More Gardening Thoughts
Mon Feb 21 2005

When I was little, my Grandma told me that if you have rocky soil, it is a sign that your soil is fertile (something about it probably having been volcanic or something, I don't remember the details). If that is true, then I have possibly the most fertile soil on the planet.

I had an idea based on something that was done at the Seattle home and garden show last year. I'm thinking about bringing in several bales of straw, and building the wooden frames for the beds around them. I would then putting several inches of soil and compost on top of that to build (what I hope will be) a good fertile foundation for years to come. I know I will need to add soil every year as the straw decomposes, but I am thinking primarily that this would be an incredibly easy way to get the height, shape and size of the beds that I want.

I haven’t mentioned this to Hubby yet, and he may give a resounding “No way am I going to do all that!” response, but I’m going to run it by him to see what he thinks about it.

7 Comments
  • From:
    Yetzirah (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Feb 21 2005
    Raised bed gardening is the perfect way to bypass fighting tooth and claw with poor soil. Contain an area, and concentrate only on that spot. Grass will grow on in a LOT of different conditions, but vegetables need good soil. Have you ever read "Square Foot Gardening" ? It's the perfect resource for what you are talking about.
  • From:
    Pinkspiritlady (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Feb 21 2005
    Would you only plant things you have to re-plant each year? Because if it were plants you wanted to keep they would have to be re-planted each year as you add soil. Who knows it might work. Dose it matter if it is Alfalfa Hay or not?
  • From:
    Dreamerbooks2003 (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Feb 21 2005
    Okay.. now I have spring fever.. real badly!!!
    :P
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Feb 22 2005
    Well it certainly beats what my husband did in our raised beds; he filled the bottom third with river rock so he would not need as much soil. *bangs head against wall* Need I say it; it was not one of his shining moments. Eventually we had to tear it up and start over. OY!
  • From:
    ImNotLisa (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Feb 22 2005
    I'll be watching to find out how this turns out. We've got rocky, clay soil. And it's raining so right now it's slimy clay soil with two inches of standing water. Blech!
  • From:
    Sweetsummerbreeze (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Feb 22 2005
    Gardening beens on my mind too but I have a ways to go still before I can get my hands into the dirt and grow things.
  • From:
    Waterspriteflying (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Feb 27 2005
    wow. That does sound like an easier way to get a raised bed than any I'd ever heard of, and create really rich soil at the same time. Way cool. (Now you've got me wondering where I could put a raised bed!)

    Keep us posted--I love hearing what you plant each year!

    Hugs,
    Ani