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nancyjane_gardener

Got my raised containers! A few ??

nancyjane_gardener
10 years ago

I bought 3 40"x8'x1'deep waist high containers from the neighbors who are moving to Hawaii next month! The tractor guy just brought them over yesterday! I'm quite excited!
The soil that is in them is very good, probably for a regular garden bed (see raisedraised bed garden post), but I can't afford all new soil after buying these huge beds! There are a few inches of room after a winter of settling that I can add some stuff before tilling it in (I have a 20lb electric tiller that goes down about 6") I have some finished compost, some bagged chicken manure and access to plenty of coffee grounds and possibly rabbit poop. I will also be emptying my pond for the annual cleaning.
My regular raised beds hold the tall stuff...tomatoes, green beans, asparagus, tomatillas (had to plant them fast cause they were falling over!) and roots . I have a decorative container herb garden + a bunch of volunteers in an old bed that I might move to one of the raised containers.
Would squash do OK in the raised containers? Mine isn't vining (at least til fall)
Any other suggestions of things to grow in my lovely raised containers? Thanks for your input to a new container gardener!
Nancy
Can roots go in a 1' deep container?
I plan to plant peppers and eggplant, try some lettuces in a shaded part of the containers

Comments (16)

  • Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
    10 years ago

    From your other discussion, it sounds like the soil in these containers will work. But, rather than add coffee grounds, rabbit poop or even compost, I suggest you only add pine bark fines and a little dolomitic lime (1 T per gallon of bark), and mix them in well. That could improve drainage, while the other stuff can lead to soggy soil. Your plants will get more reliable nutrition from a chemical fertilizer in 3-1-2 ratio as Al (tapia) has recommended. I wouldn't count on organic additives to feed them in a container like that.

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks OHIO! As I've said, I'm very new to "container " gardening!
    I'm curious about the dolomitic lime. I have about 49 lbs of calcium carbonate (ground oyster shells) that someone suggested several years ago for something! LOL All I could get was 50 lbs!
    Is that lime-like? would it be a good additive in place of the lime?
    Nancy

  • VGtar
    10 years ago

    I think it will be fine. Calcium carbonate IS agricultural-/ garden lime. Oyster shells also contain other goodies used for photosyntheses such as magnesium, copper and iron.

    In containers that are 1', you can grow just about any vegetable you can think of. Perhaps a daikon radish, would push it's top higher up over the soil, than in-ground, and perhaps even tilt a bit, but I don't think it would suffer. -Beans, tomatoes, strawberries, carrots, onions, basil... just add to the list ;-)

    VG

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks! Sounds good! I'm off to the nursery Monday! I'll mix in the goodies tomorrow. Nancy

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    VG- what do you think about zucchini and crook necked squash? Mine don't vine until the fall and by then I'm pretty sick of them :P ! I usually only grow one of each.
    I'm jazzed that I will be able to do some of the root veges! I think I'll pay more attention to them when they are up at waist level!
    Thanks again! Nancy

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    I would use the Lime in the containers, and the oyster shell in the ground. Oyster shell is not a substitute for Lime.

    Josh

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    OK, went on a mission today to find the pine fines. We went to the big box stores which is where we were directed by an internet search. No soap!
    We then went to our local hardware store that actually hires people who have gardens to work in the garden dept. who suggested Happy Frog. It has composted forest hummus, granite dust, dolomite lime, earthworm castings, bat guano, oyster shell and humic acid. Theses are not in order or spelled correctly. All organic.
    It looks just like the google image of the fines and the guy swears by the stuff!
    We're wondering if the pine fines are not a west coast thing? Not sure!
    Anyway, tilling them into the beds tomorrow, unless anyone has a huge objection! Nancy

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Oh yea, should I still get a 3-1-2 chemical fertilizer? Nancy

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    Out West, Fir bark is far more common, in my experience. Pine is more common the further East one goes.

    The Happy Frog is definitely not pine fines :-)

    Josh

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Oh well! Happy Frog is now tilled (I have an 11 lb small tiller that is great for these beds! Just break up the lower stuff, then zip through the containers!) in!
    Next I guess I'll mess upon the fertilizer!
    Can you recommend a specific fertilizer for my size beds/containers (8"x40"x1'deep)?
    Before you said a chemical 3-1-2. Would that be a time release, would the 3-1-2 also mean a 9-3-6 or a 30-10-20???????Can you clarify this?
    Thanks for the info! Nancy

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    Yes, that is right: the 3-1-2 ratio is any of those fertilizers. 9-3-6, 12-4-8, 24-8-16, et cetera. Osmocote does have a slow release (pink cap) that is 19-6-12, I think, which I use quite often. I bought 3lbs. of it yesterday :-)

    Where are these beds located? If in contact with the earth, I'd probably just use Fish Emulsion as a fertilizer (unless animals have access to your beds).

    Josh

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The beds are about 3.5 ft (waist high at the top) with 4x4s holding up the beds. They are on cement blocks cause a week ago the yard was still sinky!
    They are long side (8') to the east and short side(40") to the south. They get full sun til about 6 PM right now.
    I have heard of osmocote! Slow release sounds good! Nancy

  • queensinfo
    10 years ago

    just a slight tweak to what Josh said above, it may be better to get the osmocote plus (orange cap) for the micronutrients. As that seems to be the general recommendation around this forum for containers. Good Luck!

  • queensinfo
    10 years ago

    just a slight tweak to what Josh said above, it may be better to get the osmocote plus (orange cap) for the micronutrients. As that seems to be the general recommendation around this forum for containers. Good Luck!

  • VGtar
    10 years ago

    Nancy, yes you can grow zucchinis in pots. They'll do fine... as long as you remember to water them ;o) I've sown a yellow squash, that is just opening it's cotyledons now.

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Sounds good! Nancy

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