This is the first of a planned three new raised beds. The old ones, made from fir 2 x 6's, are starting to deteriorate. They have also tended to sink with time, so the lowest 2 x 6's no longer show above ground / mulch level. I've been building up the soil in them for 8 years, and that is nice. Everything grows very well in them. The old beds are also not where I want them now.
I felt a sense of urgency about the first one. I want it for garlic, which grows very nicely for me in raised beds, better than in the ground. Also, it needs to be fenced. Herbivores eat most of my garlic if I leave it unprotected.
This new method makes a bit larger bed from the same size planks, compared to my old method. My older bed has also sunk quite a bit. So, I bought 1/2 yard of topsoil to mix with the original raised bed soil. At first I was adding the new topsoil to the bottom level, but then I decided it would be better to mix it all together. Some is uneven but I think it's mostly mixed. The new topsoil mix is gummy when wet, whereas my mix crumbles somewhat. Not knowing where that topsoil came from, or what might be in it, I supplemented it. After mixing together the old and new soil, I added about an inch of aged compost from my yard - a year or two old - and spread a cup of dolomite lime over the entire bed, then turned it a few times with a shovel, and tilled a couple of times with a hand held "claw" tiller tool that I liked. Then I raked it fairly smooth.
It's been raining, so the soil management was not perfect, but I wanted to get it done. Maybe I should let the amended soil cure and age and settle a little before planting the garlic, but I might get started soon anyway. I usually plant it about now.
No comments:
Post a Comment