My First Raised Garden Bed-Soil Questions

[dsfairclough]

I have just constructed my first 4 X 8 raised garden bed that is apprx 15.5 inches deep. I am going to need approx 40 cubic feet of soil. I am anxious to start planting, however, I want to put the most healthy and fertile soil in my bed as I possibly can (keeping it organic). I presently have topsoil, composted cow manure, and peat moss to put in the bed. However, I have no idea how many parts of each to add to the bed and what more should I had if anything (like perlite or organic fertilizers). I need help!!! Again, this not only my first raised garden bed but my first garden ever. Help! Help! Help!

-DS

[plantoneonme]

Are you planning on filling it to the top or leave a little space for later down the road for a chicken tractor?

Lets assume you are filling it to the top, therefore the 40 cu ft of soil needed. You already have a great start. I would fill the bottom 6-8" with any organic matter you can readily find such as leaves, old straw, chopped up yard waste such as old plant material, coardboard, shredded paper etc. The bottom layer will eventually breakdown into good usable soil and it will help keep down the cost of having to acquire so much soil.

I added a 4 cu ft bag of vermiculite to my 4'x24'x 10" bed and was very glad I did. The soil in my other raised bed was very dense and the plants had difficulty. The soil with the vermiculite was much easier to work, although I wish I could have doubled the vermiculite. I found it for a very good price through a greenhouse since this is usually what they use as a starter medium for most of their plants.

The composted manure is all the "fertilizer" you should need at this point. As you garden you continue to make more compost and later feed this to your existing beds thus feeding it again later down the road.

A great book to find is Square Foot Gardening by Mel Barthlomew. (You can get a copy at Patti's store.) He teaches you how you can space your plants to maximize the amount of produce you can grow. He also has a website to get some ideas. He goes into great lengths about the perfect soil mix but I could never afford his mix and simply used soil, peat, compost, and vermiculite. I got an excellent crop of veggies off less than 100 sq ft of space...enough to feed 6 adults and 1 child veggies all summer.

You will also need a way to water your garden. Hopefully you are close enough to run a hose and a simple soaker hose snaked through the bed works great. Also check out the discussion on this forum about rain barrels when you have time...there is a lot of good information. Next year I hope to have enough money to set up a different watering system using soaker "tape" instead of "hose". The tape waters a much finer area and can be connected directly to rain barrels or in my case 5 gallon buckets and then gravity will water the gardens.

You have a great start and have plenty of time....read, read, read and ask all the questions you need. Most of all relax, you will make mistakes the first year but mistakes are how you learn to make things better later on.

Kim

[gardengirl72]

Don't panic DS! Plants will love you eventually. I killed many a plant over the years myself.

Be simple with the soil mix, Mel's book is great, you can check it out on my library page. But a simple answer would be break it into thirds:

1/3 Cow manure(not too fresh)
1/3 Top Soil
1/3 Carbon (you can use Peat, but I am now opposed because it is not a renewable resource, I now suggest Cocoa Husks...more on this later), For carbon you can add volume with Straw, hay, fallen leaves, human hair.....

Pile that mix up inside the raised bed, and when you are ready to plant just rake the pile down. Is this a fall garden or for next spring?

[dsfairclough]

Thanks Kim and Patti, I 'm feeling more encouraged now.

Thanks for the suggestion about the super soaker hose, we used one for our hedges when we initially planted them and it worked great.

I got the 1/3 topsoil, 1/3 cow manure (it is composted), I am stuck on the 1/3 carbon. I live in a rural area in South Florida. I have access to plenty of pine needles and grass clippings. Where can I get cocoa husk? I'm guessing I need a form of carbon that is already broken down since this is for a fall garden. If I did use the peat, would I use 1/3. Tell me more about peat being a non-renewable resource. Is there anything I can use in lieu of peat that I can pick up at Home Depot or Lowes.

-DS

[gardengirl72]

Well, you can use the peat. Since you already have it no big deal. Use a simple 1/3. I would say don't worry about it, it is better to get the fall garden going then stress out about using Peat.

Peat is non renewable because it is mined from bogs around the world. The mining process destroys the habitat of the bog, and it takes thousands of years for nature to create the peat.

What matters most is that you get started!

[dsfairclough]

Thanks. It's nice to have an answer just before the weekend!!!!! I will let you know how it turns out. I am sure I'll have plenty more questions once I get the soil in.

Thanks again,

DS

[Garden Green]

Congrats on your first bed and garden and good luck.

What do you plan to try to grow first?

[plantoneonme]

Well, you can use the peat. Since you already have it no big deal. Use a simple 1/3. I would say don't worry about it, it is better to get the fall garden going then stress out about using Peat.

Peat is non renewable because it is mined from bogs around the world. The mining process destroys the habitat of the bog, and it takes thousands of years for nature to create the peat.

What matters most is that you get started!

Since you want to get this planted right away I also say don't stress on the peat. You can always research things in your area that are not so non-renewable. I know some swear by Starbucks coffee grounds for one thing. In the past I knew an owner of a hair salon and she saved all the trimmings for me. Do they sell straw fairly cheap in FL? One time I picked up a huge bag of buckwheat hulls, like 50 pounds, for $20 but don't remember where I got those. The pine needles may make your bed too acidic so be careful using too many, a few ok but not too many. How about finely ground mulch like you would put on top of the soil, just mixed in instead? Sorry, not too sure what is readily available in FL so am running out of ideas. Kim

[plantoneonme]

Congrats on your first bed and garden and good luck.

What do you plan to try to grow first?

Give us an idea of what you plan on growing and we could probably steer you into what will be most successful. What are the temp ranges ery lows to very highs during this growing season? One of my favorite and super easy veggies to start with is bush beans....I have never had a failure. In fact the crop we grew was planted solely by my then 3 year old granddaughter. We ate a LOT of beans this year. If it is warm enough I would get a tomato plant or 2 that is already started since it take quite a while from seed. Most people say you can grow zucchini so easy your neighbors run....no luck for me this year, I think it was too wet early in our season. If temps tend to run on the lower end you will need to think lettuce, radish, cabbage, broccoli etc.

Let us know what more information we can help with. Kim

[Sinfonian]

Peat is non renewable because it is mined from bogs around the world. The mining process destroys the habitat of the bog, and it takes thousands of years for nature to create the peat.


I never like arguing over this, but I think people should hear about Canadian peat moss, which is what we buy here in the U.S.

Peat moss farming in Canada is controlled by an industry group that regulates all production to rejuvinating levels. If strip mined like in Europe where they burn it for fuel, it is devistating. If skimmed off the top like in Canada, it is renewable. That's why I have NO problem using it. And it's amazing stuff.

But if you can't find it, or afford it, no problem.

[gardengirl72]

The other problem with peat is (for me) that it compacts too much, too fast. I say use it until you can source something else more local.

[Backyard Permaculture]

One other option for replacing peat is wood shavings. As a cabinetmaker, I have been using them for years. I would put the shavings in the chicken pens, let them poop it all up real good, then rake and shovel it out and compost it.

Since most of you don't make wood shavings for a living, the alternative is look for a shop near you that makes things out of solid wood. Most cabinet shops mix manufactured boards ( Particleboard, plywood, MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) dusts with wood shavings,which will have formaldahyde and other nasties in it. A shop that makes custom wood doors for houses may be a better bet.

Ron

[dsfairclough]

I finally got all of the soil put in over the weekend. Backbreaking, but strangely satisfying work. It looks and feels pretty good, however, I have no idea what good soil is suppose to look or feel like. I’m just excited that it is in the bed. How can I tell if it’s good and fertile soil. Even though I am excited and would like to start planting, I am feeling a little anxious about actually planting anything. This is like the moment of truth. Let me give you the names of some of the vegetables and fruits I would like to plant and maybe you can give me some suggestions as to what I should plant first. Some of the vegetables and/or fruit I would like to plant are lettuce, spinach, scallion, cucumbers, corn, broccoli, onions, garlic, ginger, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, watermelon, honeydew, and grapes. I would like to plant plants when possible versus planting seeds this time around, especially since this is my first time. Unfortunately, there are slim pickings for plants this time of year. Also, I did take your advice and researched square foot gardening. Mel has a good website, www.squarefootgardening.com. There is a plethora of information on his site. Thanks for any additional information and advice you all might have for me!!!!

[plantoneonme]

Ok I will try this reply again as the first one lost most of its contents.

If your temps dip below the mid 50's at night you are best off planting cool weather crops which include: lettuce, spinach, scallions, broccoli and onion

If your temps do not go below mid 50's at night you can plant warm weather crops such as: cucumbers, corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon and honeydew

The grapes and strawberries either need their own bed or large containers. The grapes get really large and strawberries spread by runners. Both take a couple years to get fruit, although you can get a few strawberries the first year it is best to remove them to add vigor to the mother plants.

Sorry but no idea on the ginger.

Garlic is usually planted in the late autumn here in Michigan for a crop next season so I cannot give advice on garlic in FL.

HTH, Kim

[gardengirl72]

I am editing a soil spectacular this weekend that should answer some questions about it. I hope to have it out over the weekend or early next week with the ezine.

[Backyard Permaculture]

One overlooked source for carbon for your compost pile or your raised garden bed as DS has requested to know is wood shavings. You can buy wood shavings at any pet or animal feed store, but for a waste product, you will be paying through the nose. However if you are buying it anyway, or have bought it anyway to use with your rabbit, gerbil, chicken or other pet, you can recycle it afterwards.

Make friends with a local cabinetmaker, who isn't a gardener, and ask him/her if they could save any CLEAN SOLID WOOD shavings they make. You want clean solid wood shavings that have little or really NO particle board, MDF, Plastic laminate or any other nasty man made materials or chemicals in it that might sabotage your organic garden and maybe sicken you in the process.

You might also check around for shops that specialize in custom SOLID WOOD entry or interior doors for houses. They too will have wood shavings to give away, and less chance of the nasty stuff mentioned above.

Great way to keep it out of the landfills and return it to the soil.

Do be aware that wood shavings, as they decompose, will temporarily ROB the soil of nitrogen, so mixing with a good nitrogen source such as chicken manure or other manure helps. Once it is composted, makes a great soil.

I know, I am the cabinetmaker that gardens that you can't get wood shavings from.

Ron

[Kittikity]

If you can use human hair then you should also be able to use dog hair.. Even a slightly busy grooming salon will have bags full of hair in one day.. Also, rabbit manure is excellent for the garden and doesn't even have to be composted..

[PJJ]

Just be careful if using dog hair. Some groomers bathe everything BEFORE they clip anything. That hair would be great. Nice and clean and pest free.

Others do what's called a rough cut. They clip the dog to get rid of some of the hair before bathing. Either way is fine. Like anything else, it's what works for that person. If getting dirty hair, you could bring home fleas and other pests you won't want in your garden or yard. Including lice and mange!! If you have animals of your own, dogs, cats, goats, horses, cows, rabbits, chickens/ducks ect., you will want CLEAN hair.

I speak from experience. I was a self employed groomer for over 20 years. You would not believe the number of animals that come into a shop covered in fleas!!

I have done it both ways. I have seen many other groomers do it both ways.

Please be sure to ask the groomer for "clean" hair.

I hope this helps.:)

Penny

[PJJ]

Is there really any benefit to using hair in your compost? Does it decompose?

Thanks,

Penny

[shebear]

Sure there's a benefit. Hair is protein and that's a great organic fertilizer.

[Kittikity]

Excellent point PJJ.. I was a groomer for about 3 years and I've done it both ways too.. Mostly washed first though.. Would do a rough cut first if the dog was really matted or something though.. I worked in chain store salons and it's mostly depends on how the salon manager wants it done..

Maybe to get rid of any pests and make sure it's clean, put the hair in a pillow case or something and wash it in hot water only, or maybe an organic detergent.. Then tossing it in the drier should finish off any crawly critters..

[Sinfonian]

There is hair in my compost. Not much but some. A few times I've asked the person who cuts my hair for her trimmings. And I have put my own cat hair in it, mainly because if it's compostable, it's compost in my house.

[Sinfonian]

There is hair in my compost. Not much but some. A few times I've asked the person who cuts my hair for her trimmings. And I have put my own cat hair in it, mainly because if it's compostable, it's compost in my house. Besides, it's high in nitrogen (I believe).

[PJJ]

This is all good to know. I have two standard poodles and a mutt of my own to groom. I get a lot of hair off my girls. Plus, in the warm weather, I shave my persian mix and my tortie. I'll start putting it all in the compost. I'll be more than happy to keep it out of the landfill!

Thanks guys!!

Penny

[Kittikity]

I am so jealous.. I adore standard poodles and love doing their haircuts.. Ironically, we have five dogs and all have fairly short hair.. And I didn't even do that on purpose.. lol

[PJJ]

Kittikity,

I do LOVE my girls!! I used to show one of them and the lady I got her from showed the other one. It was a LOT of work! They really didn't like all the grooming. They are very happy just being dogs. And of course our babies! I usually just buzz them. lol I have health problems and this makes it a lot easier on me. AND they like it much better. They are sisters from the same litter. They will be 8 years old soon.:( I'm hoping for a few more good years with them.