Planning a Vegetable Garden

Posts Tagged ‘Garden Soil’

Building a modified raised bed vegetable garden has taken all my time in the last few weeks.  It’s not hard — it just takes awhile for me to get it all done.  I’m just about finished (not quite, but almost) and thought I’d share with you what I’ve done so far.

What is a Modified Raised Bed Garden?

It’s an idea I got while reading some gardening books.  Basically, I use the soil already in place, but add a (whole) lot of compost.  I dig down about 12-16 inches, then raise the level another 6 inches with my modified raised bed.  So I have the equivalent of  a 16-20 inch raised bed.

Now one of the ideas from the books I’ve incorporated is what I’m using for the sides of the raised bed — hay!  Yep, I’ve peeled off squares of hay about 6 inches thick and have surrounded my garden with them.  They server three purposes:

• Create a “wall” to hold in the extra 6 inches of soil.
• Supress weeds at the edge of the bed.
• Create something soft for me to kneel on when I tend the garden.

It’s turned out kind of cool and yes, the hay really does make it easier on the knees and back!

What’s Gone Into the Garden (Supplies)

So far I’ve used the following in my 14′ x 3′ raised bed experiment:

• 3 bales of hay (I bought the cheapest they had), at $5.49 a bale.
• 30 bags of organic compost, at $1.65 a bag.
• 1 pound of soil activator, at $9.95 a pound.
• 2 pounds of kelp meal, at $2.60 a pound
• 3 pounds of organic vegetable fertilizer at $2.99 a pound.

So, that’s roughly $90 for my modified raised bed, not including the veggies I’ve planted thus far.  (I’ve been working from one end to the other, and I have about 10 feet finished and 9 feet planted.)  So far I’ve put in some cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, bush (string) beans and edemame.  I still have more tomatoes, lettuce and peppers that need to be planted in the last few feet of the raised bed.

This photo only shows one end of the raised bed — the section I’m still working on.  You can see by the shovel how far down I have dug, a few bags of the compost, some hay and the other soil amendments I’ve been using.

And remember what I’ve said about raised bed gardening — you can plant more intensively due to the well-aerated and well-amended soil.

Will This Work for You?

Now my modified raised bed vegetable garden isn’t something out of a gardening magazine — it’s not going to win any “garden beauty” contests.  But if you don’t care about that, there’s still one thing you need to consider — what’s your soil type?

Mine is sandy with thin layers of clay running through it.  It’s white and yellow and apparently almost devoid of anything that resembles decent garden soil.  So I’ve had to add a lot of compost in order to make the veggies happy.

If you’ve noticed, I’ve also added , a Soil Activatorand a Vegetable Fertilizer to the bed as I’ve worked it.  My soil is so poor that it needs even more “omph” than compost alone can provide (as you can see in the photo above).  And of course, they are all natural/organic amendments.

If your soil is sandy, has lots of clay or is fairly decent, this modified raised bed style will work fine for you.  It will not work for you is you have a thin, rocky soil — the 6 inches that the hay raises the soil above ground level probably isn’t enough depth for most vegetables (unless you don’t hit rock for at least 6 inches).

I’ll take more photos when I am done with the final few feet and the seeds have sprouted.

Planting a vegetable garden can be quite rewarding.  Imagine, home-grown fresh food, ripe for the picking and ready for the table.  The satisfaction of growing the great-tasting food yourself.  And the enjoyment of your new hobby, being out in the fresh air and sun.

Your own vegetable garden lets you grow only the veggies that you and your family love.  And if you grow organically, you won’t have to worry about harmful insecticides on your food.

Sunlight for Your Garden

First off, the area you choose for your vegetable garden needs plenty of bright sunlight.  Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of sun a day, and 8 hours is even better.  However, if you have a somewhat shady corner, not to worry — vegetables like lettuce and spinach don’t mind filtered sunlight part of the day.

Your Garden’s Soil

If you’ve not been gardening in your yard before, chances are your soil needs some help to grow a bumper crop.  The main kinds of soil problems you might run into are:

• Dry, sandy soil
• Damp clay soil
• Thin soil cover (rocky underneath)

Not to worry, all these can be overcome with soil amendments like compost, peat moss, composted manure and other natural ingredients.  Compost in particular helps sandy soil hold moisture.  It also opens up clay soils for better drainage.  And of course, adds depth to a thin soil cover (although you may need raised beds).

To test your soil, take a handful and squeeze tightly.  When you release your hand, the soil should crumble slightly but retain the basic shape.

Planting Your Vegetable Garden – Water

Wherever in your yard you’re planting your garden, make sure you have easy access to water.  Hauling water in a bucket is fine for a couple-three plants, but a garden hose is better.  You may want to eventually try an irrigation system, but in the beginning, a hose works fine.

Small, Large or Even Containers!

You don’t have to have a large space to grow vegetables; maybe you want to start small, with maybe a 12 foot by 3 foot row (you can grow more veggies than you think).  If you have the time and inclination, make your garden as large as you choose!   But you may want to try something like a 12 foot by 12 foot to start, so that you don’t become overwhelmed.  You can always add to it in the coming seasons.

You can even plant a vegetable garden in containers!  There are lots of veggies that will grow quite happily in containers, so don’t let a lack of a yard stop you from your garden.

Congratulations for deciding to grow your own vegetables!  It’s a hobby that can be very rewarding, not to mention profitable (should you go that route).  It puts food on the table, and a smile on your face when people say, “This tastes so good!”.