I moved into a home that has amazing raised bed garden area that is fenced in the backyard. The garden has not been planted for at least 5 years. The garden boxes are on the ground and about half filled with dirt. Im wondering if I should just follow the instructions in this video…put some compost on top and mix it in? How full should the raised beds be…in comparison to the wood on the sides?
Great question Michele! For raised beds we suggest the following as a base guideline for mixing up the soil inside:
I’d use the following:
60% top soil
30% compost
10% potting soil mix (peat moss based)
Since you already have a good amount of dirt in there, yes I would add compost and a potting soil mix on top and mix it all together. Then I’d make sure to add some Down to Earth Vegan mix as a nutrient mix to make sure you have nutrients in there for your plants as well.
And to be honest you can fill them as high as you would like. I like to fill them up to the top. š
Absolutely Sally! We call this “side dressing” your plants. You’ll want to just scratch the nutrients into the soil around the base of the plants. You don’t need to “till” the nutrients in. Just scratch them into the soil and water it in well. And yes, it will definitely benefit your plants!
Last spring I battled squash bugs in a new row garden. Eventually I won the war, but I’m wondering if squash bug eggs may have overwintered and are ready to stage a comeback this year. Do you have any recommendations on what I can add to the soil to circumvent the squash bugs offensive before transplanting my summer and winter squash this year?
I have a couple questions please. Last year my soil was horrible. I added nitrogen, and lime, and it never actually ended up getting better. Should I retest this year? I used good soil for raised beds, and good manure compost as well. I use raised beds, and planters. I try to do square foot gardening. I am in zone 5 b. Everything is telling me to prepare my beds now but I know we still have a hard winter frost and freeze or several coming at least for 2 more months. Do I follow the guidelines and put my early crops in now, and risk losing them, or wait? Thank you!,
Brandy
9 Comments
Vilma
February 15, 2018Dont have a comment but a question, what do i spray on fruits trees to kill dormant eggs & bugs from last year?
Paul
February 16, 2018Hi Vilma – good question. Since we mainly deal in vegetables, herbs, and berries – we don’t have as much experience with fruit trees. But here are a couple articles you may find helpful: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-organic-fruit-tree-spray-51655.html
Also: https://organicgrowersschool.org/467/ask-ruth-organic-horticultural-oil-for-fruit-trees/
Michele Reyne Hilberth
April 20, 2020Paul,
I moved into a home that has amazing raised bed garden area that is fenced in the backyard. The garden has not been planted for at least 5 years. The garden boxes are on the ground and about half filled with dirt. Im wondering if I should just follow the instructions in this video…put some compost on top and mix it in? How full should the raised beds be…in comparison to the wood on the sides?
Paul
April 21, 2020Great question Michele! For raised beds we suggest the following as a base guideline for mixing up the soil inside:
I’d use the following:
60% top soil
30% compost
10% potting soil mix (peat moss based)
Since you already have a good amount of dirt in there, yes I would add compost and a potting soil mix on top and mix it all together. Then I’d make sure to add some Down to Earth Vegan mix as a nutrient mix to make sure you have nutrients in there for your plants as well.
And to be honest you can fill them as high as you would like. I like to fill them up to the top. š
Sally
May 7, 2020Can I add nutrients to my soil while my vegetables are planted? Would that improved the quality of the crops Iām growing now?
Paul
May 8, 2020Absolutely Sally! We call this “side dressing” your plants. You’ll want to just scratch the nutrients into the soil around the base of the plants. You don’t need to “till” the nutrients in. Just scratch them into the soil and water it in well. And yes, it will definitely benefit your plants!
Lu Sagen
January 31, 2023I noticed you don’t include Gourds in your selection. Will you be adding these as well as the flowers? Thanks!
Kevin Shaub
February 14, 2023Last spring I battled squash bugs in a new row garden. Eventually I won the war, but I’m wondering if squash bug eggs may have overwintered and are ready to stage a comeback this year. Do you have any recommendations on what I can add to the soil to circumvent the squash bugs offensive before transplanting my summer and winter squash this year?
Brandy Jaques
March 15, 2023I have a couple questions please. Last year my soil was horrible. I added nitrogen, and lime, and it never actually ended up getting better. Should I retest this year? I used good soil for raised beds, and good manure compost as well. I use raised beds, and planters. I try to do square foot gardening. I am in zone 5 b. Everything is telling me to prepare my beds now but I know we still have a hard winter frost and freeze or several coming at least for 2 more months. Do I follow the guidelines and put my early crops in now, and risk losing them, or wait? Thank you!,
Brandy