In this area, it is a good thing because the soils are typically low pH. Farmers here have to lime their fields annually.
Making raised beds
- Thread starter esshup
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jolj
ArboristSite Operative
I have been growing organic vegetables for 49 years.
I use double dug raised beds with no lumber or stone for over 15 years & they are still going strong.
I said that, so you would know I am Not against raised beds.
BUT you do not need raised bed, unless you have heavy clay & or stone in your garden or you have a high water table & wet soil ten months out the year.
This does not mean you should not have raised beds, just that it is not needed, to have a good garden.
I mowed down my raspberries, that was out of control (my fault), & turned the soil, that had not been planted in twenty years.
I then put the onions just under the soil & they have multiplied six fold, with no added compost or fertilizer.
If you follow the basic rules, then you will have more than you can eat.
We have low pH(4.5-5.5) here in S.C., because it is an ancient seashore, great for my Rabbiteye blueberries, black berries & southern raspberries.
I use gypsum which is calcium sulfate dihydrate, CaSO4.2H2O in pellet form so the wind will not blow it away & I will not breathe it.
I use coffee chaff compost, some animal waste, leaves, wheat straw & pasture clipping, some wood chips for mushrooms.
Going to try rice husk on my garlic/onion beds as mulch this Fall, the husk are small & will not hinder the bulbing of the plants in any way.
Hopefully they will not mat or blow away.
I use double dug raised beds with no lumber or stone for over 15 years & they are still going strong.
I said that, so you would know I am Not against raised beds.
BUT you do not need raised bed, unless you have heavy clay & or stone in your garden or you have a high water table & wet soil ten months out the year.
This does not mean you should not have raised beds, just that it is not needed, to have a good garden.
I mowed down my raspberries, that was out of control (my fault), & turned the soil, that had not been planted in twenty years.
I then put the onions just under the soil & they have multiplied six fold, with no added compost or fertilizer.
If you follow the basic rules, then you will have more than you can eat.
We have low pH(4.5-5.5) here in S.C., because it is an ancient seashore, great for my Rabbiteye blueberries, black berries & southern raspberries.
I use gypsum which is calcium sulfate dihydrate, CaSO4.2H2O in pellet form so the wind will not blow it away & I will not breathe it.
I use coffee chaff compost, some animal waste, leaves, wheat straw & pasture clipping, some wood chips for mushrooms.
Going to try rice husk on my garlic/onion beds as mulch this Fall, the husk are small & will not hinder the bulbing of the plants in any way.
Hopefully they will not mat or blow away.
not me! i think D. Raymond in his book Joy of Gardening clearly and demonstratively made his point!
The problem with books is that what works for them WONT work for others so thats why I never read books---- total waste of my time! lol!!
camel2019
ArboristSite Guru
We built our raised bed about 16 inches high made it out of mostly the old front steps after we put a new porch on and some other wood I had laying around from other projects . For dirt most of it was top soil that was dig out of the spot we laid the gravel driveway in after it was screened and city compost(mostly wood shrubs dried grass and peoples garden clippings) that we get by the truck load as well as my compost from my kitchen scrap composter and yard waste composter. Nice think about living on ex swamp land is my yard has about 3ft of top soil already and if you dig anywhere near the clay layer you will fill a hole with ground water.
I stopped at the farmer down the street. He's trying to dig a pond in a wet area and the dirt looks like black charcoal. He's got a screener and a dump truck, so I have secured the majority of the dirt for my raised beds. It'll take a few weeks for it to dry out enough for him to get back there but it's already set up to get enough when he's starting to sell it.
sis uses concrete blocks for her raised beds. 2 high seams to work decent then fill with good dirt/compost/horse manure/etc. Grows good stuff in them, BUT water is always the problem with raised beds! --- Thats why I dont use them! got 3 out here that are cross ties 3 high and we did try them one year and found they are WAY too much work for what little you get in return. We dont have the time to mess with them. 4.5 acres flat ground gardens take up all of our time! IF you have the time, ---- they are great!
