Building raised beds

G
ardening is a challenge if your soil dries slowly Step 2
in the spring or is hard to till. In the summer, Spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic material over
you may face crusts, clods, and poor water the soil. You will need two-thirds of a cubic yard per
absorption. 100 square feet (6 to 7 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet).
Fortunately, you can improve your soil by adding
organic matter and creating raised beds. This lets you Step 3
plant earlier in the spring because of improved drainage Unless you used a composted product, manure, or
and faster soil warming. When fall rains begin, better fortified planting mix, add nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen
drainage means healthier plants that yield longer. is needed for breakdown of organic matter (e.g., saw-
You’ll need a lot of organic matter, so choose a dust, leaves, or grass clippings) and for plant growth.
source that is readily available and inexpensive. Saw- Broadcast one of the following evenly over the organic
dust, ground bark, leaves, manure, or chipped pruning material:
materials are good options. Other satisfactory materials,
although more expensive, include planting mixes. If Product Pounds per 1,000 sq ft*
Raised beds the materials are composted, so much the better. Ammonium sulfate 20
improve soil The following method is easy and permits good Ammonium nitrate 12
drainage and let garden production the first year: Urea 9
you plant earlier Poultry droppings 400–700
in the spring. Step 1
*Assuming you added 2 inches of organic material.
You’ll also be If the soil is compacted, till it first if possible, even if
able to grow only to a depth of 2 or 3 inches. Do not rush this step; Step 4
more vegetables wait until the soil is dry enough to crumble and will Till to about 6 inches. You can use a spade, but a tiller
in less space. not turn up in large chunks. makes the job easier and the results more uniform.
Step 5
Create 48-inch-wide beds by shoveling a walkway
between them. Make the walkway 14 to 16 inches wide
and 6 inches deep. Add the excavated soil to the top of
the beds. You now have a soil–organic matter mixture
about 8 inches deep.
Step 6
Rake the beds level. The slope of the soil will leave
about 36 inches of flat planting space on top of each
48-inch-wide bed.
Once you finish shaping the beds, walk only in the
paths. Add sawdust or bark to the paths to reduce mud.
Retaining walls are unnecessary unless you want to
create special shapes or use narrower walkways. They
hold the soil in place but also create hiding places
for slugs. Boards, blocks, or railroad ties make good
retaining walls.
When you plant in your raised beds, you’ll need to
apply additional fertilizer because the nitrogen you
added in step 3 took care of only the 2-inch organic layer.
Proper irrigation is important. The soil–organic
matter mixture in raised beds dries faster than clay soil.
On the other hand, it is loose so it absorbs water faster.
Soaker or sprinkler hoses work well; with low pressure,
they water only the raised bed. Keep walkways as dry as
possible to control weeds. Place stakes at the corners of
the beds to prevent hoses from damaging plants.
Organic matter decomposes and disappears, so add
more each year. In the summer, use compost to provide
nutrients. In the fall, cover the beds with 2 inches of
leaves or other organic material.

2 GROWING YOUR OWN

 After you’ve built your beds, tilling should be
For more information
unnecessary. Conditions might not yet be ideal the How to Build Your Own Raised Bed Cloche (EC 1627)
following spring, but light spading or forking will cre- Raised Bed Gardening (FS 270)
ate a suitable seedbed. As you continue to add organic Available in the OSU Extension catalog:
material, the soil will improve each year. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog

Container gardening
have two or three leaves, thin them The ideal vegetables
for proper spacing between plants. for containers are
Water container plants whenever those that take little
the soil feels dry. Apply water until it space—such as
carrots, radishes,
begins to run out of the container’s
lettuce, and
drain holes.
parsley—or those
Container plants need more that yield produce
fertilizer than plants in regular gar- over a long period
dens because the frequent watering of time—such as
constantly leaches fertilizer minerals tomatoes, peppers,
out of the soil. For best results, start herbs, and eggplants.
a feeding program for container
plants 2 months after planting.
Use a water-soluble
fertilizer at its

I
recommended
f you lack space for a garden, consider raising veg- rate of application every 2 to 3 weeks.
etables in containers. You can grow any vegetable in An occasional application of
a container with enough preparation and care. fish emulsion or compost will
Start by finding a container large enough to sup- add trace elements to container
port fully grown plants and with adequate soil-holding soil. Do not add more than the
capacity to accommodate the plants’ root systems. The recommended rate of any fertilizer.
container must have drainage holes. Too much can harm plant roots.
You can grow vegetables in almost anything, including Watch for and control plant insect pests. Place
barrels, flower pots, milk jugs, bleach bottles, window containers where they will receive maximum sunlight
boxes, baskets, tile pipes, and cinder blocks. For most and good ventilation.
plants, containers should be at least 6 inches deep. During periods of high
A fairly lightweight potting soil is the best growing temperatures and bright
medium for container plants. Garden soil is too heavy sunshine, move the contain-
for container growing. Most commercially sold potting ers into shade during the
mixes are too lightweight for garden plants because they hottest part of the day.
don’t offer adequate support for plant roots. Shelter plants from severe
If you buy a potting mix, add soil or compost to rain, hail, and wind storms.
provide bulk and weight. Or mix your own with equal The versatility and
parts peat moss or well-rotted compost; loamy garden mobility of a container
soil; and clean, coarse builder’s sand. Add a slow-acting, garden allow you to grow a
balanced fertilizer (slow-release synthetic or organic wider variety of vegetable
fertilizers work best) according to container size. Add plants over a longer time
lime to bring the mixture’s pH to around 6.5. span than the usual spring/
The ideal vegetables for containers are those that take summer/fall growing
little space—such as carrots, radishes, lettuce, and period. By starting your
parsley—or those that yield produce over a long period garden indoors in the
of time—such as tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and eggplants. spring, moving it outdoors
When planting, first carefully clean out the container, for the summer and then
then fill it to within ½ inch of the top with slightly back indoors in the fall
dampened soil mix. Sow the seeds or set transplants. for frost protection, you
Gently water the soil with warm water, taking care not to can use nearly every
wash out the seeds. Label each container with the name growing day.
and variety of plant and planting date. When seedlings

GROWING YOUR OWN 3