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Survival and Preparations Long and short term survival and 'prepping'.

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  #1  
Old 04-21-2017, 11:32 AM
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Default Raised Garden Beds

Afternoon, all.

I am just starting some garden beds as a "dry run", so to speak. I have built (3) 6'x3'x2' and (2) 3'x3'x2' beds to get started towards learning the ins and outs of gardening. I needs some advice, however. What soil composition should I be looking for to fill these with? The topsoil in my area is pretty bad (Antelope Valley area), being mostly clay and rock. I don't have enough to displace to fill the beds, though I was planning on using it to mix with something a bit richer.

Any advice on what to get to fill most of the beds with without breaking a budget?
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Old 04-21-2017, 12:13 PM
baih777 baih777 is offline
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I use this to grow tomatos and cucumbers.
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Kellogg-Gar...-672/100427390
Or miracle grow vegetable. Watch home depot and lowes for their gardening sales.
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Old 04-21-2017, 12:26 PM
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How deep are the beds?
What plants are you growing?
How deep does the soil need to be for the roots?


The box stores and Costco all have potting soil on sale...

Do you have a shop near you that sells soil, gravel, rock, sand,etc?

Buy a pickup truck full or what you need....
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Last edited by hermosabeach; 04-21-2017 at 12:29 PM..
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Old 04-21-2017, 12:36 PM
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If it's raised make sure it's strong. Soil is heavier than you may think even more so when you add water.
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Old 04-21-2017, 12:38 PM
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Make your own soil. Add compost, peat moss & any organic stuff you have ( shredded paper, cardboard, shredded plants ) + some manure. If you add grass trimmings or shredded plants/trees, you may need to wet them & cover them in black plastic to decompose more before planting. Everything rots eventually. Decomposed organic stuff is what your plants want.
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Old 04-21-2017, 12:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hermosabeach View Post
How deep are the beds?
What plants are you growing?
How deep does the soil need to be for the roots?


The box stores and Costco all have potting soil on sale...

Do you have a shop near you that sells soil, gravel, rock, sand,etc?

Buy a pickup truck full or what you need....
Beds will be about 20" deep. Planning on growing green beans, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and maybe some lettuce greens. Maybe more if I can think of anything else. Unfortunately, my pick-up is out of commission for the moment, so my durango is my hauler. No open bed, no bulk transport.
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Old 04-21-2017, 12:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FresnoRob View Post
If it's raised make sure it's strong. Soil is heavier than you may think even more so when you add water.
Yep. Using redwood planks, redwood posts, and deck screws. I've built them up pretty sturdy, but if they don't hold, that'll be something else I've learned.
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  #8  
Old 04-21-2017, 12:51 PM
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Drill a few weep holes on the bottom sides to drain off when excess water gets in and let some air in... Keeps weight under control when too wet.
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  #9  
Old 04-21-2017, 12:59 PM
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What bbguns44 said. The peat moss will make the soil more acidic, though. We've used lots of mushroom compost in our gardens mixed in with potting soil, sometimes. You might check the local garden centers and just get a couple of yards of compost from them - better quality than the BORG or Lowe's and usually a LOT cheaper.

Mix in some bone and blood meal and you'll have nice healthy soil.

We usually get transplants of heirloom tomatoes, peppers and egg plant from a place called seedsavers.org The veggies have better taste than you'll get at the BORG - tomatoes like Cherokee Purple and a big sandwhich tomato called Mortgage Lifter.

If you're going to grow tomatoes, skip the itty bitty tomato cages sold at the BORG. They are expensive and won't be tall enough. Go over to the concrete section and pick up a couple of pieces of remesh. These are 42"x84" with 4" squares. Absolutely perfect for a tomato cage and less than 9$ each.
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  #10  
Old 04-21-2017, 1:25 PM
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For bagged soil, the pot growers up here love "Happy Frog". I like mushroom compost, but its expencive. we have a large garden so I get cow manure from our local auction yard, they even load it for free. Some landscape place will rent you a trailer to haul their stuff.
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  #11  
Old 04-21-2017, 1:28 PM
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I keep it simple lowes top soil and lowes manure.

about 50/50 mine are 3x5x12inches deep on my clay soil yard.

grows anything BUT do fertilize half way through season or more I'm still learning what to use on the various vegetables I grow.

My old timer friend say every 2-3 weeks mix up a diluted fish emulsion mix and pout it on from a 5 gallon pail I may try that.
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  #12  
Old 04-21-2017, 1:30 PM
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As to the tomato cages, we skip them all together and let the plants grow on the ground like the commercial guys do. up here the tomatoes get burned by the intense sun, by letting them grow on the ground the leaves protect the fruit from the sun.
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Old 04-21-2017, 2:13 PM
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If you have a trailer hitch on that durango. U-haul. Those little flat.bed trailers are cheap. Better than manure in side your suv.
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  #14  
Old 04-21-2017, 2:51 PM
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coffee ground and egg shells help to make great rich soil and their free!
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  #15  
Old 04-21-2017, 3:00 PM
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I do a lot of raised beds, but I've got acreage and horses so I can make my own compost. Try finding a mushroom farm around you. they use tons (literally) of compost to grow mushrooms and usually swap it out for fresh stuff every season. The leftover compost isn't good for mushrooms but it is great for gardening. Around here there is a guy who will deliver a truckload (about 8 cu yards) for $200.

Also, look up "straw bale gardening". It isn't as neat as wooden beds but it is easy and the used bales make great compost for your raised beds.
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Old 04-21-2017, 3:28 PM
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I have 4 raised beds, one 4'x12'x18" and three 3'x8'x18"

I have very poor clay soil. I filled my beds with FoxFarm Ocean Forest and Happy Frog soil.

Roots don't normally go down more than 12" so don't build beds to high.

The ONLY Nutrients I add is Unsulphured Black Molasses...One teaspoon to a gallon of Spring Water once a week. If you use hose water leave it in the pail or bucket for a day or two to bring down the pH. Get a 3 way meter...Water/Light/pH.

Right now I'm waiting for carrots and beans and peas to mature then the tomatoes I've sprouted will take their place, another 4-6 weeks...8 Beef Steak, 8 Cherry...I have 165 seeds sowing...Tomatoes, squashes, cucumbers, watermelon, pumpkin..then I have a 6'x4'x12" herb garden with just about every herb you'd need...then there is rosemary and mint all over the property.

One bed is dedicated year round to lettuce of all types. I also have a strawberry patch that started two years ago with 6 plants...today there are 160 in a box 32' long by 2' wide by 8" deep...Yumm I can't wait for them.

It get's hot here SFV, today the juvenile tomatoes had to be brought into the shade. When over 90 in direct sun for long periods I have 6' 2x4's on the corner of my beds that I use to cover with 4 mil painters plastic. It keeps them from burning and diffuses the light while still allowing a breeze.

I use 2x6 & 2x8 to construct the beds. I stack 2 high and use Simpson Strong-Tie ZMAX 18-Gauge Galvanized Steel Angles to attach the upper and lower sections and sides. I spray the inside with a black substrate after staining for a longer outdoor life.
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  #17  
Old 04-21-2017, 6:23 PM
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I've been wanting to try this, pallet gardening.

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Old 04-22-2017, 6:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luckylogger6 View Post
For bagged soil, the pot growers up here love "Happy Frog". I like mushroom compost, but its expencive. we have a large garden so I get cow manure from our local auction yard, they even load it for free. Some landscape place will rent you a trailer to haul their stuff.
Yes, Happy Frog is good stuff. Easy to haul in bags, but a bit pricey. I grew the best bell peppers ever in Happy Frog.
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Old 04-22-2017, 7:30 PM
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I have to ask, why so deep? My father's entire backyard is rows of raised beds and they're probably less than 12 inches deep. Probably more like 8".

A box for a full size tree is 24" deep but the tree might be 20' tall.
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Old 04-22-2017, 9:25 PM
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You can use sand and sawdust to grow anything. Saw a guy on utube grow 600lbs of sweet potatoes that way fast.
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Old 04-23-2017, 5:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glockman19 View Post
I have 4 raised beds, one 4'x12'x18" and three 3'x8'x18"

I have very poor clay soil. I filled my beds with FoxFarm Ocean Forest and Happy Frog soil.

Roots don't normally go down more than 12" so don't build beds to high.
I have hard clay soil as well. I have had good luck building 11"-12" tall beds and filling with 8"-10" of soil. I am in the process of replacing a few 4'x4'x12" beds I built about 5 years ago on the cheap (one sheet of OSB and one 8' 2x4 = 2 4x4x12 beds). They are good for 4 or 5 years.

What I discovered yesterday is that the soil under the beds looks a lot better than it did 5 years ago. Some organic material and less concrete-like. I have some pallets lying around, so I may till those spots a bit and try pallets there this year.
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Old 04-23-2017, 9:34 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greensoup View Post
I have to ask, why so deep? My father's entire backyard is rows of raised beds and they're probably less than 12 inches deep. Probably more like 8".

A box for a full size tree is 24" deep but the tree might be 20' tall.
My mother in law is handicapped (had both of her knees replaced, rheumatoid and degenerative arthritis throughout her body), so I made them so she didn't have to bend much to access. The bottom foot or so is going to be just topsoil that I am displacing to level the area out, so I don't need tons of new material for growing.
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Old 04-23-2017, 6:56 PM
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I saw garden once that was made out of cement blocks, stacked in rectangles, fill the inside and the holes in the blocks. Looked interested.
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Old 04-24-2017, 11:17 AM
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I have a raised bed garden and potted plants. Let them die off last year and redoing it this year. Built my own raised bed garden about 4 by 10 or 12 by 2 feet. Pots are 22.5 wide to 26. All watered with low pressure lines.

Red woods are good outside. Use deck screws.

MUST PUT WIRE MESH AND WEED BARRIER UNDER RAISD BED. Will stop hopefully animals from going under your garden.
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Old 04-24-2017, 11:31 AM
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OP, last year I did the same.
Called a local soil company and had them deliver right to my driveway, from there wheelbarrow to back yard.
Cheaper and easier than by the bag.

Are these near you? http://www.crownlandscapesupply.com/....asp?cat=Soils and Mulch
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Old 04-24-2017, 12:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VictorFranko View Post
OP, last year I did the same.
Called a local soil company and had them deliver right to my driveway, from there wheelbarrow to back yard.
Cheaper and easier than by the bag.

Are these near you? http://www.crownlandscapesupply.com/....asp?cat=Soils and Mulch
Yep, they're just a few miles from me. I'll have to take a look. Thanks for the link!
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Old 04-24-2017, 9:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jak Nobody View Post
My mother in law is handicapped (had both of her knees replaced, rheumatoid and degenerative arthritis throughout her body), so I made them so she didn't have to bend much to access. The bottom foot or so is going to be just topsoil that I am displacing to level the area out, so I don't need tons of new material for growing.
Ok that makes sense. Nice soil gets darn expensive when you have to go to the HD to get it.
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Old 04-25-2017, 8:19 AM
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Our place has soil that is great for grape vines but not much else.

We took the backhoe and dug trenches about 30 inches deep and 30 inches wide and filled it in with top soil and compost. We have ten rows about sixty feet long for the garden. I dug pits for melons and ground growing vines. We run the water drip lines right down the center of the rows

The clay soil under the top soil really help trap the water and keep things moist. Plants love it.

We have poles at the ends of the rows and can string rope for a tent for frost protection. This is a problem this time of the year.

Dirt that you can grow stuff in is a blessing.

The missus has a large green house that she starts everything in. She has seed harvesting down to a science and swaps and trades with other ladies. Mess with her seeds and die.
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Old 04-25-2017, 9:03 AM
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OP, also check with your local commercial nursery. They will have great top soil and a way to deliver it or knows someone who does. Renting a uhaul trailer and filling it is another option.
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Old 04-25-2017, 2:45 PM
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Sand growing video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XhcbQ8X_JqY
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Old 04-25-2017, 3:03 PM
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I just started sowing 140 seeds. 6'different tomato, 4 different cucumber, four different peppers, watermelon, pumpkin, and eggplant.

In a month I'll sow a late summer crop.

I grew corn a few years ago and might do it again this year.
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