Instructions for Forest Immersions
Published on: October 25, 2020
By: Susannah Shmurak
Maintaining a thriving organic raised garden bed is within reach with the right practices and products. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you cultivate a productive and eco-friendly garden.
1. Creating the Perfect Soil Mix
A balanced soil mix is crucial for a healthy raised garden bed. Aim for a combination of about 40% topsoil, 30-40% well-aged compost, and 20-30% aerating materials like coconut coir, peat moss, or aged pine bark. This mix promotes good drainage, nutrient availability, and root health.
2. Regular Organic Amendments
Adding organic amendments such as compost, biochar, mycorrhizal fungi inoculants, cover crop residues, and organic mulches can improve soil structure, fertility, and microbial activity.
3. No-Till or Low-Till Approach
Implementing a no-till or low-till approach after initial bed preparation helps maintain soil health long-term. Incorporate compost and amendments once, then allow the soil ecosystem to sustain itself with minimal disturbance.
4. Mulches and Cover Crops
Applying mulches and cover crops in the growing season and off-season protects soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and adds organic matter as they decompose.
5. Managing Soil pH Organically
Test your soil annually and adjust the pH with elemental sulfur or organic acidic materials like pine needles and peat moss to keep it in the ideal range of 6.0–7.0 for most vegetables.
6. Organic Weed Control
Use landscape fabric under beds to control weeds organically, while choosing permeable types that allow water, air, and nutrients to pass through.
7. Moisture Management
Maintain moisture consistently, especially in methods like lasagna gardening, by watering regularly and protecting beds with compost fabric or mulch.
8. Efficient Watering
Incorporating drip irrigation systems to efficiently supply water directly to the raised garden beds minimizes water waste and promotes healthy plant growth.
By following these practices, you can sustain soil fertility, promote beneficial microbial life, conserve water, suppress weeds without chemical herbicides, and ultimately support productive organic raised bed gardening. Regular testing and topping up with fresh organic compost each season helps maintain optimal soil conditions without synthetic fertilizers.
Product Recommendations
- Wildflower Farms Eco-Lawn Grass Seed (certified organic, available in a 5 lb size)
- Farmstead Raised Garden Bed (designed for easy assembly)
- Stainless Steel Compost Keeper (with a lid to prevent pests and odors)
- VegTrug Raised Garden Planter (with a self-watering system)
- Premium Drinking Water Safe Garden Hose (lead-free, slim 7/16" size)
Other products worth considering include the Natural Cedar L-Shaped Raised Garden Beds, Jora JK270 Composter, Corn Gluten Organic Fertilizer, Worm Factory 360 Composter, and various natural wood raised garden beds like the VegTrug Raised Garden Planter.
Happy gardening!
In incorporating organic amendments like compost, biochar, and mycorrhizal fungi into your raised garden bed, you are enhancing the soil structure, fertility, and microbial activity, which aligns with a thriving home-and-garden lifestyle. To further nourish this eco-friendly space, consider implementing the no-till or low-till approach, promoting soil health long-term and mirroring the principles of an environmentally-conscious lifestyle.
