Friday, May 13, 2016

Raised Bed Gardening 101


I have done a TON of research this year on gardening and have been trying to find the time to write it all out, mostly to share with you, but also so I have it to look back on. It will probably be WAY more than you will ever want to know about gardening, so feel free to skim the parts that I start to ramble. I tend to do that a lot... such as now, I suppose.

Getting Started
There are a few questions that you should ask yourself before gardening...
1) What kind of garden do I want? 
2) Where will I put this garden and what will I make it out of?
3) Am I ready for a long term commitment? 
4) What time of year will I be gardening?


What kind of garden do I want? 
Vegetable vs flowers... or both! I LOVE to garden, and I have the time and space to have both. I suggest if you work a lot and have little time to tend to your garden, keep it small and easily accessible. There is a ton of info out there about small gardens, but for the sake of this blog and my experience, I will focus the larger garden that includes flowers and vegetable (and herbs). I'll talk later about companion planting, which incorporates flowers and herbs into a vegetable garden.   

Where will I put this garden and what will I make it out of?
I have a pretty big backyard and an awesome husband who sees my visions and lets me do what I want (and usually helps make it come to life). You'll want to pick a place that gets sunlight at least 6-8 hours of the day and is sheltered from critters, such as dogs and small children.
I have had experience with making gardens out of wood and cinder block. If you decide to use wood, my suggestion is to get untreated, as the chemicals can be harmful to your edible produce. The only downside of using untreated wood is that it rots quickly. Ours only lasted two years.

Our first garden made out of wood.

This year, we used cinder blocks. I wasn't sure if I would like the look of it, but found this awesome idea to plant flowers and herbs in the holes of each cinder block, and I think it turned out great. I have also seen people spray paint designs on the cinder blocks.




Am I ready for a long term commitment? 
Gardening is not something that happens over night. It takes weeks and even months to reap the fruits of your labor. It also requires upkeep along the way. My suggestions is, if you are just starting out, to pick a few easy growing and forgiving plants, so if you forget to water for a few days, they will perk back up after being showered. Some good hardy vegetable plants are beans, okra, pumpkins, squash, and zucchini. They produce big leaves that protect the vegetable itself from the harsh sun. Some good herbs and flowers to start out with are basil, rosemary, mint, and marigolds. 

What time of year will I be gardening?
Different plants have different growing seasons. Make sure you are planting according to your climate. If you are starting plants from seed, most seed packages have the best growing season for your area. If you are a new gardener, I would suggest starting with plants. You will see results much quicker, as the store has done all the hard work for you. If you are planting anytime after early/mid April, buy all plants. I typically always buy marigolds, peppers and tomatoes as plants, no matter the time of year. They just takes too long to start from seed.


Building Your Garden
Look online for different ideas on sizes, shapes, and materials used for raised bed gardens.

Here is what we did to build our cinder block raised bed garden.

Supplies:
- Lots of cinder blocks (measure the size you want and buy accordingly)- Approx $1.48/ea
- Shovel
- Hand dirt compactor
- Work gloves










The most important factor into making your garden look good (minus the plants), is making sure it is level. Having a good, solid, and flat foundation is key. This is by far the worst part. I nominated my husband (who has lots of upper body strength) to do this part. He dug a few inches into the ground just enough to frame the garden and then used the dirt compactor to level the dug out areas. It may be best to do this part after it has rained; the ground will be softer. (Helpful tip: Put all the extra dirt in the center of the garden, as it can be used as *free* filler dirt later.) After the dirt is compacted, place the cinder blocks, making sure they are level. We did all three steps for every 3-4 feet that we dug, to ensure we were keeping it all level and to help keep the excess dirt in place. You can decide whether or not you want to do just one row of cinder blocks or two. We chose two rows. Benefits of two row: sturdier and more likely to keep the cinder blocks from shifting; you don't have to bend down as far when gardening; *in my opinion* it looks nicer. Cons: costs more and you have to buy twice as much dirt.
             
Buying Dirt
You are going to need both filler dirt and vegetable garden fertilizer. The extra dirt from digging the space from the cinder blocks should fill 20-25% of the garden (maybe more). We had a TON of extra dirt from a previous patio project so we were fortunate to not have to buy any filler dirt. It is fairly inexpensive per bag though. Filler dirt should fill about 2/3 of your garden and fertilizer 1/3. There are a TON of different kinds of each. Filler dirt doesn't really matter what kind, but make sure that your fertilizer is for *vegetable* gardens. The fertilizer is nutrient packed and spongy to ensures that water can reach the roots and drain properly. I also used filler dirt to fill 3/4 of each cinder block hole and 1/4 fertilizer.

Helpful hint: I would also recommend using some sort of weed barrier. I typically use newspaper or cardboard. Lay a thick layer on the ground, underneath the filler dirt, to keep weeds from popping up.

Planting
Now for the fun part! Time to pick out your plants. This is where my intense research came into play. I am a strong believer in not using pesticides, unless you absolutely have to. I have an obsession with saving honey bees, and most pesticides, although they kill the bad bugs, they also kill the good ones. I decided this year to find alternative ways to repel harmful insects that do not include toxic sprays. I discovered this incredible method called companion planting. Companion planting, by definition, is any plant that is purposefully planted next to another to enhance growth, beauty, or flavor. I found a good companion planting chart here. Scroll down to the bottom to see a full list of what to and not to plant together.

Citronella Plant
It's easy to get carried away when buying plants, so be sure to make a list of what you want before you go and maybe leave room for one or two random plants that are "impulse buys." Also, be sure to only get the number of plants that will fit in your garden. Although you are buying plants when they are small, most take up a few feet of space when they are fully grown. You can maximize your garden space by building a trellis and training some of your plants to grow up the trellis. 

Lavender
One problem I faced last growing season, after all my plants were fully grown, was some plants were creating too much shade, which cause others to stop growing and producing due to lack of sun. This year, I mapped out where each plant would go according to how the sun hit the garden. Okra tend to grow really tall, so I put them in the far corner that is shaded first during the day. I planted beans next to them because they grow on a trellis away from the okra. Peppers like the sun, so I made sure they were on the side of the garden that gets the most sun during the day and planted garlic next to them because bulb plants grow underground.  All of my leafy plants I planted in the middle- squash, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins, and melons - they have similar growing needs so they won't hinder the growth of their neighbor. I also planted garlic throughout my garden (except by the beans) because they repel the bad bugs. 

The herbs and flowers that I planted in the cinder block holes consist of: marigolds, parsley, lemon thyme, lemon balm, rosemary, spearmint, peppermint, basil, lavender, chamomile, and catnip. I also have lemon grass and citronella in separate pots on the patio because we have a huge mosquito problem and these plants repel mosquitoes. Last year, if I stepped outside for a minute, I would have at least 2-3 bites, this year I have seen very few mosquitoes. Although it is still early in the summer, I am convinced that my plants are repelling them. 




Composting
Crushed egg shells around the plants
Composting doesn't have to be difficult. I used to think I didn't have room to have my own compost, but after doing some research, I found that it is actually quite simple and doesn't have to take up a lot space. 

Composting is basically just using kitchen scraps as fertilizer for your plants. The three main things that I compost are coffee grounds (I 
even throw the coffee filter in with the grounds), eggs shells, and banana peels. I also toss in any vegetable or fruit scraps. I have a gallon sized bucket next to my kitchen sink that holds my scraps. Instead of waiting for the food to decompose, I throw it all in a blender with some water and make a (nasty) compost liquid then pour it around the base of my plants. Occasionally, I will leave the eggshells out of my compost and rinse them out, crush them, and spread them around the base of the plants, by themselves, to serve as a natural insect repellent for soft bodied bugs such as slugs and caterpillars. 



Marigolds
  • Can be planted next with almost any other plant 
  • Repel bugs such as mosquitoes and gnats
  • Attract good insects (such as bees) to aid in pollination and eat the bad bugs
  • Don't "crowd" your other plants and are good neighbors
Cons:
  • Attract spider mites (these can be eliminated by spraying the plants with the water hose)
  • Can't be planted next to beans





Good Companion Plants

Basil 

Basil companioned with tomatoes

Plant near: most garden crops
Keep away from: Rue and cucumbers
Benefits: Repels mosquitoes and improves the flavor and growth of garden crops, especially tomatoes and lettuce. 

Beans

Plant near: cabbage, carrots, catnip, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, potatoes, savory, strawberries
Keep away from: peppers, fennel, garlic, leeks, onions, shallots, and marigolds


Beets
A little garden friend
 Plant near: broccoli, brussels sprouts, bush beans, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, kohlrabi, onions

Keep away from: charlock, mustard plants, pole beans

Borage

Plant near:  squash, strawberries, tomatoes
Comments: repels tomato worms. Improves flavor and growth of companions.

Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts

Plant near: beets, buckwheat, calendula, carrots, chamomile, dill, hyssop, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, rosemary, sage, thyme, wormwood.
Keep away from: peppers, tomatoes,squash, and strawberries



Comments: marigolds repel cabbage moths. Nasturtiums repel aphids.



Cabbage and Cauliflower

Plant near: broccoli, brussel sprouts, celery, chard, spinach, tomatoes.
Keep away from: peppers, tomatoes,squash, and strawberries
Comments: tomatoes and celery repel cabbage worms.

Cantaloupe

Plant near: corn
Keep away from: cucumbers

Carrots

Plant near: cabbage, chives, early potatoes, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, rosemary, sage, salsify, wormwood.
Keep away from: dill and parsnip
Comments: onions, leeks, and wormwood repel carrot flies

Chives

Plant near: apples, berries, carrots, grapes, peas, roses, tomatoes.
Comments: Improves flavor and growth of companions. Deters aphids and Japanese beetles.

Corn

Plant near: beans, cucumbers, early potatoes, melons, peas, pumpkins, soybeans, squash.
Comments: soybeans deter chinch bugs.

Cucumbers

Plant near: beans, cabbage, corn, radishes, sunflowers.
Keep away from:cauliflower, potato plants, basil, rosemary, lavender, or thyme
Comments: Radishes deter cucumber beetles. Cucumbers encourage blight in late potatoes.

Dill

Bell Peppers
Plant near: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, onions
Keep away from: carrots
Comments: Improves flavor and growth of cabbage family plants.

Epplant

Plant near: green beans, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes
Comments: green beans deter Colorado potato beetles.

Garlic

Plant near: cabbage, cane fruits, fruit trees, roses, tomatoes
Keep away from: peas, beans
Comments: deters Japanese beetles and aphids. A garlic oil spray deters onion flies, aphids, and ermine moths. A garlic tea helps repel late potato blight.

Kale

Plant near: aromatic herbs, buckwheat, cabbage family, marigolds, nasturtiums
Keep away from: pole beans, strawberries
Comments:

Kohlrabi

Plant near: cabbage/cauliflower companions (except tomatoes)
Keep away from: fennel, pole beans, tomatoes
Comments: kohlrabi stunts tomatoes

Lettuce

Plant near: carrots, parsnips, radishes, strawberries
Keep away from: cabbage family, beets, parsley
Comments: lettuce tenderizes summer radishes.

Marigolds

Plant near: all garden crops
Keep away from: beans
Comments: stimulates vegetable growth and deters bean beetles, aphids, potato bugs, squash bugs, nematodes, and maggots.

Marjoram

Plant near: all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments: stimulates vegetable growth.

Mustard

Plant near: alfalfa cover crops, fruit trees, grapes, legumes
Keep away from:
Comments: stimulates growth of companion plants.

Nasturtiums

Plant near: apples, beans, cabbage family, greenhouse crops, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, squash
Keep away from:
Comments: repels aphids, potato bugs, squash bugs, striped pumpkin beetles, and Mexican bean beetles and destroys white flies in greenhouses.

Onions

Plant near: beets, cabbage family, carrots, chamomile, lettuce, parsnips
Keep away from: beans, peas
Comments: deters most pests, especially maggots.

Oregano

Plant near: all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments: deters many insect pests.

Parsley

Plant near: corn, roses, tomatoes
Keep away from:
Comments:

Parsnips

Plant near: onions, radishes, wormwood
Keep away from:
Comments: onions and wormwood help keep root maggots from parsnips.

Peas

Plant near: beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, early potatoes, radishes, turnips
Keep away from: garlic, leeks, onions, shallots, peppers
Comments:

Peppers

Plant near: basil, carrots, eggplant, onions, parsley, tomatoes
Keep away from: fennel, kohlrabi
Comments:

Potatoes

Plant near: basil, beans, cabbage family, corn, eggplant, flax, hemp, marigolds, peas, squash
Keep away from: apples, birch, cherries, cucumbers, pumpkins, raspberries, sunflowers, tomatoes, walnuts
Comments: hemp deters phytophthora infestans. Basil deters potato beetles. Marigolds (dug into crop soil) deter nematodes.

Radishes

Plant near: chervil, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, peas, nasturtiums, root crops
Keep away from: hyssop
Comments: radishes deter cucumber beetles. Chervil makes radishes hot. Lettuce helps make radishes tender. Nasturtiums improve radishes' flavor.

Rosemary

Plant near: beans, cabbage, carrots
Keep away from:
Comments: repels bean beetles, cabbage moths, and carrot flies.

Sage

Plant near: cabbage family, carrots, tomatoes
Keep away from: cucumbers
Comments: deters cabbage moths and carrot flies. Invigorates tomato plants.

Soybeans

Plant near: corn, potatoes
Keep away from:
Comments: chokes weeds and enriches soil.

Spinach

Plant near: celery, cauliflower, eggplant, strawberries
Keep away from:
Comments:

Strawberries

Plant near: borage, bush beans, lettuce, pyrethrum, spinach
Keep away from: cabbage family
Comments:

Sunflowers

Plant near: cucumbers
Keep away from: potatoes
Comments: can provide a trellis and shelter for shade-loving cucumbers.

Swiss Chard

Plant near: bush beans, kohlrabi, onions
Keep away from: pole beans
Comments:

Tarragon

Plant near: all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments: improves vegetables' flavor and growth.

Thyme

Plant near: all garden crops
Keep away from:
Comments: deters cabbage moths.

Tomatoes

Plant near: asparagus, basil, cabbage family, carrots, gooseberries, mustard, parsley, onions, rosemary, sage, stinging nettles
Keep away from: fennel, kohlrabi, potatoes, walnuts
Comments:

Turnips and Rutabagas

Plant near: peas
Keep away from: knotweed, mustard
Comments: mustard and knotweed inhibit the growth of turnips and rutabagas.

(Complete list derived from here)


Happy Gardening!!

~Jess

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