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david_mcgrath90_zn6

prep my raised bed?

So last year I made a 3 by 8 raised bed and basically filled it with a 50/50 mix of decent soil and compost. Would have filled it differently if I had to do it over again but I did pretty well considering. I was listening to a person at the local garden shop and I’m not too sure they knew what they were talking about. What do I need to do in order to prep the garden for the new year? The normal tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers will be going in there. Mix in some fertilizer and top it off with fresh compost? should I add vermiculite even though last year went pretty well? Thanks in advance for any advice.

Comments (13)

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    No need to add vermiculite unless you want to for some purpose. Really, the only way to determine what to add is to learn about growing mediums, soil, and amendments. Look for such things as tilth, friability, organic matter, texture and grit, as well as the different soil types. Then learn a little about the many different amendments, how they behave, and when one might be a better addition than another.

    Vermiculite, for example - and in my own opinion - doesn't serve a necessary purpose in an outdoor garden. The only time I would recommend its use outdoors is if the person was looking to build a soilless medium and needed a relatively light, water-retentive product. Outdoors, organic matter fills the same purpose, and brings more to the party. An example of beneficial organic matter is compost. It is water-retentive, light, and has some nutrient value. It buffers pH, and can host lots and lots of beneficial organisms. Vermiculite lacks most of those qualities.

    So... short of sending out a sample of your soil to a lab, look into soils and amendments. You'll strive for a rich loam with about 5% - 10% organic matter (a little more won't hurt a raised bed.) That organic matter could be manure, compost, worm castings, leaf mold, etc... The rest of the soil could be clay, sand, silt, loam, etc... Blended together in good ratios, the mineral aspect of soil will fill a role, and the organic matter will bring benefits.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I just add some compost, my bed is the same size. 3 x 8'. I dig in some mulched leaves in the fall too. I also test the PH in the fall and adjust if needed.

  • 8 years ago
    Awesome. So just compost and no fertilizer mixed in? Something like Tomato-tone or Dr Earth organic blah blah blah? Somebody said add if if my soil is missing nutrients. How do I know that? Thanks as always!
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Generally, adding some sort of fertilizer before planting or during the growing season is done as a matter of course with a raised bed garden. Most vegetable crops are heavy feeders as well as pulling a lot of nutrients from the soil when they are harvested. Compost is not a nutrient-rich material - generally pretty low concentration of any nutrients - so supplemental fertilization is often advised to maximize growth and yields.

    Either the Tomato Tone or the Dr. Earth product would be appropriate. And the only sure way of determining if you have nutrient deficiencies is by having a professional soil test done. But typically, refreshing annually with compost and supplementing with a complete organic fert - like the two mentioned - will adequately cover all the bases ;-))

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    As gardengal says, compost and fertilizer are two entirely different things. So to preserve and enhance soil structure, add compost. To the extent your bed needs nutrients, add fertilizer.

    How do you know if your soil is missing nutrients? Get a soil test.

    https://njaes.rutgers.edu/soil-testing-lab/how-to.php

    Now, you don't need a soil test every year, but with a new bed, best to get your feet firmly planted on the ground with one.

  • 8 years ago

    I don't add fertilizer until planting time.

  • 8 years ago

    If you use an organic fert, adding before planting time ensures the nutrients are available when you do plant. They need time to be broken down and converted to plant usable forms, generally several weeks to several months depending on ingredients.

  • 8 years ago

    Agree with gardengal - it depends on the type of fertilizer you use. Organic fertilizers such as you listed above require several weeks advance incorporation to be effective. They don't provide any nutrients to the plants until they decompose. If you want to use synthetics then at planting time is fine.

    As others have said, compost is a soil amendment, not a fertilizer.

    Dave

  • 8 years ago
    Thanks as always! So I got tomato-tone and will put it down a few months prior to transplanting my seedlings. Do I need to add additional fertilizer throughout the growing season or will this suffice? I don’t want to over do it.
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    No one here knows whether your soil will need additional nutrients. As I said, get a soil test and have the right answer. Of course, lots of people throw random fertilizers on and, as long as you don't exceed the recommended application rate, it probably won't do any harm ... except to your wallet. I have beds that test out high in N,P,K, etc. and I don't add anything to them except compost.

  • 8 years ago

    two 40 lbs bags of composted manure, a variety 3-4 other types bagged composts.

    after you finish/ harvest a plant you add mixed compost before replanting the next crop in succession.

  • 8 years ago

    Like Dan, there is no way for anyone but you to know that. Despite what some claim, there is no one-rule-fits-all.

    As a very general rule organic fertilizers usually need to be supplied more frequently than synthetics do. If you are using Tomato Tone (an organic) then you follow the label directions for frequency and you watch your plants and they will tell you. You will also have to adjust feedings for the different crops as they don't all need the same amounts.

    Some folks feed low-dose every time they water, some feed a good side dressing 2-3x a season, some feed once a month, some once in mid-season, etc. but it all depends on your soil test results and the type of fertilizer you use.

    Dave