First year raised bed trial

lexxluthor · August 20, 2019

After growing tomatoes and peppers in earthboxes and buckets for 13 years i decided I needed to try something different. I had my buddy build 2 (8x12) boxes with a 33 inch depth.

1) Mistake number one is I didn't realize how much soil would go into them filling them to the top.
2) I planted 16 plants in each and realized that I could not walk around the box let alone reach inside half way through the density of 2 many plants.
3) I staked all the plants with bamboo stakes and tied the tops and bottoms but the plant grew too big too fast and anf the plants pushed tem all over the place.
4) I used 6 plus cubic yards of 8 year old manure and never expected the growth from manure.
5) I will probably have quite a few tomatoes but not sure because I planted June 25 and have never typicall planted later then memorial day.

cecilsgarden1958 · August 20, 2019

Sounds like me. Bought one and put 8 cucumber plants in it. Boy it sure did take the potting soil.

bower · August 20, 2019

33 inches is beyond imagining where I live. If my veggies get a foot of good soil they're lucky, even in raised beds. In containers you give them a little more but not much.

I've heard it said that tomato roots could go 6-8 ft down in the ground.

Not in my ground!

Enjoy those 33 inches!!

August 20, 2019	#1
lexxluthor Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: New York Posts: 156	First year raised bed trial After growing tomatoes and peppers in earthboxes and buckets for 13 years i decided I needed to try something different. I had my buddy build 2 (8x12) boxes with a 33 inch depth. 1) Mistake number one is I didn't realize how much soil would go into them filling them to the top. 2) I planted 16 plants in each and realized that I could not walk around the box let alone reach inside half way through the density of 2 many plants. 3) I staked all the plants with bamboo stakes and tied the tops and bottoms but the plant grew too big too fast and anf the plants pushed tem all over the place. 4) I used 6 plus cubic yards of 8 year old manure and never expected the growth from manure. 5) I will probably have quite a few tomatoes but not sure because I planted June 25 and have never typicall planted later then memorial day.

August 20, 2019	#2
cecilsgarden1958 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: swPA Posts: 629	Sounds like me. Bought one and put 8 cucumber plants in it. Boy it sure did take the potting soil. __________________ Hybrids Rule, Heirlooms Drool!

August 20, 2019	#3
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	33 inches is beyond imagining where I live. If my veggies get a foot of good soil they're lucky, even in raised beds. In containers you give them a little more but not much. I've heard it said that tomato roots could go 6-8 ft down in the ground. Not in my ground! Enjoy those 33 inches!!