Organic raised bed gardens produce healthy plants.
Raised beds are an effective solution for those gardeners who are limited by poor soil or a short gardening season. Some gardeners choose raised-bed gardening because it offers them better control over their plants' soil and drainage. Whatever your reasons, it is easy to create a nutrient-rich organic soil mixture for plants grown in raised beds. Simply add the ingredients, mix well, and plant. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Till the soil directly underneath the raised bed. Unless you have added artificial fertilizers to the soil directly beneath your raised bed, it is organic. Plants grown in raised beds often put down deeper roots--but only if the underlying soil is well worked. Turn and loosen the soil with a garden fork or hand tiller to a depth of 6 inches. Then rake the area smooth.
2. Add soil to your raised bed. Two-thirds of your raised-bed soil should consist of native soil (from your yard or elsewhere in your garden) or quality organic garden soil purchased by the bag from your local home and garden center or nursery. Spread this soil evenly over the raised bed. If your raised bed is fewer than 8 inches high and your plant's roots will reach the native soil, mix in the bottom third of the raised-bed soil with the soil beneath. The top 3 inches of your native soil and the bottom 3 inches of raised-bed soil should be a mix of the two types of soils. This way, you avoid a sharp border between soil types that may inhibit plant root growth.
3. Spread 2 inches of organic matter over your raised bed for every 6 inches of soil used as fill. Ideal types of organic matter are aged compost, dried leaves, vegetable, plant or grass clippings, and manure.
4. Add fertilizer. Spread one pound of an organic, commercial 10-10-10 (nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus) fertilizer over the soil per 100 square feet of raised-garden soil.
5. Mix the organic matter and fertilizer evenly into the top 6 to 8 inches of the soil. Then rake the surface of the soil smooth.
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