Hey everyone! I'm diving into gardening and could use some friendly advice. I'm based in zone 6b (NE Ohio) and I'm setting up a raised bed that's 6'x3'x11". I'm also looking into using containers or a GreenStalk vertical planter, if anyone has experience with that. I've got a variety of seeds ready, including Roma tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, beets, carrots, arugula, spinach, romaine, and a bunch of herbs. It's a hefty list!
While I want to do this right and on a budget, I'm struggling with the cost of compost—it's around $15 a bag, and it seems like the store-bought options aren't getting great reviews. So I'm trying to figure out a good, affordable soil mix. My plan involves lime, peat moss, coco coir, perlite, and aged manure I got for free from a local farmer. However, I've also been given specific instructions for my strawberries, which suggest a mix that includes grit and fine bark. Do I really need those, and can I skip compost using aged manure as my main ingredient?
Additionally, I'm worried about pests! I'm planning to use insect mesh to keep bugs at bay, but I'd love to know if anyone else has used it and found it effective. Should I remove it during the day for pollinator access, especially since I planted marigolds to attract beneficial bugs?
Thanks for any insights you can share!
1 Answer
Honestly, I take a pretty relaxed approach! When I start a new raised bed, I usually fill it with yard waste and let it break down for a year before adding some peat moss and compost. I built a simple composter for scraps, and over time, everything turns into good soil. It works for me, and my squash love it! So yeah, let your bed get some organic matter first and just cover it with landscape cloth to keep weeds at bay.
Hahaha, I love that idea! It’s great to hear you can just let nature work for a while. I want to start composting too, but I really need to get this bed up and running this season. If it thrives, I’ll definitely try using one for composting next year. Thanks for the tip!