Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Bed gardening vs rows
My wife and I have recently moved into a home in Burlington NC with an
existing, but at least for the last few years, unused garden spot. There is a small creek running in the back of the lot with the garden space right on the creek bed. I have long been interested in "intensive" gardening that raised bed gardening seems to offer, but have no recent experience. I was raised on a farm and recall the long hot days of taking a hoe to weeds on what seem like endless rows of corn, beans and the like. Anyway, we started by tilling several beds in the old garden spot today using a knock off of the "garden claw". The local rental shop wanted $50 for a 1 day tiller rental. I noticed that by mounding the dirt from the sides of the bed, each about 4 feet wide, did raise the beds from 4 - 6 inches in the center, but the dirt dried quickly, even after yesterday's rains. We have a deep lot, so it would take 4 or more garden hoses together to water the garden. Also, while Burlington has no water problem at this time, I don't want to be wasteful. 1. Can we use the intensive planting in these "ground beds", i.e. sowing the seeds rather than rows? 2. The topsoil is very nice and dark, but I have read that beds need more fertilizer. I had thought about mixing them with cow manure from the local hardware. Or should I use comercial fertilizer and how much? Like I said, the cure for weeds on the farm were sprays, the cultivator and a hoe. Do you mulch with bed planting like this? and if so what is recommended. 3. We want to try the following, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, califlower, squash, broccoli, onion, lettuce, bell peppers and cantalope. Any advice on how to group in what will be 3 beds? We are trying our tomato plants in widely spaced 18 in by 12in deep holes with newspaper and mulch rather than the beds. Any advice would be appreciated. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Bed gardening vs rows
On 27 Apr 2003 21:07:41 -0700, (Jerry)
wrote: 3. We want to try the following, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, califlower, squash, broccoli, onion, lettuce, bell peppers and cantalope. Any advice on how to group in what will be 3 beds? You might be interested in this website: http://www.squarefootgardening.com It addresses all your questions. The author is trying to sell his book (which I own and recommend) but there's a lot of info on the website as well. Or you might want to get the book - I use mine a whole lot. Pat |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Bed gardening vs rows
On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 11:46:05 GMT, "SugarChile"
wrote: The only downside I can see is that the mulch harbors slugs. The birds work over the ground and get a lot of them, but on susceptible crops I need to use slug bait (sluggo or escargo, not the toxic stuff) early in the season. I also mulch, and had a slug problem last year. This year, I bought Escargo. How do you spread it? Pull back the mulch? On top of the mulch? Thanks. Pat |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Bed gardening vs rows
I don't broadcast, just put a little around each susceptible plant. I
sprinkle it on top of the mulch; since it's straw, some of it falls down and some of it stays on top. I'm not sure if that's *right* or not, but it seems to work. It works better if I reapply a small amount every week or so, or after especially heavy rain. If I'm diligent in the spring, and get all the slugs that would otherwise be reproducing, by summer I don't have much of a problem. Sue Zone 6, Southcentral PA "Pat Meadows" wrote in message ... On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 11:46:05 GMT, "SugarChile" wrote: The only downside I can see is that the mulch harbors slugs. The birds work over the ground and get a lot of them, but on susceptible crops I need to use slug bait (sluggo or escargo, not the toxic stuff) early in the season. I also mulch, and had a slug problem last year. This year, I bought Escargo. How do you spread it? Pull back the mulch? On top of the mulch? Thanks. Pat |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Bed gardening vs rows
"simy1" wrote in message om... (Jerry) wrote in message . com... 1. Can we use the intensive planting in these "ground beds", i.e. sowing the seeds rather than rows? yes, and that will save you watering and weeding, though you will have to fertilize more as the beds will be more productive (hardly a problem). My understanding is that raised beds have the advantages, for the plants, of providing deeper soil than the natural top soil and improving drainage. There is also the advantage for the gardener that some kneeling/stooping may be removed. Are there any other advantages? Do you know of any studies that compare the two approaches? David |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Flowers: - Sunflower-rows.jpg (1/1) | Garden Photos | |||
Where to buy shade type cloth for garden rows? | Texas | |||
What do you use to make the rows in your Garden? | Edible Gardening | |||
What do you use to make the rows in your Garden? | Edible Gardening | |||
grass rows | Gardening |