The Gardener's Rake » raised bed gardening

Hay Bale Square Garden Technique

Denise — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 04:52:06 +0000

Hay Bale Square Garden Technique

In my garden adventures with hay bale ad straw bale gardening I have tried several different gardening techniques. While I like growing melons and gourds in the bales both are heavy feeder so I created a hay bale/ straw bale square garden technique to use with these crops.
photo credit: JBColorado

Use four bales, hay or straw. Each bale type has its strong points. Lay the bales out to form a square with an open section on the inside. In the inside you will want to make and place a trellis or stakes to hold up melons or gourds. Growing these crops vertically will take a lot less space. There will be a lot of weight on this trellis so it has to be well made. My trellis is 10 foot tall, made of metal and welded together.

Once the trellis or stakes are in place fill in the square with fertilizer. Top with straw or grass clipping and water well. This is your onsite fertilizer pit for these heavy feeding plants. I have found that by using this method my crops grow twice as fast and larger than ever before. And with melons I put two plastic milk jugs into the pit, upside down with the bottoms cut off and the cap off. This is my watering funnel to make sure they get enough water.
photo credit: gui.tavares

Now it’s time to prepare the bales for planting. This link will give you the bale preparation method.

Plant three plants in each bale. I plant them near the back and plant flower in the front for color and to add interest to the garden.

The only point I must stress is to make sure you have the trellis or your vertical stakes very secure! It makes a mess when they fall, and yes, this is experience talking.

You can let the melons or gourds lie on the ground and make a unique looking garden but it takes more space and insects will be harder to control. If you decide to let the produce sprawl on the ground, mulch the ground to keep the weeds down, add a few flowers and some garden art and it will make an interesting garden.

Hay bale gardening or Straw bale gardening has many positive aspects. Its worth giving it a try, particularly if you have poor soil or trouble getting a garden tilled.

Technorati Tags: creative gardening, hay bale gardening, raised bed gardening, Straw Bale Garden

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Free Plants: Starting shrubs from healthy clippings

Denise — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:22:32 +0000

A newspaper ad about a house that was being torn down has lead to a new project, starting shrubs from clippings. I went for interesting wood and any salvageable stone, banisters or windows. I must admit I found some interesting items.

Wonderful bushes that were going to be destroyed also surrounded the house. I thought about digging them up but hauling them would be a lot of work so I asked if I could clip them before the house came down.

My plan was to start small shrubs with cutting and liquid growth hormone. These shrubs will take a new to get to a useable size. I will plant some near the house and in the perennial garden area and the rest I will sell.

Yesterday I took up 15 plastic bags and went to work. There were azaleas, two varieties of rhododendrons, weeping cherry, Yew, a low evergreen pine ground cover and a shrub that I will identify later today with the use of my catalogs or local greenhouse.

I started by clipping off healthy green growth on the shrubs in sections that were six to eight inches long. I put the clipping into different bags for each type of bush. I collected 10 bags in total and figure this will start around 1000 shrubs.

Tonight I assembled my planting beds. They are made of salvaged wood and are 12 inches wide by twenty inches long and 4 inches deep. I filled them with left over sand from when the swimming pool went in. So far I have no additional money for my project. But I needed liquid growth hormone and found some at Wal-Mart on sale for $5. This will be more than enough for the project.

Tomorrow I will strip down the cutting and start on the first step for getting the cutting growing. Check back to see how this project develops. Clippings take about 3 month to develop nice sized roots so this is a late fall and early winter project.

Tags: free plants, start your own plants from cuttings

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Growing Strawberries: Fresh Homegrown Fruits

Denise — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:53:31 +0000

Recently I picked up everbearing strawberry plants. I hadn’t planned on growing strawberries but the price of berries keeps rising and I am concerned with the chemicals larger farms use in production. I also found them at a greenhouse auction and could not turn them down.

I have heard berries can be rather difficult to grow but I also heard if you set up the planting bed properly they are easy to grow. So we will find out.

There are many varieties of strawberries but they fall with in within three main type categories: June Bearing, Day Neutral and Everbearing. I have the everbearing variety and the plants are very healthy.

For my new garden I have decided on a round raised bed, first to be one layer than later to be a tiered garden. I rounded up some free bricks up at the neighbors and have selected a sunny area with abundant sunshine.

I also chose an area with a slight slope to help with drainage. Note: The planting area should not be a place where other crops have grown, such as eggplants, tomatoes, peppers or potatoes, because they are sources of root rot fungi that can kill strawberries.

I f you are selecting a new area you need to make sure the grass and weeds are dead. Since my plants need to go in the ground as soon as possible and I can’t wait two weeks for the grass to die off I am covering the area with cardboard to choke the weeds. By using bricked and a raised bed will build a fresh soil bed that has the proper fertilizer needs for strawberries.

I will add old manure, compost and leaf mold and stir well. I will also check the soil to make sure it has a pH between 5.7 and 6.3. I know that I will have to add some limestone to the mix, as my areas soil is always acidic.

Note: Make sure you buy your plants from a reputable nursery or greenhouse to ensure your plants are certified as disease-free. There is no sense bring home plants that are sure to die or produce poorly.

My plants will go in the ground tomorrow and when I plant them I will dig the hole 1.5 times larger than the plant’s roots. After I place the strawberry plant in the hole I will fill in the hole with soil to secure the plant and firm the soil in place.

Tip: If you are planting multiple strawberry plants, place them in a row, leaving about 18 inches between each plant. The rows should be 3 to 4 feet wide.

My plants will be placed 18 inches apart in the circle and this summer the center will be left open. I may possibly place flowers or a piece of garden art in the center for color and fun.

I will water the strawberry plants once they are planted and give them a boost of manure tea to help with transplant shock.

Tips:

It’s important to water the plants on a weekly basis with approximately 1 to 2 inches of water. This will give you juicy strawberries.
The most important thing to watch out for with strawberries is root rot fungi, which can be prevented with healthy soil, good drainage and sun.

To me strawberries bring back childhood memories of summers and parties. We always had fresh homemade biscuits and ice cream topped with locally grown strawberries.

Tags: growing strawberries, preparing a strawberry bed, properly prepared soil, healthy strawberry plants

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Gardening Problems: Too Much Rain can Damage Crops

Denise — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:15:20 +0000

This summer our weather is wet and the nights are too cool. Summers like this wreck havoc on crops. Plants can get wet feet (too much water near the roots), which stunts the plants growth and production or even kills them. I am seeing a few signs of too much water, one which is pale colored leaves, so its time to start taking preventative measures

Here are a few tips for helping with this problem.

Corrections you can do now

Put poles in the ground about 1 1/2 deep and buy plastic pipe that you can bend over the rows. I cut the pipe in 3 to 4 foot sections depending on the size of the rows. When you know it’s going to rain cover the rows with clear plastic. (I clamp the plastic in place) I have my gardens set up to be able to do this. It sounds like a lot of work but if it saves your gardens and crops its worth the time.
If you have a heavy rain forecast and your soil is already saturated put in small hand held trenches to help direct the water or lay down board or rocks to redirect the water.
If you have a few more crops to put in consider planting them in containers so that they can be moved in from the rain

Corrections for next years garden

Add mulch to your soil. The more the soil is aerated the better it will drain
Use raised beds. Raised beds drain and dry out faster and are easier to add pipe and plastic too
Prepare your beds so that they can be covered easily. This will also extend your growing season. I have found it deters small pests too.
Add mulch. You have the benefits of good drainage and more nutrients for the plants.

Signs of too much water for your plants

Yellowing leaves
Wilting leaves
Stunted growth
Poor crop production
And in worse cases the plants are dying

We started out almost in drought conditions this spring and now we have too much rain and the forecast looks bleak. More rain is predicted for almost every day. This last weekend we had flash flooding from the roadsides. In summers like this I have learned to be prepared.

Tags: covering crops from too much rain, tips for wet garden seasons, containers gardening, raised bed gardening

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Tips for stopping small animals from destroying your garden crops

Denise — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:51:44 +0000

Fencing can add peace of mind to the gardener if he lives in an area where small animals thrive and enjoy those moonlight meals of lettuce, cabbage and carrots. I have fenced my gardens but there are times fencing is not an option.

Here are a few tips that will help keep animals out of the garden. If your wildlife problem is not too bad these suggestions should keep your crops safe.

Onions help keep rabbits out of the garden
Marigolds and geraniums keep animals out of the garden. They also keep certain insects at bay
Moving strips of cloth tied to stakes scare many animals
Pie tins reflect light and scare away small animals and some birds (all birds are not bad though)
Wind chimes will help make noise and keep animals away.
Leave a radio on near the garden
A scarecrow will work for certain animals, usually deer. I will move a scarecrow once a week.
Clothes left near the edge of a garden will make animals think a human is nearby
Human hair will keep deer away.
Walk you dog around the perimeter of the garden just before dusk.
Dried blood, which can be bought at garden centers, will keep animals away
Garlic spray will keep rabbits from chewing on lettuce
Chicken coop wire used around crops like lettuce will protect them from rabbits
Raised beds and container gardening discourage many wild animals

These are just a few ideas and often times will work if you don’t have a serious animal problem. There are also sprays away that are available for animal control but I am not into using these sprays. I am not sure what chemical they have and I don’t use chemical sin my gardens.

Tags: animal control, keeping small animals out of the garden, organic control of wild animals, protecting your crops

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Organic Gardening – How to Improve your Soil Easily

Denise — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:41:16 +0000

One of the best ways to improve your soil quality is to build raised beds. A raised bed can be anywhere from three inches high to 3-4 feet high. You can make edges for the beds to hold the soil in place or slant the soil and tamp in place. I myself prefer edging.

The shallower beds make fast new gardens and are placed in areas where the soil is ok but just needs new nutrients for better crops.

The three to four foot gardens are placed in areas where you need a lot of new nutrients or where the soil is extremely poor. Another great use for the higher beds is in hillsides where they act as a wall or for people with bad backs or disabilities.

One of my favorite uses for three-foot high raised bed is for planting watermelons and other melons. These plants need extra fertilizer and the deeper beds I fill half full on manure and top with compost. I have great crops of melons with little work. I also sink a plastic milk jug upside down in the center with the bottom cut off for deep watering. Just fill the milk jug when the bed is dry and the planter waters itself. Using this method the water goes deeply into the soil and the soil will not dry out as fast.

Creating a new bed will also improve the spoil. Just mark out the area you intend to use and till or dig up that area. You can either add bags of compost or organic materials to the area and till or dig it up again to mix in the newly added nutrients. Once your new soil is mixed well you will be ready to plant.

Another fast and very easy way to improve the soil is to use the lasagna garden technique. Here is an article on Lasagna Gardening: http://thegardenersrake.com/lasagna-gardening-history-and-how-to-make-a-lasagna-garden

Good soil is one of the most important steps in successful gardening.

Tags: how to improve soil, raised beds, adding nutrients, lasagna gardening

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Creative Gardening – Taking on and conquering Mother Nature

Denise — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:24:47 +0000

How do you deal with weather changes?

In my Zone 5 climate, spring in particular can be a real challenge. It used to be you never planted in my area until May 31^st if you wanted to make sure your crops were safe from frost.In the last few years out climate has changed, plus I get impatient to plant and cheat the weather by using row covers, cold frames, hot beds and other creative garden covers.

This spring we had a beautiful early spring with temperatures above normal and many people planted early. Well today we had a cold front move in and anyone who doesn’t have row covers or other “garden cheaters” may loose a few plants or have them slow down in growth. Many people don’t realize cold weather may not kill a plant but it may shock it so bad that it will produce poorly or not at all.

In the last few years I have switched primarily to raised bed gardens. I use frames on the beds so that I can put small holders on the insides of the frame to put PVC pipe. If I bend PVC pipe from one side of the frame to the other I can cover any garden area from cold wind sin a matter of minutes by simply covering the frame with plastic and pinning into place. I can extend my gardening season and have saved early crops using this method.

Two other simple and fast methods to protect plants are terra cotta plants or buckets placed over top of plants and one gallon milk jugs with the bottom of the jugs cut out. These jugs act as mini greenhouses. (Stake them in place so that the wind does not blow them away.)

If you have a weather tips please let me know. Mother Nature can be a challenge at times.

Tags: starting plants early, garden cheating, Mother Nature is a challenge, rwo covers, cold frames, raised beds, protecting tender plants

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Creative Gardening – Spill Over Garden serves a purpose

Denise — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:24:08 +0000

In my last post http://thegardenersrake.com/a-gardeners-dream-free-dirt-delivered I mentioned a Spill over garden. Exactly what is a spill over garden?

It can mean several different things but in my yard it’s a garden that has my extra plants, unique plants and foraged plants. You never know what may be growing in this garden.

It never fails I tend to have too many tomatoes and a few extra gourds. A trip downtown will lead to rescued plants or foraged plants along a road. I give away what plants I can but there are always a few extras that I don’t want to toss.

By placing them in one area I can give these plants away during the summer, transplant them later into pots or the yard or sell them at a garage sale.

Sometimes I am given seeds and I have no idea what they are or how large they will grow so these plants go in the spill over garden until I can identify them and find a home for them.

This garden is mainly raised beds. Other areas in this garden include

a few extra empty beds for plants that I find need special care and need to be moved from other plants.
Containers for specialized plants
Fencing or lattice for climbing plants
Teepee forms for vines or trailing plants

A Spill over garden can be the most unique garden in your yard. It’s a place to create, experiment and add any garden art you may have. My garden always has a shady area for relaxing and several benches: that way I can enjoy my plants and the outdoors.

Tags: Creative gardening, spill over gardening, foraging plants, using extra plants, selling plants

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A Gardener’s Dream: Free Dirt Delivered.

Denise — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:58:23 +0000

My life has had many twists and turns lately. I have just taken the attitude of sit back and see what happens.

Thursday morning I heard strange noises outdoors. A large truck was slowing down and entering my new parking area. The truck started dumping dirt and I knew that my morning would take a different turn. I called my brother to see if he had anything to do with it and had just forgotten to tell me. I was correct, my brother was redoing the slope behind his new garage and I would be getting four loads of dirt.

I checked the dirt out and it’s a high grade of dirt, not soil. But with added composting materials this will work into wonderful garden soil in a few weeks.

I decided to move all of my gardens to the front yard except for my spill over garden, so I would need a lot of soil for the new beds. I had the man delivering the dirt drop two of the loads (large dump trucks) near the smaller front bank where I had planned to put in raised beds in the bank side. Now all I will need to do its get my bed foundations in place (free cement blocks) and move the dirt and compost it into useable garden soil.

My garden work has been more than cut in half and all my supplies are free so what more can a gardener ask for? I had six large loads of dirt delivered. The spare dirt will go in another part of the yard. I do have to admit that the new garden area looks pretty bad at the moment but give me a few weeks and you’ll be surprised with the results.

TIP: If you need additional dirt or soil for your yard contact the road company or a construction site. They often have soil they need to get rid of. Most of the time it is free and often times they will deliver it for free.

Have you found or stumbled upon any useable finds for your garden or yard?

Tags: A gardeners dream, free dirt delivered, useable finds for the garden, raised beds, making useable garden soil, spill over garden

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Container Gardens, Raised Beds and Square Foot Gardening benefits

Denise — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:59:03 +0000

I use Container Gardens, Raised Beds and Square foot gardening techniques in my gardens. I have found by using these styles of gardening I can increase my crops in small areas and my crops produce better and my plants are healthier. It also takes less time.

Below is an eCourse I offered on Square Foot Gardening. I have put all the urls into one post for fast and easy reference.

http://thegardenersrake.com/how-to-plant-square-foot-gardens-square-foot-garden-benefits

http://thegardenersrake.com/how-to-plant-square-foot-gardens-less-weeding-is-a-benefit

http://thegardenersrake.com/how-to-plant-square-foot-gardens-less-insect-and-pest-problems

http://thegardenersrake.com/how-to-plant-square-foot-gardens-how-to-pick-square-foot-garden-plants

http://thegardenersrake.com/how-to-plant-square-foot-gardens-how-to-water-square-foot-gardens

There will be another eCourse on how to build and set up a Square foot garden that will include making the frames, setting the garden up and the proper soil to use. Check in later this week for the details. There will also be a celebration of Earth Day here at The Gardeners Rake. Join in the fun!

Happy gardening, Denise

Tags: container gardening, raised bed gardening, Square Foot gardening, gardening ecourse, you tube gardening eCourse, time saving gardening techniques

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