There are many techniques you can use for a more productive vegetable garden. Top dress your raised beds with compost and earthworm castings and cover with mulch to increase soil fertility and improve moisture retention. Foliar feed plants with compost tea, seaweed, and algae extracts to aid plant growth and improve crop yields. Use trellises to make better use of Read more…
Companion planting is the technique of growing crops next to other plants that provide natural benefits such as improved soil fertility, pest control, and productivity. Consult the table below for help choosing companion plants for your garden. Planting Crop Companion Plants Incompatible Plants Effects and Benefits Alliums (garlic, leeks, onions and chives) Tomatoes, carrots, fruit trees, strawberries, roses, beets, cucumbers, Read more…
Raised garden beds help you get a head start on the growing season because soil temperatures in planters generally stay 8 to 15 degrees warmer than in-ground gardens. You can further extend the season by planting seedlings indoors, under lights or in front of a sunny window, and by setting up simple cold frame structures over raised beds to help Read more…
To find your climate zone, refer to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Your climate zone determines which plants will be safe from a killing frost in an average year and helps you know the earliest date when you can plant crops outside. When buying seeds or comparing plant varieties, look for the zone hardiness rating on the packaging and follow Read more…
The amount of watering a raised bed garden needs varies with the season, climate and weather. During hot summer months you may need to water once or twice daily. Early mornings and evenings are best. During the cooler seasons of fall and early spring, you may only need to water every few days, and go weeks without watering during the Read more…
Installing drip irrigation systems for your raised bed garden can save a lot of time watering. Drip irrigation used in conjunction with mulch reduces evaporation and makes watering much more efficient. Place irrigation lines or soaker hoses just under the mulch or soil surface to keep your plants moist while depriving surface weeds from water. Drip irrigation is also an Read more…