My future garden

[Rosyrain]

We will be buying a house soon and I will be developing a large scale garden with food and flowers. I am going to make the garden from scratch so I would like some advice. Everything from digging to planting would be great.

 

[Chuck]

We will be buying a house soon and I will be developing a large scale garden with food and flowers. I am going to make the garden from scratch so I would like some advice. Everything from digging to planting would be great.

First of all you should see in your minds eye what the final project will be. Draw it out on a piece of paper to as much scale as possible. Determine what you want to grow and how much you will need. On vegetables I plan for this year and next year just in case I have some kind of drastic failure. Always keep in mind the prevaling winds and which way the rain water drains away from your garden. The most important part of a garden is the soil. What type is it? Clay, sandy, loamy? How much organic matter will I need to incorporate? Do you want regular rows or raised beds? How will you water it? My advice on a large garden is to take it one step at a time and don't start the entire project at once. Do half this year and get it finished. Next year you will know what you messed up on this year and it will be quicker, easier and better next year. Making a big garden is long hard work and starting a huge project can be disenchanting with seemingly no end in sight.

 

[Pat]

Chuck I like your suggestions and will make a copy for myself as I will also be doing a garden. It is late in the year so I am starting by picking the spot, which is over grown at that the moment. The side yard gets the most sun time so I will be testing the soil later now that I know which part of the yard I will be putting the garden in.

 

[kammy]

We will be buying a house soon and I will be developing a large scale garden with food and flowers. I am going to make the garden from scratch so I would like some advice. Everything from digging to planting would be great.

Rosyrain have you thought about jazzing up your garden by adding a pond..you could even add some pond fish..this is something that has always appealed to me...hoping to own one in the near future.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck I like your suggestions and will make a copy for myself as I will also be doing a garden. It is late in the year so I am starting by picking the spot, which is over grown at that the moment. The side yard gets the most sun time so I will be testing the soil later now that I know which part of the yard I will be putting the garden in.

Here is a little tip that will help in the future. Start digging a random series of holes where you want the garden to be. At every 6" of depth put a couple of hands full of soil into a lidded mason jar and fill with water. Label it as to where and how deep the soil was when taken. Shake it up until everything is seperated well. Measure all of the layers in the jar with a ruler. This will give you a rough percentage of clay, sand and organic matter in your soil at each location and depth. You can then use this data to determine how much organic matter to add to bring your soil up to the minimal amount of IMO 40%. You can add the material at the same time you are making your beds and save the time and energy of doing it later. Also by using a cubic foot as your unit of measure it will make math a little easier.

Also dig a couple of holes to determine how deep your soil is

 

[Rosyrain]

Wow, thanks for the excellent tips Chuck!! Can I hire you? Those are some great suggestions and I am taking notes.

 

[Chuck]

Wow, thanks for the excellent tips Chuck!! Can I hire you? Those are some great suggestions and I am taking notes.

Sorry, but I have been there and done that. It exausts me just to think about it. My advise......get the biggest Troy Built Tiller they make with the hiller furrerer attachment. I couldn't afford one and did 1/4+ acres with a number of shovels and numerous pairs of boots over a 2 year period. I did the double dug raised beds and they are still working fine after 13 years. It is also called French Intensive Gardening

 

[Jewell]

I used to do the double dig method but have transitioned to multiple layers of cardboard with mulch over the top for ascetics. Did an area 100x30 feet that I planned out with paths and beds. After a wet season the cardboard had smothered all weeds and deteriorated. I planted it out as I got new plants or divided other plants from around the yard. It is still weed free except for seedlings that blow in which are easy to remove.

I only use this method now as I redo old beds. It is easy and less labor intensive and doesn't stir up dormant weed seeds. With the cardboard, mulch, dead weeds and grass underneath it provides organic matter to benefit the soil. You'll get lots of worms. I have only had to remulch the paths since they get a lot of traffic from the dogs and myself. Here are a few photos of the woodland portion. I tend to have very full beds, and most are lined with large sticks to outline paths.

 

[Chuck]

I used to do the double dig method but have transitioned to multiple layers of cardboard with mulch over the top for ascetics. Did an area 100x30 feet that I planned out with paths and beds. After a wet season the cardboard had smothered all weeds and deteriorated. I planted it out as I got new plants or divided other plants from around the yard. It is still weed free except for seedlings that blow in which are easy to remove.

I only use this method now as I redo old beds. It is easy and less labor intensive and doesn't stir up dormant weed seeds. With the cardboard, mulch, dead weeds and grass underneath it provides organic matter to benefit the soil. You'll get lots of worms. I have only had to remulch the paths since they get a lot of traffic from the dogs and myself. Here are a few photos of the woodland portion. I tend to have very full beds, and most are lined with large sticks to outline paths.View attachment 3460 View attachment 3458

Interesting.............How does this method work with deep rooted plants like okra, tomatos and peppers. What happens to the glue used to make cardboard? I wish I could find an easier way of doing things besides shrinking my garden

 

[Jewell]

Interesting.............How does this method work with deep rooted plants like okra, tomatos and peppers. What happens to the glue used to make cardboard? I wish I could find an easier way of doing things besides shrinking my garden

As I understand cardboard glue is biodegradable and it actually disappears first. Any unremoved tape sticks around.

No problem with plants of any kind so far. If the cardboard isn't decomposed I use my trusty garden knife to make a small hole in the cardboard and dig a hole for seedlings. Had to do this for winter squash and tomato plants this spring. I was still laying cardboard until late spring and didn't mulch until late. I had no problems.

Have been using this method for several years now and am totally sold on the process. If you have tenacious weeds like quack grass be very liberal with the card board. Any cracks it will find and not be smothered. I wasn't as through as I should have been on our street strip. I let the California poppies take it over this summer and am redoing it as we speak. Mulch is important for this public area to tidy it until I I get a little fruit forest going this fall and next spring.

With your Texas location you might want to look into Hugelkultur. The one I started in February has mushrooms growing on the exposed logs and still has mustard greens doing well. I have hardly had to water since the logs were becoming sponges for water retention. As soon as my tomatoes and winter squash are finished in there beds I'm making a second hugel bed.

These two methods, cardboard and hugel, are the way I start and redo beds now. Less work and less watering.