Raised Bed Mix For Phx. Az. Area

mookie007 · February 23, 2012

This year I built two 4'x8' 17" high raised beds. I tired of dealing with the Bermuda Grass.Is there any Mater Raisers in the Phx Az. area that could give me any ideas for a mix that works well in the desert southwest. I'm very confused on everything I've seen on the Internet. HELP!! I need some advise please!!!!!!

Tracydr · March 1, 2012

Be careful not to buy a landscape mix. I did this winter and nothing would grow. Way too high in clay, not enough compost.
I've had great luck using bags of straight compost from HD if your bed is small enough. If larger, check out some places like Singh farms in Scottsdale.

mookie007 · March 1, 2012

Thanks! Tracydr, I usually get bags of Omni @ HD,> It's got chicken Do Do in it. And the price is good. Last year I used 6 bags of Omni compost, 5 lb. gypsm, 4 lb. bonemeal, 4 lb. blood meal for every 100 sq. ft. of garden. But the Bermuda Grass was a real pain. I had some bottom end rot on some of the fruit.Have you ever tried any steer or horse manure in garden? I'm looking for the ultimate soil mix for tomatoes, peppers etc.This is only my second year of growing.

Tracydr · March 1, 2012

I use tons of horse manure. Depending on where you are located, I can provide you with as much horse doo doo as you'd like, just come and scoop. I really need to get out there and scoop some more myself this weekend.
I have a small pile that's been aging since last year, beautiful stuff, I'd be happy to share that with you, if you'd like. Maybe 500-1,000 pounds?
My horses aren't in stalls with bedding, so no wood products mixed in. They are fed alfalfa hay, so no Bermuda and practically no weed seeds. I've not had any aminopyrillad problems. I get my hay from an older gentleman and he doesn't use anything fancy on his field , just plain old irrigation. Good stuff.
My horses are kept out the north loop 202/ Mckellips in East Mesa.
Whenever I don't use horse manure, I regret it.
I also use some chicken manure, not as much and usually use it as a side dressing for nitrogen hungry plants. I clean the coop and age for a few weeks, then side dress. Sometimes I'll make a "tea" with it but nothing fancy, no air pumps or anything.
My caliche is so hard and salty I think anything organic is better. Where I've added manure and chipped wood, the ground is significantly better. Even near my sidewalks I can finally grow awesome peppers, hardly ever seeing iron defiencey or nitrogen deficiency, where three years ago I was always having to add something.

Tracydr · March 1, 2012

I also have a bunch of tomato seedlings. I put them n Craig's list for $2.00 apiece but for a tomato villain they would be free.
Just one way to "pay forward" all the free seeds ive gotten from all the wonderful members.
Here's my list.
Large:
Jd's special c-tex
Cherokee purple
Berkeley tie die red
Spud purple or spudakee
Purple price
Brads black heart
Kbx
Gary o'sena
O'sena green
Goose creek
Nyagous
Lucky cross
Lime green salad ( early, dwarf, good in pots)
Black Krim

Paste:
Striped roman
San Marzano

Cherry:
Matt's wild cherry
Mexican cocktail
Sungold
Green doctors

mookie007 · March 2, 2012

Tracydr,I sure could use some finished off horse doo doo compost. Are you over in the Lehigh area in North Mesa? A lot of horse people over there. I'm east of Stapley and Main St.
I've got a bedroom full of tomatoes/peppers/okra/ eggplant/melons under lights. I'm going to have to use some of my sick days to take off from work to harden them all off. Then get them in the ground. The weather has been beautiful here. I'm a little behind on my garden. Any advice on growing would be great. Thank You So Much!

Tracydr · March 2, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookie007

Tracydr,I sure could use some finished off horse doo doo compost. Are you over in the Lehigh area in North Mesa? A lot of horse people over there. I'm east of Stapley and Main St.
I've got a bedroom full of tomatoes/peppers/okra/ eggplant/melons under lights. I'm going to have to use some of my sick days to take off from work to harden them all off. Then get them in the ground. The weather has been beautiful here. I'm a little behind on my garden. Any advice on growing would be great. Thank You So Much!

My horses are actually in East Mesa, a few miles from Usery Park. If you were to take Mckellips to the 202, just past Power road, cross the 202, they are in a subdivision over there. I don't live there but either my step-son or I go over there once a day to feed. I'd be happy to meet you this weekend if you'd like to get some. If I can't meet you I can at least tell you where the most aged pile is since that's outside the horse area.
I need a load too. I'm planning to plant tomatoes tomorrow, although I had to bring them in this week because of the couple of cold nights. I may need to shade them for a couple of days.

mookie007 · March 2, 2012

That would be nice. I have to go back to work tomorrow. I have have Thursday and Fridays off. WOW your horse doo doo is real close. Somehow we gotta hook up.

mookie007 · March 2, 2012

Sure Do! Names Mike, Cell # 480-495-4373

brismith70 · March 23, 2012

I realize that I am a little late to the party on this post, but I only saw it just now.

I have only been growing in raised beds for three years now. I have one 4' x 6' x 2' raised bed and one 4' x 2' x 2' raised bed. In the smaller bed, I plant 24 strawberry plants for my wife. She loves strawberries. I am experimenting with different ways to try to keep them alive through the summer. In the larger bed, I grow 6-8 tomato plants, 6 pepper plants (California Wonder and Jalapeño), Lettuce and Carrots. I also grow in various containers throughout my back yard. I am experimenting with standard containers and self-watering (sub-irrigated) containers or various shapes, sizes, designs and configurations.

I treat my raised beds as if they were giant containers. I use MiracleGro Potting Mix in my raised beds. I side dress every month or so with an organic fertilizer. Then, once a year, I remove half of the Potting Mix and mix in a few more bags of fresh Mix. I use the MiracleGro Potting Mix because it is easier to just buy one thing for the beds and the containers. It helps with drainage and aeration of the plants' roots. I also practice intensive planting for moisture retention which is why I don't use the Moisture Control type of mix.

Nice to see so many Arizonans on here. It really is a different kind of growing that we have to do here. I may be moving on to another (more friendly) growing climate within a year or so, but it sure has been fun learning to grow in the desert.

Brian

RebelRidin · March 23, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by brismith70

...

I have one 4' x 6' x 2' raised bed and one 4' x 2' x 2' raised bed... ... I grow 6-8 tomato plants, 6 pepper plants (California Wonder and Jalapeño), Lettuce and Carrots...

You can grow all those tomatoes and peppers in that one bed plus other stuff without some fungus eating your lunch?

(I wish I could get some dry heat)

Tracydr · March 23, 2012

Brian, what are you trying to keep your steawberries alive for the summer? I'm actually considering bringing all three containers in the house and putting them under lights.

brismith70 · March 24, 2012

Tracy: I put some pipe clips in the smaller raised bed with the strawberries and clamped in some 3/4" PVC pipes to create a small hoop house. I purchased some 60% shade cloth and when the temperatures get over 100, I will strap the shade cloth to the pipes. I am also using cypress mulch to keep the ground cool around the plants and to prevent the water from evaporating.

Rebel: If I pruned the suckers on my tomatoes and grew them as a single vine, I could probably get 10 to 12 into there with the other stuff. I forgot to mention that I plant radishes in the bed before I set out my tomatoes and peppers. Then, when the tomatoes and peppers are still young, I plant another round of radishes around the base of each plant. The second batch of radishes comes out as the tomatoes and peppers just start taking off.

In my containers, I use a 3:2:1 combination of MiracleGro : Pine Bark : Perlite. In containers I have Butternut Squash, Cantaloupe, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Peppers (California Wonder, Jalapeño and Habanero). I have three 31 gallon EarthTainers, 2 18 gallon EarthTainers, 10 SWCs that are each made out of 2 5 gallon buckets, 1 15 galling standard container and about 15 standard 5 gallon containers.

I am also growing two algerian mandarin trees in 15 gallon standard containers, flame and thompson seedless grapes (in ground), may pride and eva's pride peaches (low chilling and in ground). I have about 9 or 10 containers with herbs and flowers to attract bees and other beneficial insects and to ward off the ones that I don't want. I do all of this in about 400 square feet of backyard space and most of it in potting mix of some flavor.

Tracydr · March 25, 2012

Where do you get your cypress mulch? I need to get mulch this week, lots of mulch. Considering straw but would love to get the cypress mulch.

Tracydr · March 25, 2012

Hey, guys. I still have tomato seedlings. Anybody need some replacements?

February 23, 2012	#1
mookie007 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Arizona Posts: 5	Raised Bed Mix For Phx. Az. Area This year I built two 4'x8' 17" high raised beds. I tired of dealing with the Bermuda Grass.Is there any Mater Raisers in the Phx Az. area that could give me any ideas for a mix that works well in the desert southwest. I'm very confused on everything I've seen on the Internet. HELP!! I need some advise please!!!!!!

March 1, 2012	#3
mookie007 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Arizona Posts: 5	Raised Bed Mix For Phx. Az. Thanks! Tracydr, I usually get bags of Omni @ HD,> It's got chicken Do Do in it. And the price is good. Last year I used 6 bags of Omni compost, 5 lb. gypsm, 4 lb. bonemeal, 4 lb. blood meal for every 100 sq. ft. of garden. But the Bermuda Grass was a real pain. I had some bottom end rot on some of the fruit.Have you ever tried any steer or horse manure in garden? I'm looking for the ultimate soil mix for tomatoes, peppers etc.This is only my second year of growing.

March 2, 2012	#6
mookie007 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Arizona Posts: 5	Raised Bed Mix For Phx. Az. Area Tracydr,I sure could use some finished off horse doo doo compost. Are you over in the Lehigh area in North Mesa? A lot of horse people over there. I'm east of Stapley and Main St. I've got a bedroom full of tomatoes/peppers/okra/ eggplant/melons under lights. I'm going to have to use some of my sick days to take off from work to harden them all off. Then get them in the ground. The weather has been beautiful here. I'm a little behind on my garden. Any advice on growing would be great. Thank You So Much!

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March 1, 2012	#2
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Be careful not to buy a landscape mix. I did this winter and nothing would grow. Way too high in clay, not enough compost. I've had great luck using bags of straight compost from HD if your bed is small enough. If larger, check out some places like Singh farms in Scottsdale.

March 23, 2012	#10
brismith70 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 71	I realize that I am a little late to the party on this post, but I only saw it just now. I have only been growing in raised beds for three years now. I have one 4' x 6' x 2' raised bed and one 4' x 2' x 2' raised bed. In the smaller bed, I plant 24 strawberry plants for my wife. She loves strawberries. I am experimenting with different ways to try to keep them alive through the summer. In the larger bed, I grow 6-8 tomato plants, 6 pepper plants (California Wonder and Jalapeño), Lettuce and Carrots. I also grow in various containers throughout my back yard. I am experimenting with standard containers and self-watering (sub-irrigated) containers or various shapes, sizes, designs and configurations. I treat my raised beds as if they were giant containers. I use MiracleGro Potting Mix in my raised beds. I side dress every month or so with an organic fertilizer. Then, once a year, I remove half of the Potting Mix and mix in a few more bags of fresh Mix. I use the MiracleGro Potting Mix because it is easier to just buy one thing for the beds and the containers. It helps with drainage and aeration of the plants' roots. I also practice intensive planting for moisture retention which is why I don't use the Moisture Control type of mix. Nice to see so many Arizonans on here. It really is a different kind of growing that we have to do here. I may be moving on to another (more friendly) growing climate within a year or so, but it sure has been fun learning to grow in the desert. Brian

March 24, 2012	#13
brismith70 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 71	Tracy: I put some pipe clips in the smaller raised bed with the strawberries and clamped in some 3/4" PVC pipes to create a small hoop house. I purchased some 60% shade cloth and when the temperatures get over 100, I will strap the shade cloth to the pipes. I am also using cypress mulch to keep the ground cool around the plants and to prevent the water from evaporating. Rebel: If I pruned the suckers on my tomatoes and grew them as a single vine, I could probably get 10 to 12 into there with the other stuff. I forgot to mention that I plant radishes in the bed before I set out my tomatoes and peppers. Then, when the tomatoes and peppers are still young, I plant another round of radishes around the base of each plant. The second batch of radishes comes out as the tomatoes and peppers just start taking off. In my containers, I use a 3:2:1 combination of MiracleGro : Pine Bark : Perlite. In containers I have Butternut Squash, Cantaloupe, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Peppers (California Wonder, Jalapeño and Habanero). I have three 31 gallon EarthTainers, 2 18 gallon EarthTainers, 10 SWCs that are each made out of 2 5 gallon buckets, 1 15 galling standard container and about 15 standard 5 gallon containers. I am also growing two algerian mandarin trees in 15 gallon standard containers, flame and thompson seedless grapes (in ground), may pride and eva's pride peaches (low chilling and in ground). I have about 9 or 10 containers with herbs and flowers to attract bees and other beneficial insects and to ward off the ones that I don't want. I do all of this in about 400 square feet of backyard space and most of it in potting mix of some flavor.

March 25, 2012	#14
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Where do you get your cypress mulch? I need to get mulch this week, lots of mulch. Considering straw but would love to get the cypress mulch.