Hey everyone! I'm diving into gardening for the first time and ended up making a 14" deep raised bed because my soil is super rocky and compacted clay. To fill it up, I added about 4-5" of sticks and leaves, thinking it would benefit the garden. But then I noticed in Mel's book that he mentions tall beds aren't really necessary and using that kind of filler can tie up nitrogen. Since I chose Square Foot Gardening thinking it would be foolproof, I'm curious: is my choice to leave those materials under the Mel's mix going to complicate things for me?
3 Answers
Honestly, I've heard that Square Foot Gardening might not be the best for beginners! But since your filler is around 12 inches below, it shouldn't pull nitrogen from your top soil. Just keep an eye on your plants; if you notice yellowing leaves, that’s a sign they might need some nitrogen added. Fish emulsion works wonders for that!
You're good! Just remember to fertilize with fish emulsion regularly, and your plants will thrive. I have taller beds too, and my tomato plants did amazing last year, even in my short growing season!
No worries! The sticks and leaves will eventually break down into compost, and with around 10 inches of Mel's mix above them, you're in good shape. You might want to check out the hugelkultur method—it's where you do something similar on purpose!