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Post by solargeek on May 30, 2019 13:31:03 GMT
Some of you may remember my post from the beginning of May regarding getting raised beds to replace the 39 -- 4'x 10' in-ground beds that we had in our 7500 square-foot fenced garden. All of this was driven by my ripping
out my knee last year and realizing the future was not in kneelingā¦š¬
Anyhow they're done. Yesterday, 4pm!!!
Rain delays, more rain delays, and finally more rain delays but they were worth every second of the time. Kudos to our landscape company who did not give up!
31 new raised beds.
7-6'x6';
11- 4'x12';
7 -4'x8'and
6 - "graves" 5'x12' Raised beds without walls.
A total of 31 beds and approximately 1100 ft.Ā². Already started planting.![]()
We will be allowing the beautiful weeds, wild flowers, and grass to grow up in the walkways as before. Then my husband can use his mower to keep everything under control. It will be muddy for the first couple of months but this will happen over a period of 2 months as before.
Cannot tell you how excited I am to get out there today.
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Post by feather on May 30, 2019 15:02:04 GMT
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Post by solargeek on May 31, 2019 14:45:39 GMT
We don't actually have the original in ground beds left. Those were all tilled up, all 39 of them, to make room for the new beds. The only six we have in the ground now are what I'm referring to as the graves. So it's 31 raised beds with the six graves
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Post by wally on Jun 1, 2019 16:15:47 GMT
Iam totally convinced of the benefits of raised bed gardening, , my beds are 3x12.
The only crop I have a problem with is sweet corn, seems the winds here lay most of the stocks over before harvest, perhaps a cattle panel,cut to size, around 3 foot above soil level would solve the problem, can't try this year as all 13 beds are full
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Post by solargeek on Jun 1, 2019 16:29:06 GMT
Iam totally convinced of the benefits of raised bed gardening, , my beds are 3x12. The only crop I have a problem with is sweet corn, seems the winds here lay most of the stocks over before harvest, perhaps a cattle panel,cut to size, around 3 foot above soil level would solve the problem, can't try this year as all 13 beds are full We had tornado type winds come through last year And it knocked down my just shy of harvest corn plot. This year I left a big space of just dirt which we will rototill next week when it's dry and put the corn in and I too will be putting cattle fencing or chicken wire around that area once the seeds sprout. I'm determined to use up my 2014 corn seeds from Johnny's! Last year still had fabulous germination rate. But we only got a few ears due to the death of the plants from the winds. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2019 19:21:45 GMT
I love raised beds, can grow so much in a small space. A hoop regulates the weather in bed, warms early, stops rain and insect damage. Extends the seasons, early and late. Grow fall crops all winter or carry over in ground summer crops....James
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Post by oxankle2 on Jun 1, 2019 23:15:23 GMT
I am beginning to believe that the raised bed must be filled with good garden soil from top to bottom.
Can any of you tell me how high your beds are and what you filled them with?
I'm new to this and already learning that roots go much deeper than I realized.
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Post by feather on Jun 1, 2019 23:21:32 GMT
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Post by wally on Jun 1, 2019 23:26:14 GMT
Ox, my beds are 12 inches high and fill with 10 to 12 inches of dirt, we have good soil here on the farm, but add compost as its available, straw also makes a good weed mulch. I rototill every year with a little electric rototiller.
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Post by solargeek on Jun 2, 2019 1:50:44 GMT
7 of our beds, the 6' x 6' ones, are 24 inches deep. Hardware cloth, cardboard, 4 inches of good aged moldy straw, about 10 inches of compost, and then really good dirt. On top of the dirt we put 2 inches of organic compost with peat moss -That kind of stuff.
All of the 4 foot wide beds or 11" but actually ended up being 12 inches tall. They have hardware cloth, three or four layers of paper, no straw, but compost, dirt and the same organic topping.
I know I will need to tweak them when they settle. However never think this stuff is WEED free. But since I haven't planted all the beds I can easily just ruffle the top of the soil, and they die. Where I have planted, I will simply walk around with a small long handled snake hoe I think they're called And run it through the spaces. As the plants get bigger I plan to top them with more of the moldy straw to prevent weeds.
This winter, I cannot grow under cover in -25 below weather. Our winds are Fierce year round. So unless I plant something permanent like herbs in the bed, I will cover them with black thick plastic to not only solarize them in spring, but protect them in the winter.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2019 2:13:25 GMT
My raised beds are 3' high. I built them 12" high and added 2 more 3"x12" cedar boards. I filled with my home made compost, well composted horse manure with hardwood pellet bedding, leaves, chicken and rabbit manure and kitchen scraps composted together.
I would caution about black plastic for too long at a time. Best that soil gets some rain and air to it to help with breakdown of organic matter. Too much sterilizing isn't the best for good soil microbes. Better to use a breathable plastic fabric or sheet with holes for long term use....James
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