Potting soil
Is it a good idea when starting a new gardening bed to dig out a plot and just fill it with potting soil? I keep seeing all these ways to till the earth and make it suitable for planting, but wouldnt it be more ideal to just have all potting soiL?
I am no expert, but my first thought here is that it is too expensive to fill in a garden with potting soil. At ~$8/bag for 2cuft, you better have a small garden if you want to use fancy soil.
Also, the idea of drainage comes to mind. If you have clay soil (poor drainage) and dig out a hole to fill with "good dirt", when you water all that water will collect at the bottom of your fancy dirt pit and not drain (I can speak from first hand experience on this one). I suppose the solution there would have been to make a raised bed.
I'm sure may be more reasons but none come to mind.
How large of an area are you working with?
Also, the idea of drainage comes to mind. If you have clay soil (poor drainage) and dig out a hole to fill with "good dirt", when you water all that water will collect at the bottom of your fancy dirt pit and not drain (I can speak from first hand experience on this one). I suppose the solution there would have been to make a raised bed.
I'm sure may be more reasons but none come to mind.
How large of an area are you working with?
John Jeavons has a technique called "double digging" to bring a new garden bed into production. See his website at www.bountifulgardens.org for details, or read his book, "How to Grow More Vegetables," prob. available at your local public library for free!
Working compost (made from many ingredients, not a sole-source compost as is sold in bags at Big Box stores) into the garden bed is also helpful.
Jeavons' methods are now being used in many countries and have helped me personally, as well, esp. his system of spacing the seeds/plants.
Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening is also helpful if you're interested in making raised beds, but if you have ample area, raised beds may not be needed.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
Working compost (made from many ingredients, not a sole-source compost as is sold in bags at Big Box stores) into the garden bed is also helpful.
Jeavons' methods are now being used in many countries and have helped me personally, as well, esp. his system of spacing the seeds/plants.
Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening is also helpful if you're interested in making raised beds, but if you have ample area, raised beds may not be needed.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
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David Taylor
- Cool Member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:21 pm
- Location: Crest California
I was thinking SFG as well. Check out Mel's site on Square Foot Gardening. I put together a SFG plot this year, and to make Mel's Mix, as well as lining the bottom with aviary wire and garden cloth, it cost around 150 dollars. That's for a four-foot-by-four-foot plot. I used surplus cinderblocks to make it and filled the holes in with a slightly modified mix, basically what I had left over, but still, that starts getting pricey. We'll see how long it lasts, I imagine. Mel's Mix is basically potting soil, though, and being raised, my good-enough-for-pottery-making soil isn't an issue.
you should prep your growing area for awhile with compost, dead leaves, etc. before attempting to grow in it. make it as fertile as you can and aerate it well. amending it will help the consistency and overall quality of the dirt and turn it to soil. theres no need to buy much potting soil, which you can find as low as $4 in some stores if you decide to make a raised bed.