Raised Growing Beds?

jfecme

In Georgia, where the climate is a tad warmer in the winter, I use raised beds for growing trees. Mine are made of some old 2x6 treated wood I had left over from another project filled with commercial top soil. The frame sits right on top a piece of ground sort of leveled for the purpose. I do mulch in winter, although I am not convinced that it is entirely necessary. I fertilize in spring with just regular tree fertilizer.

The dirt is pretty friable, and I keep it that way with an occassional turning with a spading fork which helps to aerate the soil, especially after winter compaction.

Advertisement

midwestbonsai

Well I have come to my sences!LOL

The landscape timber idea proved to be too pricey. So I am now thinking of 2x10's held together with a 4x4 at stratigic locations.
Treated Is probally the best, unless it will hurt the trees.

For my soil I am thinking black shredded dirt, crushed red granite, compost, perlite, amd maybe some turface. I have access to a dump truck (My work lets be borrow things).

What do y'all think.
-Paul

__________________

lordy611

I think that ease of penetration for the roots is up there on the list of priorities, while having good nutrients available for healthy growth. I dont think raised beds are even needed as long as the soil is nice and loose, (double-dug, for example, such as what I remember being called French Intensive Gardening). Use a digging fork and turn the soil to loosen quite a bit. Then spread compost/organic matter, and looseners such as Pearlite or vermiculite, and dig it all over again to mix and further aerate. This general way to uncompact the soil and mix in goodies for the trees should generate good results, albeit less attractive than raised beds, it would save the cost of the wood framework.

Hope this helps.

midwestbonsai

Well, this Friday the hoop house arives!!!!
I will post pics for all of you.
Hope to get it up this weekend.
thanks all
-Paul

__________________

pootsie

There was a small garden plot in the back of my property that the former owners set up.

For some reason I cannot understand, they laid a plastic sheet on the ground and put three inches of topsoil over it, with wooden rails on the side. What good is that? Nothing lived there but weeds.

Well, under the supervision of Desdemona, the Cheif Root Inspector here at the Wuggums-en bonsai garden, we removed the plastic, expanded the area, and mixed the soil (and some underlying clay) with peat, vermiculite, perlite and a bunch of used bonsai soil.

We're ready to go to ground come springtime.

pootsie

Attached Images

raised bed.jpg (48.9 KB, 34 views)

__________________
p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

Joanie

Pootsie, I will have to post a picture of my raised beds... except for your darling cat, that picture of yours could have been taken in my backyard! The background fence, the weeds....

Raised beds are awesome and also take a lot of daily work out of growing potensai. They even out the tree's growing environment, so it doesn't get wet/dry/hot/cold as abruptly. My trees are just in heaven!

Beautiful cat!

Joanie

__________________

pootsie

Desdemona thanks you.

pootsie

__________________
p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

midwestbonsai

I wont go near anything with vermculite ever again after learning its other name . . .ASBESTOS. . .yes thats true the gardens industry has been using this stuff for decades with out letting the public know. They hide the real name asbestos and call it something that nobody know what it is. Vermculite sounds more fluffy.

Looks good poots, I hope to have my raised beds up and ready in early spring.

I did just put up the hoop house today. Not quite finished.
Here are some pics

1-Burn, Burn, Burn after brush clearing
2-Making a good base a load of gravel
3-Gotta spread that stuff (borrowed the kitty from my work)
4-After the first load of gravel, it wasnt enough
5-After the second load of gravel
6-so it begins, framing the base of the house
note:all of the wood used here was salvaged redwood 2x4's

Attached Images

	PDRM0012.JPG (70.3 KB, 16 views)
	PDRM0026.JPG (63.1 KB, 11 views)
	PDRM0027.JPG (62.4 KB, 11 views)
	PDR_0147.JPG (61.0 KB, 15 views)
	PDR_0145.JPG (60.5 KB, 12 views)
	PDRM0028.JPG (56.2 KB, 14 views)

__________________

midwestbonsai

1-Up go the hoops
2-me putting on the top support pipe
3-doors are framed in now, all thats left is to strech the plastic
4- a view inside the hous after the plastic was streched over the frame, it was dark out I will post pics of the outside latter this week or so.
I will keep y'all posted on the progress.

-Paul

Attached Images

	PDR_0148.JPG (63.4 KB, 16 views)
	PDR_0150.JPG (65.3 KB, 23 views)
	PDR_0151.JPG (71.6 KB, 17 views)
	PDR_0153.JPG (47.2 KB, 18 views)

__________________