Since I'm building my garden in raised beds, I get to choose what goes in them for soil. So - what's the best mix?
I'm in Nova Scotia, so we have a cool spring, warm summer and mild fall. I'm planting what I think are easy crops - tomato, cucumber, peas, peppers, carrots, turnip. Also watermelon but they get their own separate space.
(I know now that I should have done this in the fall, but I only decided a couple of months ago to go ahead and try it this year...)
If I could, I would use good, rich top soil in the beds. And I would add as much aged compost as I could.
Both of those can be difficult to easily get though. In my beds, I pulled a good amount of the surrounding soil to the bed, added generous helpings of compost, manures, and topped everything up with whatever bagged products I could find at reasonable prices, and then mixed it all up. I mulch the beds heavily each year, and so far they have been exceptionally productive. A lot more so than when the same area and the same dirt was just a field type garden.
Both of those can be difficult to easily get though. In my beds, I pulled a good amount of the surrounding soil to the bed, added generous helpings of compost, manures, and topped everything up with whatever bagged products I could find at reasonable prices, and then mixed it all up. I mulch the beds heavily each year, and so far they have been exceptionally productive. A lot more so than when the same area and the same dirt was just a field type garden.
-
Midnight Smoker
- Full Member
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:37 pm
- Location: North Georgia
Hello there. I have been vegetable gardening in raised beds for several years now and this is what I use. It's a little pricey to start (depending on how many beds you have), but YOU WILL have the best looking plants in town...
Here is what I do
1. For a base which will be about 75% of your medium, you want either Premier's pro-mix bx OR Sungro's Sunshine mix gbx... or something comparable. I have used jungle growth, fafard 3b, etc in the past IN A PINCH, but the 2 named mixes are top of the line. You want a professional grade mix, spangum peat based, usually had perilite, vermiculite and a littel lime to balance the ph out.
You can get the 3.7cu bales in the promix for usually about $17. -22, which go pretty far.
2. Now hoe/mix in some earthworm castings AND mushroom compost. This combination will make up the remaining 25% of your medium.
That is all you need for the perfect mix. I have used this for years and I have had strangers (well neighbors that I haven't met yet) come and ring my doorbell to see what in earth is my secret, nio kidding....
If you don't already have some liquid kelp/seaweed, get some now. you can also use it on everything else in your garden. I foilar feed everything from my blueberry bushes, to veggies, to ferns with exceptional success.
As far as nutrients, all I use is bat guanos, earthworm casting tea and fish/kelp mixes...
You can get them at
https://www.wormsway.com/
Leaves can be used as mulch as they will break down into the soil over time. Make sure that they aren't green, as the high nitrogen will burn plants easily.
They are better suited in the compost pile though. Mulching in raised beds is a must for a few different reasons. soil tems, moisture / weed control. I prefer cypress mulch myself.
Best of luck and please email me if you have any further questions.
Here is what I do
1. For a base which will be about 75% of your medium, you want either Premier's pro-mix bx OR Sungro's Sunshine mix gbx... or something comparable. I have used jungle growth, fafard 3b, etc in the past IN A PINCH, but the 2 named mixes are top of the line. You want a professional grade mix, spangum peat based, usually had perilite, vermiculite and a littel lime to balance the ph out.
You can get the 3.7cu bales in the promix for usually about $17. -22, which go pretty far.
2. Now hoe/mix in some earthworm castings AND mushroom compost. This combination will make up the remaining 25% of your medium.
That is all you need for the perfect mix. I have used this for years and I have had strangers (well neighbors that I haven't met yet) come and ring my doorbell to see what in earth is my secret, nio kidding....
If you don't already have some liquid kelp/seaweed, get some now. you can also use it on everything else in your garden. I foilar feed everything from my blueberry bushes, to veggies, to ferns with exceptional success.
As far as nutrients, all I use is bat guanos, earthworm casting tea and fish/kelp mixes...
You can get them at
https://www.wormsway.com/
Leaves can be used as mulch as they will break down into the soil over time. Make sure that they aren't green, as the high nitrogen will burn plants easily.
They are better suited in the compost pile though. Mulching in raised beds is a must for a few different reasons. soil tems, moisture / weed control. I prefer cypress mulch myself.
Best of luck and please email me if you have any further questions.