The Benefits of a Raised Bed

by: Holly Hayes, Mercury News

What are the benefits of gardening in raised beds? Let us count the ways:

Warmer soil, sooner: Since the soil is above ground level, the sun warms it faster in the spring, which means you can plant earlier and get better seed germination.

Oh, my achin' back: Soil in raised beds is easier to work and plants are easier to tend. You bend over less, which takes less of a toll on the back and knees. Raised beds make it possible for older gardeners and people in wheelchairs to enjoy this wonderful hobby more.

Controlling the soil within: Most Bay Area gardeners do regular battle to lighten up our heavy clay native soils. But in a raised bed, you are in charge of what goes in it. Top-quality topsoil and organic compost will give you a rich growing medium for most vegetables and ornamental plants. Or you can control for plants that prefer acid or alkaline soil.

Good drainage: Fluffy soil has excellent drainage, so rains drain off better and standing water is eliminated.

Protection from critters: Lining the bottom of your raised bed with hardware cloth makes it more of a chore for burrowing pests such as gophers and moles to get to your plants. Roots will grow right through the barrier. And if your pests are of the winged variety, raised beds are easy to cover with bird netting - or garden fabric to exclude insects. Lightweight garden fabrics admit as much as 85 percent of sunlight and can be left on.

Armor against nippy nights: Some garden fabrics protect plants from frost damage down to 28 degrees.

Don't tread on me: Soil in a raised bed doesn't become compacted because (ideally) you're not walking on it - which makes it easier to work in the spring and throughout the growing seasons.

No wasted space: A properly configured raised bed - no wider than four feet - allows access on all sides, which means you can use high-density plantings and boost your yield. If the bed is accessible only from one side - if it's built against a fence, for example - limit the width to three feet so you can reach in - not step in - to tend it.

Looks count: Raised beds look neat and tidy.

Monday's Myth #6

Don't water during the day, because water droplets on the leaves will focus the sun's rays and burn holes in the leaves.

Not true! It's not a great idea to water in the middle of the day, especially with sprinklers, because evaporation rates will be way up and you'll waste a lot of water. But your leaves will be just fine.

Friday Fact #7

Lettuce is a member of the daisy family.

Fertilizer Facts

By Jeff Gillman

June 17, 2008

Q Do I need a fertilizer?

A If you're a composter and add an inch or so of completed compost to your garden every year or two, you probably don't need fertilizer. Fertilizer might give your plants a bit of a boost, but when compost is used regularly it typically provides all the nutrients most plants need.

Q Do I need to fertilize my trees if I've already fertilized my lawn?

A Probably not. The grass won't be able to take up all of the fertilizer that you apply. Some will make it through the ground to the roots of the trees in or near your lawn.

Q Should I add a high-phosphorus "starter" fertilizer when I plant?

A No. There are several fertilizers that contain high levels of phosphorus for promoting root growth at planting. And while it's true that plants need some phosphorus, most of the soils in and around Minnesota contain plenty of phosphorus. So the extra shot of phosphorus that you're adding with this special fertilizer is not only useless, it also may be dangerous for new plantings. Fertilizer is a salt and it may burn the plants' roots.

When you're transplanting, watering -- not fertilizing -- is what's important. Make sure the soil around the plant stays moist, but not wet. For most plants, a thorough watering at planting, then once or twice a week for two to three months (depending on rain) should be good.

Q Should I use a liquid or a slow-release fertilizer?

A That depends. Liquid fertilizers are readily available to the plant, but tend to move through the soil quickly. Slow-release fertilizers aren't as quickly available, but feed the plant for a longer period. In most cases, slow-release fertilizers are better because they need to be applied less frequently. However, if you want plants to grow fast, then liquid fertilizers are fine.

Q What nutrients should I look for in a fertilizer?

A On the front of every container of fertilizer you should find three numbers, such as 10-0-5. These numbers indicate the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the fertilizer.

The numbers themselves are less important than the ratio of the numbers. In most cases, a ratio of about 5-1-2 is right for most situations. (Lawn fertilizers usually include no phosphorus because it can lead to pollution in lakes and streams.)

Generally, nitrogen will make plants grow faster. But phosphorus and potassium also are important, especially if your plants are growing in containers. Other nutrients can be important as well, so it's wise to buy fertilizers that include micronutrients (nutrients that plants need in smaller quantities than nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). Two micronutrients to look for, especially for containers, are calcium and magnesium.

Q What about organic fertilizers?

A There are plenty of great organic fertilizers as well as a few bad ones. One reason people use organic fertilizers is to avoid wasting natural resources, such as coal and natural gas, which are used to make synthetic fertilizers. However, some organic fertilizers use natural resources, too. Guano (a special aged manure), greensand and rock phosphate -- all of which are mined -- are ingredients in some organic fertilizers.

The best organic fertilizers are from renewable sources such as corn gluten meal (which also is used for turf and will help control weeds), seaweed extracts and fish emulsions. These fertilizers also contain more micronutrients than many synthetic fertilizers. And they tend to release their nutrients more slowly than most synthetic fertilizers. They can cost more than synthetics, though.

Jeff Gillman is an associate professor of horticulture at the University of Minnesota. He's also the author of two books, "The Truth About Garden Remedies" and "The Truth About Organic Gardening" (Timber Press, $12.95).

Friday Fact #6

What are the 10 most popular home grown vegetables in the USA and Canada? According to a survey, the top 10 are:

1. Tomatoes
2. Peppers
3. Cucumbers
4. Onions
5. Beans
6. Lettuce
7. Carrots
8. Sweet Corn
9. Radishes
10.Cabbage.

The Dirt: Time to fertilize the lawn

By: Connie Nelson, Star Tribune
May 20, 2008

If you didn't fertilize your lawn last fall, you might want to do so now that the grass is actively growing. If you'd like to grow a "greener" lawn, consider a natural fertilizer that contains corn gluten meal, soybean meal, blood meal or feather meal.

Other ways to go green with your grass:

• Keep grass longer (2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches) to encourage deeper roots, which help grass plants survive hot, dry weather.

• Leave grass clippings on the lawn, where they break down and add nutrients to the soil.

• Water deeply rather than often. (Most turf grass requires an inch of water per week.) But be sure to factor in rainfall when you're thinking about watering.

Monday's Myth #5

Botanical insecticides are natural products toxic to pests but harmless to other living things.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Plant-derived poisons are only sometimes less toxic to man than synthetic agrichemicals.