How do you freshen up your beds before replanting?

[slick_wilson]

Hi there, I live in zone 9b (near central California) and was wondering how you all fix up your vegetable beds before replanting each season?

I have a few 10' x 10' raised beds (with an 8" x 2" board as the frame), where before I plant each season I do something like the following:

1) Remove all plants, weeds, and as much plant matter as I can (roots, dropped fruit, random weeds, etc)
2) Turn the soil over and leave it for a couple days in case any new weeds sprout, so I can remove them
3) Once the soil is clear, I usually add about one bag of earthworm castings and one back of generic soil conditioner per bed and till it in
4) With the soil now cleared and freshened up with some new organic matter, I plant my seeds / transplant my seedlings

Does anyone do anything different that I might be missing here?

On a separate note, once I plant my seedlings a lot of the time snails/slugs, grubs/moth worms, or other pests will maul them and destroy them overnight. I have been using diatomaceous earth each time I plant my seedlings but it doesn't always seem to work. Does anyone have any tips here as well?

Thanks and happy growing!

- W

 

[Nasir]

Your process for preparing your vegetable beds before replanting each season seems good. You are removing the old plants and weeds, adding organic matter to the soil, and tilling it in to improve soil structure and fertility. However, one thing you may want to consider is doing a soil test to determine if your soil needs any specific amendments based on its nutrient content.
As for dealing with pests like snails, slugs, grubs, and moth worms, there are a few things you can try:
Handpicking: Go out at night with a flashlight and pick off any snails or slugs that you see. You can also look for grubs and moth worms in the soil and remove them by hand.
Natural predators: Encourage natural predators like birds, frogs, and toads to hang out in your garden. You can provide birdhouses, bird feeders, and a small pond for frogs and toads.

1. Barriers: Create physical barriers to keep pests away from your plants. For example, you can put copper tape or wire around the base of your raised beds to deter snails and slugs.
2. Organic pesticides: Use organic pesticides that are safe for your plants and the environment. Some options include neem oil, insecticidal soap, and pyrethrin.
3. It's also important to make sure that your garden is free of debris and hiding places for pests. Keep the area around your raised beds clear of weeds and other vegetation, and remove any garden debris or fallen fruit. This will make it less attractive to pests and reduce the risk of infestations.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

It depends a bit what I plan on planting and on what I have about me. I have been finding old wood in laybys this winter and trenching and burying it in some of my drier places, a sort of ersatz hügelkultur . I pick up odd bits of manure and compost all my garden waste and, separately, kitchen waste. If I am planting beans I will dig a trench and put all my half composted stuff in it and empty the kitchen compost bin on it, beans don't mind if it is wood pulp, leaves, anything that will hold a bit of water, and it will be rotted down by the time the beans have finished. I will also spread compost as a mulch, leave it a bit, then rake just before I want to plant to mix up the top couple of inches. Carrots will go in somewhere like where I grew beans last year, they don't like too fresh manure or compost, it makes them tend to fork. Wood ash from the stove and a mixture of ash and burnt clay from my incinerator are other things I add. Brassicas seem to like manure in their mix. I pick somewhere a bit dead looking and make a goodly heap of stuff that has gone through the mower, leaves, grass, weeds, and mix it with some earth and compost, manure if I have it, to build a good mound then plant a courgette on it, that will get spread out a bit and dug in the next year.
When I plant out tomatoes I dig out a hole and miix in a good helping of rotted manure.
The only thing I have trouble using is moss raked out of the lawn. I have put it in heaps and plastic compost bins, buried it, dried it, wetted it. On the whole it doesn't seem to change much, but I suppose it helps moisture retention and it must break down a bit, eventually.