building raised beds - Page 4

feldon30 · February 10, 2008

I'm not Bully, but those are Texas Tomato Cages.

chai · February 11, 2008

I've had raised beds for a number of years now-5 perhaps? I grow tomatoes in them every year.I have added compost to them every year but it seems that in the last few my yield is lessening.Is there a fertilizer-organic is possible, but not essential at this point,that I can add?I read the 13-13 fertilizer someone added, what would be the advantage to starting with that? I get lots of leaf-really tall plants,but the yield is smaller than it was a few years back.I am in zone 9b in Davis, Ca. this is my first post.What advice have you for me? Thank you! Chai

bryanccfshr · February 11, 2008

Chai,
With annual additions of compost you are probably doing well with micro nutrients it is probably the macronutrients that are needed.
You can use an organic fertilizer even seed meals such as cornmeal, soy meal, cottonseed meal or rabbit food(alfalfa meal to provide a long t3erm boost. For a short term boost a balanced fertilizer of any type will help.
It is difficult to give specific recommendations without knowing your soil and or having a recent soil test. A soil test is probably your best option to see if you need to make any corrections.

Worth1 · February 11, 2008

I'm no expert on raised beds Chai but if your plant production is good but less yield in fruit is less you may be low in phosphorous and potassium.

If the plants are nice and dark green then you don't need any more Nitrogen so 13-13-13 might be the best idea due to nitrogen burn.
You may want to get your soil tested by a professional too
Welcome and post all you want, if you want to start a thread on this subject by all means do so.

There is lots of good info on the soil building forum too.

Worth

dice · February 12, 2008

Sounds like you need an 0-10-5 or something like that
(compost usually supplies some potassium but not
much phosphorus, and your description indicates plenty
of nitrogen). What is the pH like in the beds? That affects
phosphorus uptake. You want around 6.5 (not under 6.0 or
over 7.0).

Maybe dig 2 bags of rock phosphate and a bag of greensand
into each raised bed? That should raise the available phosphorus and potassium for years.

A soil test is a good idea, though. Then you know for sure.

billbird2111 · February 12, 2008

I have six of these boxes in now:

Worth1 · February 12, 2008

IF you have as many as think you have in the beds thats 54 tomato plants.

Do you plant anything other than tomatoes in them?

Looks nice.

Worth

chai · February 12, 2008

Thanks for the info! I knew I could count on all of you to help me out.I think I probably will do a soil test and go from there.In the meantime I am back to planting my tomato seeds.I start them indoors in jiffy pellets.Have been reading some interesting things about some of the new varieties I bought this year.One of them being true black brandywine.but anyway-they'll be ready to plant in the beds by early April and I am sure I'll have the soil all balanced out by then. Thanks again-Chai

billbird2111 · February 12, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

IF you have as many as think you have in the beds thats 54 tomato plants.

Do you plant anything other than tomatoes in them?

Looks nice.

Worth

No, not quite that many. I would really be testing the patience of my wife! We do anywhere from six to eight tomato plants per bed -- and only use three of those beds for tomatoes at this point.

The other three are set aside for peppers, onions, garlic, squash, radishes, carrots, sunflowers, you name it.

Thank you for the compliment though. The beds have a V formation for a reason. They are the "V for Venus" planter beds, which happens to be my wife's name.

robin303 · February 13, 2008

That soil looks really rich there billbird2111. What you got there. Nice beds.
Robin

billbird2111 · February 14, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by robin303

That soil looks really rich there billbird2111. What you got there. Nice beds.
Robin

Robin,

That's just planter mix from a nearby bulk provider. I find I like their mix. There's some manure in it, yes, but there's also lots of bark and redwood chips worked into the mix as well.

Of course, this was virgin soil when I took those photos. It looks a little more used now!

It also helps to have four cats who LOVE rummaging through planter beds.

The four cats are rummaging through the beds because the field mice just love the area for the loose soil. The mice don't bother the tomatoes. The cats bother the mice.

Cyn · March 5, 2008

Thanks for all the advice on the raised beds. My beds and garden are finished and ready for the last frost to pass.

http://counseling.typepad.com/counse...-new-digs.html

The garden is 20 x 40 and the three beds are 5 x 12 - there is room on the north end for some rambling plant like cantaloupe or watermelon.

dcarch · March 5, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyn

Thanks for all the advice on the raised beds. My beds and garden are finished and ready for the last frost to pass.

http://counseling.typepad.com/counse...-new-digs.html

The garden is 20 x 40 and the three beds are 5 x 12 - there is room on the north end for some rambling plant like cantaloupe or watermelon.

Very beautiful. Can't wait to see them with plants !

dcarch

Cyn · March 5, 2008

my seedlings are doing great - I took your weak fish emulsion tip to heart and they are thriving. Still, only about 4 inches tall but sturdy.

I am hoping to put in some lettuces this weekend - and who knows what else

creister · March 6, 2008

Chai,

You could put a handful of greensand and rock phosphate in each planting hole. It wouldn't really hurt anything at all. Some people like to add some epsom salt in the planting hole as well for sulfur and magnesium.

February 10, 2008	#46
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I'm not Bully, but those are Texas Tomato Cages. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

February 11, 2008	#48
bryanccfshr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Farmington, Nm Posts: 450	Chai, With annual additions of compost you are probably doing well with micro nutrients it is probably the macronutrients that are needed. You can use an organic fertilizer even seed meals such as cornmeal, soy meal, cottonseed meal or rabbit food(alfalfa meal to provide a long t3erm boost. For a short term boost a balanced fertilizer of any type will help. It is difficult to give specific recommendations without knowing your soil and or having a recent soil test. A soil test is probably your best option to see if you need to make any corrections. __________________ I moved!

February 12, 2008	#50
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Sounds like you need an 0-10-5 or something like that (compost usually supplies some potassium but not much phosphorus, and your description indicates plenty of nitrogen). What is the pH like in the beds? That affects phosphorus uptake. You want around 6.5 (not under 6.0 or over 7.0). Maybe dig 2 bags of rock phosphate and a bag of greensand into each raised bed? That should raise the available phosphorus and potassium for years. A soil test is a good idea, though. Then you know for sure. __________________ -- alias

February 12, 2008	#51
billbird2111 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 56	I have six of these boxes in now: __________________ All Heirlooms, All The Time

March 5, 2008	#57
Cyn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z8 - Texas Hill Country Posts: 171	OK - here they are Thanks for all the advice on the raised beds. My beds and garden are finished and ready for the last frost to pass. http://counseling.typepad.com/counse...-new-digs.html The garden is 20 x 40 and the three beds are 5 x 12 - there is room on the north end for some rambling plant like cantaloupe or watermelon. __________________ ************* Cynthia McKenna, LPC, NCC Psychotherapy for anxiety, depression, and healthy living.

February 11, 2008	#47
chai Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Davis, Ca Posts: 14	I've had raised beds for a number of years now-5 perhaps? I grow tomatoes in them every year.I have added compost to them every year but it seems that in the last few my yield is lessening.Is there a fertilizer-organic is possible, but not essential at this point,that I can add?I read the 13-13 fertilizer someone added, what would be the advantage to starting with that? I get lots of leaf-really tall plants,but the yield is smaller than it was a few years back.I am in zone 9b in Davis, Ca. this is my first post.What advice have you for me? Thank you! Chai

February 11, 2008	#49
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I'm no expert on raised beds Chai but if your plant production is good but less yield in fruit is less you may be low in phosphorous and potassium. If the plants are nice and dark green then you don't need any more Nitrogen so 13-13-13 might be the best idea due to nitrogen burn. You may want to get your soil tested by a professional too Welcome and post all you want, if you want to start a thread on this subject by all means do so. There is lots of good info on the soil building forum too. Worth

February 13, 2008	#55
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	That soil looks really rich there billbird2111. What you got there. Nice beds. Robin

March 6, 2008	#60
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	Chai, You could put a handful of greensand and rock phosphate in each planting hole. It wouldn't really hurt anything at all. Some people like to add some epsom salt in the planting hole as well for sulfur and magnesium.