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Gardening in Raised Beds and Containers

Gardening in Raised Beds and Containers. Rick Durham Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist University of Kentucky. ANR Update, Hopkinsville, Ky, Oct 20, 2011. Outline. Why garden? Site selection Constructing raised beds Containers suitable for garden plants

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Gardening in Raised Beds and Containers

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  1. Gardening in Raised Bedsand Containers Rick Durham Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist University of Kentucky ANR Update, Hopkinsville, Ky, Oct 20, 2011

  2. Outline • Why garden? • Site selection • Constructing raised beds • Containers suitable for garden plants • Soils for raised beds and container gardens • Gardening intensively

  3. Why garden? Why Garden in raised beds and containers?

  4. Site Selection: Site selection impacted by: • Trees • Buildings • Slope • Drainage • Soil quality

  5. Constructing raised beds • Height: typically 6-8 inches, taller to better accommodate limited mobility gardeners, greater than 6 inches requires support • Width: 4 foot or less if accessed from two sides, 2 foot if accessed from one side • Aisles between beds: 1.5 – 2 feet, wider to accommodate equipment such as wheelchairs, wheelbarrow, lawn mowers • Length: variable

  6. Construction materials • Locally available and purchased woods slow to decay • Locust, cedar, cypress, redwood • Treated wood - pine • Recycled plastics (TREX) and vinyl • Stone, bricks/blocks, poured concrete • Mounded earth • Used tires

  7. Issues with materials • Treated wood • Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) was phased out in 2003 • Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) is approved for wooden garden structures • Used tires • Contain many heavy metals that slowly leach • Zinc is a particular problem • Concern regarding ground tire mulch, materials from whole tires leach more slowly

  8. Containers for garden plants • Materials – clay, wood, plastic, cement, metal • Wood that resists decay or treated with Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) • Drainage holes – several of ¼ inch, larger diameter with screen to prevent soil loss • Depth of 10-12 inches to allow root growth and prevent frequent drying

  9. Soils for raised beds and containers • Raised Beds • Good garden soil amended with organic matter (compost, composted manure) • Containers • 1 part good garden soil • 1 part organic matter (peat, compost, composted manure) • 1 part porous material (vermiculite or perlite) • Adjust pH as recommended by a soil test

  10. Growing vegetables intensively • Fertilizer • Raised beds: 1-2 pounds of a complete fertilizer (10-10-10) per 100 square feet, side-dress during growing season as needed • Containers: ½ cup of a complete fertilizer per bushel (8 gallon) of soil mix, or regular feeding with water soluble fertilizer (consult label) • Water • Raised beds: at least 1 to 1½ inch per week • Containers: every 1-2 days during summer

  11. Intensive Gardening - Space • Vertical training • Stair-stepping • Intercropping • Succession planting

  12. Intensive Gardening Season extenders • Row covers • Hot cap/cloche • Water walls

  13. Management • Cultivars to plant • ID-133, Vegetable Cultivars for Ky Gardens • Specific cultivars for containers: Table 9 of ID-128, Home Vegetable Gardening in Ky • Many All-America Selections cultivars (www.all-americaselections.org) • Pests • Consult ID-128 • Safest approach (pesticide free, organic, IPM)

  14. Management • Promote pollinator health and invite beneficial insects by planting flowers in/around vegetables – promote diversity • Proper spacing promotes air movement and reduces likelihood of disease • Cleaning up the garden after harvest reduces overwintering pests • Crop rotation using containers may be more effective than relocating within a bed

  15. Discussion of other resources • Raised Bed Gardening Video • Organic Pesticides in the Garden – PowerPoint by Mike Klahr, Boone Co. • Square Foot Gardening – PowerPoint by Deborah Hill, UK Forestry • ID-128, Home Vegetable Gardening in Ky • ID-133, Vegetable Cultivars for Ky Gardens

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