What do I Fill Organic Raised Garden Boxes With to Start?

[HollyK]

Hi! I am new to organic gardening and would like some help please. My husband and I have built two 12' X 4' raised garden boxes. We did get untreated lumber and coated it with Linseed Oil. My question is; What do I use to fill the boxes with to get started? I have started a compost bin, but I didn't start it in time to use for now. I have called around to nurseries in town and they have mushroom compost. From what I have read on the net, there are some disadvantages to using it. Any ideas? Also, I plan to do square foot gardening. Any tips on this approach?

Thank you,
Holly

[Gnome]

Holly,

To my way of thinking the more varied your medium the better. Some mushroom compost, some rotted manure, some shredded leaves, some actual soil. If your compost is partially decomposed you could use some of that as well. Don't get too hung up on exact ratios, your plants won't mind.

Also, I plan to do square foot gardening. Any tips on this approach?

I'm sure when Cynthia sees this she will have some suggestions as well.

Norm

[cynthia_h]

Hi, Gnome! Hi, HollyK! (Just got in; playing hooky from cooking dinner for a few minutes.)

The very *best* thing you can do re. Square Foot Gardening is to read the book, cover to cover. I haven't seen anything at all on the Internet that replicates the detail and the photographs and the tables and the charts and the, just, well, conversational tone of Mel Bartholomew's book.

I recommend the revised version (released maybe in 2005?). It was the first revision since 1981 or so...way overdue...

I first read the book as a check-out from my local library. Then I waited a week (to be sure this wasn't an impulse; that I would truly use the book). Then I purchased a copy. By that time, I didn't want to wait any longer, so I went directly to a bookstore (gasp!) and purchased it, hand to hand.

Depending on your personal style, you can do the same! Or look for one on line in the used-book venues (or a new-book venue, for that matter).

Be prepared with a pencil or other change-able writing instrument. Have it in your hand when you read. Feel free to fold the corners down on pages you find particularly informative/fun. Sticky notes/flags will help. The one failing of his book is that the index is incomplete. Some topics I wanted to look up afterward aren't in the index. Thus the "flags" comment.

Due to some peculiar characteristics of my "yard/garden," Mel B's new recommendation on soil depth doesn't work for me. I'm going to modify it (deeper) this coming season, but that's all I'll change. (Hmm...need to see whether I have enough cinderblocks; if not, back to FreeCycle!)

Yes, definitely start composting now if you haven't already got some "cooking." See whether your city or county provide composted materials and/or discount compost bins/containers, esp. if you're trying to maintain some kind of neighborhood "beauty."

OTOH, if you have lots of space, a simple stakes-and-wire enclosure will be fine for compost.

Happy gardening!

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[tomhath]

"Borrow" some soil from flower beds, then replace it with the mushroom soil. Mix in whatever organic matter you have (grass clippings, leaves, etc) and fill the bins with your known good soil. Your flowers won't mind a bit.

[cynthia_h]

DH "borrowed" soil for two of the small raised boxes. We went "by the book" for the two large boxes.

Do I really need to explain to members of this forum WHICH boxes have weeds and WHICH do not?

Yep: the "borrowed soil" boxes are overrun with oxalis, common groundsel, sow thistle, and other definitely UNplanned plants.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[tomhath]

Yep: the "borrowed soil" boxes are overrun with oxalis, common groundsel, sow thistle, and other definitely UNplanned plants.

Well, at least you know the plants like it.

[hendi_alex]

My practice is along the lines of Gnome. I just put the first part of fill into three new beds that will be used in April. A layer of leaves went in first followed by a layer of compost/used potting soil mix, some aged horse manure, then the same mix in another layer. Some settling will take place, and in April, I'll put a top layer of potting soil, aged horse manure, and compost if some is left. When planting my strawberries and raspberries in the beds, I'll dig down and put a good nest of enriched soil and compost in each planting spot. For the next two or three seasons as the leaves break down and compress, I'll continue to top the bed height with the best soil/compost mix that is available.

BTW, raw leaves are usually not part of the mix, but am currently out of compost/leaf mold mix which would usually be the major volume fill, and need something to take up some volume in those three relatively large beds ( 10" x 4' x 8' each).

[rainbowgardener]

I grow flowers and veggies in raised beds. If your soil underneath isn't real good (here in Cincinnati we have solid yellow clay), be sure your beds are tall enough and then start with a layer of gravel or small rocks at the bottom for drainage. When I started mine I actually put a layer of bird netting down first stapled to the sides, just to help keep everything in place, then the rocks. Then just throw in a good mixture of organics. Because my place has no actual dirt, I paid to have a truckload of topsoil brought in, which I shoveled in to the raised beds. Then supplemented that since it wasn't real rich with leaves, compost, a litte bit of potting soil mixed in to the top layer to lighten it up. Every year I pile a bunch of the fall leaves on top of the raised beds to hold the soil in. In the spring the leaves are pretty broken down. I scrunch the up a little more and turn them under. Then I add compost while planting. The soil in those beds is wonderful now...

[HollyK]

Thank you all so much for your replies! You have been a great help!!!

[cynthia_h]

On March 14, 2009, drtmama posted the following question:

>>My husband is making 2 raised beds for some veggies this year. I am new to gardening and want to start this project off right.

>>The beds are going to be 4 x 10 and about 12 to 15 inches high. The soil in our yard is rock hard, nasty clay and I don't want to take the time or do all that work to amend it.

>>What would you suggest would be a good soil mix to use in these raised beds? Is potting mix a good idea? Only thing is it will take a lot of it to fill them up and will get pretty expensive. Any other cheap, good soil mixture I can use?

>>Thanks for your advice.<<

In the interest of keeping information here at THG easier to find, rather than very spread out, please respond on this thread to drtmama's question.

Thank you.

Cynthia H. mod hat on

[rainbowgardener]

read the responses above the new location of your post. But no, you don't want to fill your beds with potting soil, too light as well as too expensive. Start with topsoil (it's cheaper just to have a cubic yard or two trucked in than to buy bags), then add some potting soil, some compost, some crunched up old leaves, and whatever other organic enrichments you have around.

[milifestyle]

When ever I get the chance to plan a raised bed in advance, I use the bed as my compost heap. When the time comes to plant I just dig in some soil and plant directly in the compost.

Had a huge Tomato crop this season and last season using this method.

[2cents]

milifestyle
this same method has worked for me for year.
good gardening