when I repot in the spring & wind up with a bonsai with its lowest branches much closer to the soil than when the tree was on the old roots. You'd be really amazed if you knew some of the tricks experienced bonsai practitioners use to manipulate their plants. ;o) Al...See MoreAdvice on new organic raised bed garden
Comments (8)Start by contacting you counties office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension service (supported by Alabama A & M and Auburn Universities) about having a good, reliable soil test to find out the pH of that soil and the amounts of the major nutrients in that soil. You might also want to use 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. to see what you have now and help you determine what you may need to do. Your plants could be having problems with nutrients because 1. they are not available, 2. nutrients are not available because of the soils pH, 3. the Soil Food Web is not yet working and feeding your plants. Spraying pesticides without identifying the pest problem is not organic. Keep in mind that Neem products are pretty broad spectrum poison just an most other organic pesticides and the synthetic ones....See Morerow covers for raised bed & containers - frost protection
Comments (14)Buy old sheer fabric curtains from garage sales & thrift stores for a fraction of the cost of the commercial row cover. They're light enough to lay directly on top of plants on cool nights. To prop up you could use empty glass or plastic bottles or jugs on stakes or try upturned plastic crates on stakes. I've also used reused upside down clear plastic containers from bakery items, product packaging, & storage containers like Sterlite or Rubbermaid weighed down with a rock or a thick stick. Prop up a corner with a stake to allow for ventilation during the day. Can also stack brick or blocks of wood on the sides to support the containers for higher plants. It looks a bit crazy with the various containers & more unified with the sheer fabric curtains. In the fall we regularly cover plants with the curtains in early evening & remove in mid-morning. If more than damp I bring them inside to dry, but if not I'll just put them inside my car to put out again the next night. Our gardens are along the driveway so the car is a handy spot out of the way. They don't really get too dirty & with 2 people holding each end you can snap them a bit to fling off dirt or water....See MoreMoving to Broken Arrow, need advice on raised beds
Comments (11)If you have Bermuda grass, the best solution is raised beds. You can till up a spot, but one little sprig of Bermuda gets in there from the wind, the lawn mower, or weed trimmer, and you might as well start over again. A raised bed about a foot high should be sufficient in keeping the invasive grass and weeds out. Put some newspapers or something on the bottom that will eventually break down. I used landscape timbers nailed together with long guttering nails which is a little more attractive than cinder blocks, but the timbers tend to warp and degrade over time. There shouldn't be too much clay in the native soil around here, but I'm not an expert. If you are thinking about having a load of dirt brought in, I would look at it first to ensure it is what you want and is free of weeds and rock. I just have a little spot, so I bought several bags of Green Country top soil available at Lowe's. It has some weeds in it, but it is nice soil. I live a few blocks from the the river, so the native soil is a rich sandy loam. It is not as good as everyone says. During hot weather, my lawn is nearly impossible to keep watered. During rainy weather, it stays too wet. Mulching is a must. Everything should have 2-3" of mulch to hold the water in and the weeds under control. I think cedar mulch is worth the extra $1 or two a bag. It takes a few years to break down and is a natural bug and slug repellent. You can also pick up a truck load of free mulch from Tulsa's green waste site. There is plenty of it after the December ice storm. The free mulch only lasts about a year, but it makes a very nice compost....See MoreLA Don (So Cal 10b)
7 years agostevie
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agogorbelly
7 years agoLA Don (So Cal 10b)
7 years agogorbelly
7 years agoLA Don (So Cal 10b)
7 years agogorbelly
7 years agoLA Don (So Cal 10b)
7 years agogorbelly
7 years ago
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