Soil Mixture.
I have just made a planter and intend growing veg, to start with I want to grow carrots, onions, just basic veg until I get to know more. What I would like to know is the type of soil I would need, how much fertilizer, how much compost, do I need to put gravel underneath,? The planter is 12 feet by 4 feet and about 30 inches deep. I will be grateful for any advice as I am a novice.
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Vanisle_BC
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- Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:02 pm
- Location: Port Alberni, B.C. Canada, Zone 7 (+?)
Hi peted. That's a generous box you've built yourself to start with. It would be interesting to hear the construction details. At 12ft long & 30" high it will need to be well anchored along the bottom and have very stiff or cross-braced sides. But most likely you have all that covered, and anyway it's not what you were asking about.
I wouldn't personally advise gravel in the bottom though others may disagree. Every few years one of my beds has to be rebuilt or moved, and gravel (or fabric) in the bottom is a big pest if soil removal is involved. Same goes if I have to dig down to get at the roots of some nasty invader, maybe entered from below
. Raspberry, grape, fruit tree roots! If it's drainage you're concerned about, I'd say many/most? homebuilt beds have enough leakage to drain just fine; maybe too well in some respects. If not, drain holes can be provided along the base.
I originally built my boxes 30" high so I could sit on the sides which was really nice, but for various reasons they've been gradually reduced to 18 or 16 inches. I can still sit on the sides, it's just harder to get up
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On fertilizer etc I'm not a good source of advice but I'm sure plenty of others here will weigh in with their knowledge & experience.
Good luck and it will be interesting to hear about your progress.
I wouldn't personally advise gravel in the bottom though others may disagree. Every few years one of my beds has to be rebuilt or moved, and gravel (or fabric) in the bottom is a big pest if soil removal is involved. Same goes if I have to dig down to get at the roots of some nasty invader, maybe entered from below
. Raspberry, grape, fruit tree roots! If it's drainage you're concerned about, I'd say many/most? homebuilt beds have enough leakage to drain just fine; maybe too well in some respects. If not, drain holes can be provided along the base.I originally built my boxes 30" high so I could sit on the sides which was really nice, but for various reasons they've been gradually reduced to 18 or 16 inches. I can still sit on the sides, it's just harder to get up
.On fertilizer etc I'm not a good source of advice but I'm sure plenty of others here will weigh in with their knowledge & experience.
Good luck and it will be interesting to hear about your progress.
Hi and welcome.
Wow, that's big! How are you going to tend to the plants in the middle without stepping on the soil? You might want to make some inlets or something of that ilk.
I learned gardening via Square Foot Gardening (book), and "Mel's mix" (the author's recommendation) is one part peat moss, one part vermiculite, and one part compost. He recommends as many different types of compost as you can get, not just one. At my local hardware store, I can get composted cow manure, sheep manure and mushroom compost, plus I compost kitchen and yard waste myself.
I would recommend against taking the cheapest potting soil, "black earth", or "topsoil"; unless it's significantly better than what I can get here in Canada. It's junk. It's like mushy clay that doesn't drain. I'm very frugal and I'm happy to save a dollar here and there, but this is a cheap purchase I regret.
(ETA) Re fertilizers: I confess, I use chemical fertilizers twice a month because that's all that's available at aforementioned hardware store and my aforementioned soil is not great. I'm working to improve it. If you use the aforementioned Mel's mix, you shouldn't need any fertilizer except more compost.
Cheers!
Wow, that's big! How are you going to tend to the plants in the middle without stepping on the soil? You might want to make some inlets or something of that ilk.
I learned gardening via Square Foot Gardening (book), and "Mel's mix" (the author's recommendation) is one part peat moss, one part vermiculite, and one part compost. He recommends as many different types of compost as you can get, not just one. At my local hardware store, I can get composted cow manure, sheep manure and mushroom compost, plus I compost kitchen and yard waste myself.
I would recommend against taking the cheapest potting soil, "black earth", or "topsoil"; unless it's significantly better than what I can get here in Canada. It's junk. It's like mushy clay that doesn't drain. I'm very frugal and I'm happy to save a dollar here and there, but this is a cheap purchase I regret.
(ETA) Re fertilizers: I confess, I use chemical fertilizers twice a month because that's all that's available at aforementioned hardware store and my aforementioned soil is not great. I'm working to improve it. If you use the aforementioned Mel's mix, you shouldn't need any fertilizer except more compost.
Cheers!
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Vanisle_BC
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- Posts: 1356
- Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:02 pm
- Location: Port Alberni, B.C. Canada, Zone 7 (+?)
A 4 foot bed is fine if you can get to both sides. Mine are 3'-6" and I can, at a literal stretch, reach across but it's painful so I usually exercise my legs & walk around. For one-sided working I'd say 3 ft is the limit, maybe less depending on your physique & fitness - and what you grow.
My use of fertilisers & compost is very inconsistent but for non-animal stuff, rather than "chemicals" I use a slow-release organic dry mix I learned from Steve Solomon's books:
8 parts seedmeal; Alfalfa, canola etc but cottonseed has had viable seeds - grrr!
Plus 1 part each:
- Lime
- Bonemeal
- Kelp meal or other seaweed
Admittedly it's supposed to be appropriate for "west of the Cascades" but shouldn't go far wrong anywhere unless you already have alkaline soil (re. the lime) or other special considerations. Others will doubtless have many different opinions. People usually recommend soil tests but hereabouts they would be hard to get. I've tried using DIY test kits but with inconsistent results; subsequently read that they're not to be trusted.
My use of fertilisers & compost is very inconsistent but for non-animal stuff, rather than "chemicals" I use a slow-release organic dry mix I learned from Steve Solomon's books:
8 parts seedmeal; Alfalfa, canola etc but cottonseed has had viable seeds - grrr!
Plus 1 part each:
- Lime
- Bonemeal
- Kelp meal or other seaweed
Admittedly it's supposed to be appropriate for "west of the Cascades" but shouldn't go far wrong anywhere unless you already have alkaline soil (re. the lime) or other special considerations. Others will doubtless have many different opinions. People usually recommend soil tests but hereabouts they would be hard to get. I've tried using DIY test kits but with inconsistent results; subsequently read that they're not to be trusted.
I second Mel's mix if you want to start to plant right away. If you want to start now and plant in the Spring. I would do a lasagna garden since it would be cheaper to start. You can add 4 inches of soil on top and grow plants that are not heavy feeders like herbs.
I don't do gravel either. A raised bed if built right should drain be able to drain well without the gravel. I would use a garden fork on the bottom of the bed and stab it into the soil and open it up to allow water and roots to penetrate the native soil.
Wood is expensive here and we have termites and wood rot problems so I opted to construct my raised bed out of stones and dry laid hollow tile, reinforced with rebar. Water drains between the tiles since they are not mortared. Leaching has never been a problem. I don't have carpentry skills, but I do know how to string a level line.
Carrots are not easy for me to grow and they are cheap to buy, so they are not worth growing for me. Green onions can be grown year round but round onions need to be planted at the right time of the year.
It is good to start small with only a couple of easy vegetables. Some vegetables are seasonal, so you need to know when you should plant them. The Farmers Almanac is a good place to start if you cannot locate your city then select a city that has a similar climate.
I don't do gravel either. A raised bed if built right should drain be able to drain well without the gravel. I would use a garden fork on the bottom of the bed and stab it into the soil and open it up to allow water and roots to penetrate the native soil.
Wood is expensive here and we have termites and wood rot problems so I opted to construct my raised bed out of stones and dry laid hollow tile, reinforced with rebar. Water drains between the tiles since they are not mortared. Leaching has never been a problem. I don't have carpentry skills, but I do know how to string a level line.
Carrots are not easy for me to grow and they are cheap to buy, so they are not worth growing for me. Green onions can be grown year round but round onions need to be planted at the right time of the year.
It is good to start small with only a couple of easy vegetables. Some vegetables are seasonal, so you need to know when you should plant them. The Farmers Almanac is a good place to start if you cannot locate your city then select a city that has a similar climate.
I would like to thank you all for your advice on the soil mixture, The box is made of 10 inch x 3inch and bolted together at the corners. Each square is screwed on top of each other, The three boxes make up the 30 inches and have access all the way round it. Once again thank you all and happy gardening. Peted.