The biggest advantage to growing in containers or raised beds is that you can control the soil medium. The soil for both types of gardens contains many of the same ingredients, with slight variations.
Therefore, my soil mix recipes vary. With containers, drainage is critical, because soggy soil will cause rot
and plant death, which is why you should never put garden soil in containers. Raised beds, on the other hand, benefit from the moisture-holding capacity of garden soil.
Many online soil mix recipes contain a diverse range of ingredients, and although diversity is good, it’s more important at this stage for soil making to be practical, inexpensive, and doable.
Here is a list of common soil components, available in most garden centers or online:
- Coconut coir: an alternative to peat moss serving the same function but with a neutral pH
- Compost: final product of decayed living matter that adds fertility; can be purchased or homemade
- Peat moss: organic material derived from peat bogs that holds moisture and nutrients and contributes to the structure and tilth of soil, but has a low pH
- Perlite: volcanic glass expanded through heat that adds aeration
- Vermiculite: a combination of heat-expanded minerals that adds aeration while increasing water retention
Container Soil Mix
- 3 parts peat moss or coconut coir 3 parts finished compost
- 2 parts perlite
- 1 part vermiculite
- This forms the base. I recommend adding up to 1 part worm castings or up to ¼ part slow-release organic fertilizer. If you use peat moss, add 1 ounce of dolomitic lime for every 1 gallon of peat (do not do this if planting potatoes).
Raised Bed Soil Mix
- 1 part topsoil (bagged or native)
- 1 part finished compost (homemade, bulk compost, or OMRI-certified bagged)
- 1 part other organic materials
For the 1 part other organic materials, I’ve had success using peat moss, vermiculite, composted chicken manure, and worm castings. Other options include greensand, biochar, coconut coir (in place of peat moss), and perlite.
As you can see, you have some flexibility. The key is to include materials that offer both water retention and drainage, as well as rich organic material. If all this overwhelms you, however, go for bagged mixes, though I recommend choosing organic blends for the long-term health of your garden.
Compost and Mulch
To keep your garden thriving year after year, you will want to invest in compost and mulch.
You can make your own compost from kitchen vegetable scraps, shredded paper, grass clippings, fallen leaves, eggshells, weeds, and other organic materials.
Building your own compost pile can be as simple or as complex as you want. Some people pile the composting materials in their yard and turn over the pile every week or so. Others purchase or make their own composting bin setup. But unless you make a lot of compost or you grow a tiny garden, you might find you can’t produce as much as you need. In that case, you can purchase bagged compost or buy it in bulk from local landscaping companies. Some local municipalities also offer free compost if you can load and transport it yourself. Whatever you choose, compost contributes to the short- and long-term health and vitality of your garden.
Mulch is another important material no garden should be without. A layer of mulch on your raised bed, containers, or in-ground garden serves multiple purposes. First, a 2-inch layer of mulch prevents most weed seeds from sprouting. This means less weeding for you and less competition for nutrients and water for your plants. Second, mulch regulates moisture. In times of too much rain, mulch works like a sponge and absorbs excess water, releasing it as the area surrounding it dries out. In times of drought, mulch prevents evaporation and retains moisture in the soil for longer. Organic mulch, such as shredded fallen leaves, wood chips, and straw, breaks down into the soil, enriching it.
The best way to obtain mulch is to harvest it from your own yard. If you have deciduous trees, collect their leaves in the fall, store them in bags, shred them using a lawn mower or leaf shredder, and put them on top of your soil in the spring. In the absence of enough fallen leaves, wood chips are another great source. Many tree services will deliver freshly ground wood chips to your door if they’re in the area; you just have to call and ask. You can also buy bagged mulch at the garden center. Avoid colored mulch for your vegetable garden, though, because some of the cheaper options contain dyes that could be harmful for your plants. Another option is straw, which you can usually get from a garden center or farmers’ co-op. Whichever option you choose, keep the mulch at the surface; don’t till or incorporate mulch into the soil.
Resources
Find your average frost date
The Old Farmer’s Almanac, https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates
Find your local cooperative extension service by zip code
Gardening Know How, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search
Find soil-testing labs by state
Gardening Products Review, https://gardeningproductsreview.com/state-by-state-list-soil-testing-labscooperative-extension-offices
Garden tools
Gardener’s Supply Company, https://www.gardeners.com
Seed and plant suppliers
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, https://www.rareseeds.com
Seed Savers Exchange, https://www.seedsavers.org
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, https://southernexposure.com
Territorial Seed Company, https://territorialseed.com
References
Bradley, Fern Marshall, Barbara W. Ellis, and Deborah Martin. The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control. New York: Rodale, Inc., 2009.
Bradley, Fern Marshall, Barbara W. Ellis, and Ellen Phillips. Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. New York: Rodale, Inc., 2009.
Bradley, Fern Marshall, and Jane Courtier. Vegetable Gardening. White Plains, NY: Toucan Books, 2006.
Cool Springs Press. Gardening Complete. Minneapolis: Cool Springs Press, 2018.
Damrosch, Barbara. The Garden Primer . New York: Workman Publishing, Inc., 2008.
Harrington, J. F. “Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination.” University of California at Davis. Accessed October 18, 2019.
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/12281/soiltemps.pdf .
McCrate, Colin, and Brad Halm. High-Yield Vegetable Gardening . North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2015.
Reich, Lee. Weedless Gardening . New York: Workman Publishing Co., Inc., 2001.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (blog). “The Major Plant Families in a Vegetable Garden.” Accessed October 22, 2019. http://www.southernexposure.com/the-major-plant-families-in-a-vegetable-garden-ezp-190.html .
0 Comments