Planning a Vegetable Garden

Posts Tagged ‘Types of 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.

Small space vegetable gardening is perfect for anyone that doesn’t have the yard space or time for a larger garden.  By giving yourself permission to garden only what you can do comfortably, you’ll both increase your enjoyment and your harvest.

The thing is, there isn’t anything more rewarding than growing your own vegetables!  You’re putting food on the table, which is especially important these days. Gardening in a small space is just as fun and rewarding.

Vegetable Gardening 101

Small space vegetable gardening follows all the same rules as does a larger garden.  To summarize it quickly, you need the following:

• At least six hours of direct sunlight a day. 
• Nutrient rich soil (see the posts on types of soil and composting). 
• Plenty of water.

When it comes to small space gardening, you’ll just need less soil and water.  Not to mention space and time!

How’s Your Soil?

It’s really important that you have the right type of soil in your garden, because without it, all the fertilizer in the world won’t give you a bountiful harvest.  You need soil that is moist and rich in humus (and therefore natural nutrients).  Start with a good loamy soil and you’ll improve both the harvest and surprisingly enough, the taste!

(Not to worry if you don’t have naturally good soil — the vast majority of us don’t.  Adding sufficient amounts of compost to your garden soil can work wonders.) 

Watering — Not Too Much or Too Little

Watering can be by rain or hand watering.  It’s rare that you get just the right amount of rain at the right time, so plan on grabbing a garden hose or a watering can at least twice a week if the rain isn’t sufficient.

How do you know if your garden has enough water?  The finger method does well for me — stick your finger about an inch to an inch and a half into the soil.  If it’s completely dry, it’s time to water.

Eventually, you’ll get to know your vegetable garden and will be able to judge the watering needs without the finger test. 

Vegetable Selections

If all you have is a small space, you need to carefully select the vegetables you will grow.  For example, if you only have a plot of garden that is four feet by four feet, you probably won’t want to grow squash, watermelon or most cucumbers — they just sprawl too much.  One plant could cover the 4′x4′ space all by itself!

Your best bet is to select vegetables that will grow well but not crowd each other out.  One way to get an idea of which seeds or plants to choose is by looking at the variety name.  For example, I have a tomato plant called “Patio” and it remains nice and compact.  Look for seeds or plants with names with worlds like “pixie,” “dwarf,” “bush”, “baby,” “patio,” or “tiny” as part of the name.  These varieties usually remain small (or at least smaller), but still give you a nice harvest.

Consider trellising your vegetables.  Train your tomatoes up a stake, your beans up a pole, and even a cucumber up a trellis.  Use vertical space where possible, and it will give you more growing space on the ground.

Read the vegetable seeds for a small garden post for some more ideas as to actual plant varieties.

More Information on Small Space Vegetable Gardening

One book that I have found invaluable for the times I have been limited to a small gardening space is the book Square Foot Gardening Although I do have a large yard, there have been times that I couldn’t work anything but a very small space, due to health or time constraints. But like anyone else, I wanted all the “bang for the buck” that I could get!

Square foot gardening is basically a way to maximize your small growing area. Of course, the same principles can also be applied on a larger scale! While it might take a little effort to get started, it’s not appreciably more than a “regular” garden. And the results are worth it. Give it a read if you want to maximize your harvest while minimizing the upkeep.