Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

In this episode, Greg talks about various ways to define your garden beds.

Vermicompost update
– Lots of worms
– no smell, totaly works in a garage setting
– really not worth the effort IMO, cannot keep up with supply
– would need a wall of them to keep up with houshold kitchen waste
– need a rural solution

Why Defined planting spaces work:

• Looks nice
• Keeps you from walking on them
• Helps to organize crop rotation
• Some materials can benefit crops

Type of defined planting spaces

Raised beds

• Don’t need raised beds, and I don’t recommend them
• 6″ high (including mulch) more than enough
• Dimension of 8*10 is recommended, no bigger
• Circles good too, 5 ‘ radius recommended
• Use rough milled lumber (lasts longer)
• Cinder blocks can also be used, long lasting, hold heat

Free materials

Tires
– slow release of toxic compounds
– ok for short term but long-term look elsewhere

Bricks
– more trouble than they are worth
– just don’t stay in place
– use them if that’s what you’ve got

Rocks
– free
– long lasting
– leach minerals
– attractive natural look
– retain water – quasi-mulch
– great place for beneficial organisms to hang out
– hold heat (important if cold soil is a problem)
– no good for gardening in grass

Railroad ties
– totally toxic
– only use them if you want to grow your food in toxic soil

Trees/ Logs (dead or otherwise)
– I prefer dead
– not as heavy
– more nutrients
– easier to work with
– smash into mulch when they are totally rotten

Hay bales
– work great
– hold (and generate heat)
– provide shelter
– not free, but can be relatively inexpensive
– can be re-purposed as mulch

Sod
– great idea in principle
– total pain in the ass in reality