Ryan's newb garden thread.....

[Ryan]

Well, bear with me because this thread is going to be a learning experience. I am sure I will have lots of questions along the way.

I decided to go with 2 raised beds because the soil where the garden is going doesn't really drain very well. The beds are 4' x 12'. I also ordered some top soil to fill the boxes in and I should have some left over to go into a number of containers that I have. The plan is to mix some of the grass clippings in with the top soil. Then I was going to take the rest of the clippings and lay them on top for the compost layer. HOwever, we have a lot of dandalions(sp) in the yard right now. Would mixing them be a bad idea?

I also just placed an order with chileplants.com. I ordered:
2 BELL BOY HYBRID
2 BHUT JOLOKIA
1 BIG RED
1 DATIL SWEET
1 HABANERO ORANGE
1 JALAPENO JUMBO
2 TRINIDAD SCORPION
6 BEEFY BOY VFFTSt HYBRID (Tomato Plants)
2 BLACK BEAUTY (Egglants)

Then for the rest of the garden I plan on going to a green house this weekend and picking up a couple different things, like some cucumbers, onions, maybe another variety of tomatoe, basically whatever I see that sounds good.

I'll take a couple of pictures of the raised beds and where everything is going to be when I get home later.

Here goes nothing.....

 

[Silver_Surfer]

Put the grass clippings in your compost pile, not in your garden, then use the compost next year.

I wouldn't use the top soil in your containers w/o heavily amending it to improve drainage and aeration. You would be much better off with a peat based mix for your containers.

 

[Ryan]

Put the grass clippings in your compost pile, not in your garden, then use the compost next year.

I wouldn't use the top soil in your containers w/o heavily amending it to improve drainage and aeration. You would be much better off with a peat based mix for your containers.

Can I ask how you would amend it? Can I get peat from a landscaper (that's who I was getting the top soil from)? Or from Home Depot or Lowes?

Edit: Would I be better off going with peat in the entire raised bed? (Sorry for all the questions)

And here I thought I was ready to order the top soil in the morning...

 

[Maligator]

They sell peat at both Lowes and Home Depot for like $11 or $12 per 3.8 cubit foot bales. Check out the Sticky about Soil. It describes and talks about numerous soils and combinations.

 

[Josh]

Edit: Would I be better off going with peat in the entire raised bed? (Sorry for all the questions)

And here I thought I was ready to order the top soil in the morning...

I believe SS was referencing you using top soil in a containers not your raised beds. Containers are a little different than growing in the ground. Personally, I have had more success with raised beds and therefore favor them as my way of growing.

 

[Ryan]

I believe SS was referencing you using top soil in a containers not your raised beds. Containers are a little different than growing in the ground. Personally, I have had more success with raised beds and therefore favor them as my way of growing.

Hmmmmmm ic. Then I will leave the beds alone and only amend the pots then.

I just read the sticky on soil. How does a mix of soil, peat, limestone, and newspaper sound for the containers?

And like I promised, here are a coulple of pics (like I said before, not to much to see here.....yet):

Raised beds

Here are some of my containers. I have 4 big ones not pictured

 

[POTAWIE]

I don't know about the newspaper, it may decay and possibly go a bit funky/moldy. As for limestone, I'd use dolomitic lime instead since it has needed magnesium and calcium

 

[Ryan]

I don't know about the newspaper, it may decay and possibly go a bit funky/moldy. As for limestone, I'd use dolomitic lime instead since it has needed magnesium and calcium

Ya I thought it sounded kinda strange, but I read it in the sticky thread. Since we have some of it here, I figured why not.

 

[POTAWIE]

I use newspaper in my regular compost, vermicompost, bokashi compost and even as garden mulch but I've also seen newspaper compost get a bit moldy which is my concern

 

[teh purple penguins]

dude that is an awesome back yard!! i would love a giant clearing you must get a ton of full sun i get like 4 hours of full on sun a day in my back yard :| damn 2 story houses all around me.

 

[Ryan]

Thanks POTAWIE. Maybe I will avoid the newspaper then.

TPP, it is really sunny back there. That pic was taken at 8:30 in the morning and will stay that sunny until 7:45p.m.

Ok so one more question. What sort of things should I be adding to my garden throughout the season. I plan on getting a compost pile started. I think I read somewhere (I can't remember where) that egg shells are good to add to a garden. Is this true?

 

[patrick]

Yep, egg shells provide calcium and can help ward off blossom end rot.

Best of luck to you Ryan.

 

[HawaiiAl]

get your self a copy of all New Square foot gardening book. it will answer alot of questions you have, i use his mix in containers and my raised boxs 4' x 10' and 3' x 10. both two years old, works great for me. his mix is 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat, 1/3 vermiculite. have fun starting your boxs,