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Started By
Message
Raised bed Garden problem
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:00 am
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:00 am
So I built an 8x4 raised bed and it is filled with about 1/2 organic forest floor compost and Miracle grow garden soil mix, 1/4 peat hummus, and 1/4 topsoil. I put in a mix of small veggies from Lowes (tomatos, squash, eggplant, bell peppers) and some from seed (corn, okra, broccoli). I planted all this before good friday and during the Easter cold snap most of it got killed. I replanted most of it a week after that and it has done terrible as well with the plants dying and turning yellow. The Okra and corn seedlings that sprung up got about 4 inches tall and have been stunted since. The garden gets about 6 hours of sun a day. Could my soil mix be a problem? Any ideas?
16
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:04 am to makoman82
sounds like the plants need some food
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:04 am to makoman82
i dunno 
i just put my seeds in regular old dirt and my garden is doing great
i just put my seeds in regular old dirt and my garden is doing great
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:07 am to makoman82
How often are you watering? All of that soil mix is probably draining pretty quickly. If it was a matter of the soil missing something, you'd probably see some differences int he plants. Squash should be growing like a weed right now.
If you replant, put some epsom salt in the bottom of the hole before dropping your plants in. It helps stimulate root growth during transplant.
If you replant, put some epsom salt in the bottom of the hole before dropping your plants in. It helps stimulate root growth during transplant.
This post was edited on 5/1/13 at 11:09 am
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:08 am to makoman82
Is all of this mixed or layered? How lond have you had this soil in place? I'd bring a soil sample to your local nursery and ask them for some advice.
There's nothing more gratifying than eating what you grow and nothing more frustrating than watching your veggies die. Good luck.
There's nothing more gratifying than eating what you grow and nothing more frustrating than watching your veggies die. Good luck.
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:09 am to DonChowder
quote:
I'd bring a soil sample to your local nursery and ask them for some advice.
I think Louisiana Nursery sells little kids to send samples to the AgCenter. You just put some soil in the little bag and mail it in to them and they'll tell you what your soil needs.
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:10 am to Jester
quote:
I think Louisiana Nursery sells little kids to send samples to the AgCenter
Normally I'd edit that to "kits," but I found it too funny to change.Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:11 am to Jester
quote:
I think Louisiana Nursery sells little kids to send samples to the AgCenter
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:12 am to Salmon
I couldn't help but imagine going to the nursery and buying a little Mexican or Asian kid with a backpack and trowel ready to collect samples 
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:14 am to Salmon
quote:
I couldn't help but imagine going to the nursery and buying a little Mexican
Home Depot Garden Center....
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:23 am to makoman82
It may be too wet. Been watering/getting a lot of rain?
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:23 am to makoman82
You fit all of that in an 8X4? That may be the problem right there
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:34 am to Jester
quote:
All of that soil mix is probably draining pretty quickly
This was my first thought. From experience with raised beds in the past, hanging baskets, and herb boxes I made to hang off the porch, they dry out very easily when not in the ground. Also, the materials you listed probably hold 50% of the moisture of natural ground, the rest runs out the bottom of the box.
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:56 am to makoman82
I would get the PH tested on your soil.
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:58 am to makoman82
You're only 1/4 "dirt." That may be a problem.
Posted on 5/1/13 at 12:02 pm to makoman82
quote:
1/2 organic forest floor compost and Miracle grow garden soil mix, 1/4 peat hummus, and 1/4 topsoil
TOO MUCH crap... the soil is probbaly getting hot from breaking down all the organic material you put in... just some good ole topsoil, maybe mix in a little peat moss and roll with it! You don't need all the crazy crap these places sell for a garden...my grandfathers has grown a garden for 50+ years he doesn't buy anything from a Nursery or Lowes for it... keeps a small compost pile in the back of the yard and tills the soil!
Posted on 5/1/13 at 12:05 pm to makoman82
You may have so much organic matter that the decaying process is taking up all the nitrogen. Try putting a little nitrogen on it and see what happens.
Although this should have fertilizer in it.
Also the layering affect like stated could be causing you troubles. Dig a hole and see how wet or dry things are.
Although this should have fertilizer in it.
quote:
Miracle grow garden soil mix,
Also the layering affect like stated could be causing you troubles. Dig a hole and see how wet or dry things are.
Posted on 5/1/13 at 12:15 pm to WilsonPickett
quote:
TOO MUCH crap... the soil is probbaly getting hot from breaking down all the organic material you put in... just some good ole topsoil, maybe mix in a little peat moss and roll with it! You don't need all the crazy crap these places sell for a garden...my grandfathers has grown a garden for 50+ years he doesn't buy anything from a Nursery or Lowes for it... keeps a small compost pile in the back of the yard and tills the soil!
This really depends on the natural soil you're dealing with. In Baton Rouge, we have some clay that is a real bitch to deal with. It makes it hard to till and harder to weed. This year I brought in about 500# of compost/manure mixture and a cubic yard or two of sandy loam.
That said, I'm tilling into the ground. He's creating a pot more than a garden. Like you said, he's got a hell of a lot of organic material that is out of the ground in a hot box. That said, those organics are going to drain pretty and the hot box nature of a raised garden tends to dry them out, too. Yellow leaves are usually a lack of nutrients or inconsistent watering. Given the construction of his beds, I'd be willing to bet the water is insufficient.
All that said, those organics should break down this summer and leave him with an extremely fertile bed this fall.
Posted on 5/1/13 at 12:24 pm to makoman82
As someone else mentioned, that's an awful lot of stuff to put in one 8x4 area. And that size place isn't nearly big enough to grow corn. There are some new hybrids that are supposed to do better, but you generally need at least 4 rows of corn to ensure good pollination.
Hopefully your forest floor compost came from hardwoods and not pine. If it's pine, it's probably too acidic. Weak, yellow plants usually indicate a nutrient deficiency. You might try watering with some water soluble Miracel Gro and see if that perks things up a little.
Hopefully your forest floor compost came from hardwoods and not pine. If it's pine, it's probably too acidic. Weak, yellow plants usually indicate a nutrient deficiency. You might try watering with some water soluble Miracel Gro and see if that perks things up a little.
Posted on 5/1/13 at 12:41 pm to Salmon
quote:why it couldn't be a little white kid
buying a little Mexican or Asian kid with a backpack
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