When / how to rejuvenate soil in raised planters?

[plowhog]

Before planting last Spring, I added fresh topsoil in our raised planters. No other prep. This was year 2 of having a home garden. My wife grew tomatoes, squash, green beans, and ... more. But this year, the planters are full and I don't have the option of mixing in additional fresh soil.

How should I revitalize the soil nutrients in the planters before next Spring? And when do you typically do it?

 

[CalG]

I'm convinced that cover crops are the best soil rejuvinator. There are several types, read up on any of the internet articles. plant now, it's all in the roots!

 

[ericm979]

My wife the gardener swears by cover crops. Legumes especially as they put nitrogen into the soil.

 

[Moxie 15]

fertilizer. Use your favorite. We keep ours natural as we get it from our animals. Is your soil good? What does water do in it?

 

[plowhog]

My wife the gardener swears by cover crops.

I did a quick search re: "cover crops," but mostly found articles about use in open areas to limit soil damage from runoff. My application are 4x8 foot raised planters.

It was 21F here this morning. Not sure if a cover crop would grow well over winter?

 

[ericm979]

We have raised beds. The cover crop works there too. You have to turn it under by hand but that's not hard.

 

[plowhog]

Is your soil good? What does water do in it?

I originally used commercial "triple mix" soil from a local nursery here in NV. It seems to be OK, but in the last batch I also got some unwanted invasive plants sprouting up. My natural topsoil in CA is much better and richer. So I've been importing that, here and there, via trailer load.

I've used drip emitters for watering. The water pools a bit when being applied, but seems to drain appropriately. I get lots of weed growth at the bottom edge of the raised planters so I know the water is penetrating all the way down. It penetrated really well in the hole that a vole dug ...

 

[Larry Caldwell]

My wife the gardener swears by cover crops. Legumes especially as they put nitrogen into the soil.

And pulses. Peas fix nitrogen too.

 

[RalphVa]

Before planting last Spring, I added fresh topsoil in our raised planters. No other prep. This was year 2 of having a home garden. My wife grew tomatoes, squash, green beans, and ... more. But this year, the planters are full and I don't have the option of mixing in additional fresh soil.

How should I revitalize the soil nutrients in the planters before next Spring? And when do you typically do it?

I use fish emulsion mixed in the water to water them. Gotta water them every day. Just a dollup of fish emulsion each time.

I occasionally pee into the container in place of fish emulsion. It's a great fertilizer. Needs lots of dilution though: 18% nitrogen.

 

[Oaktree]

I'm convinced that cover crops are the best soil rejuvinator. There are several types, read up on any of the internet articles. plant now, it's all in the roots!

Probably a little late now for anyone in a northern state. Ground's been frozen here for the last couple weeks, and as of yesterday it's covered with snow. Sept. after everything's harvested would be a better time.

As for the OP's question, how much square footage are we talking about? If it's only a couple of raised beds, just pick up a few bags of composted manure at your favorite home center. Much debate as to the best time of year, but I'd go with fall if you're growing root crops, spring otherwise.

 

[arizona98tj]

plowhog,

Do you maintain a compost bin? We have one and our neighbor lady even brings her material over to help out. Working that into your raised beds in the late summer (after harvest) or the fall would be the best time to add it. Adding it in the spring works as your second best time.

We put material such as the following in ours:

• Grass clippings.
• Tree leaves.
• Vegetable food scraps (coffee grounds, lettuce, potato peels, banana peels, avocado skins, etc.)
• Black and white newspaper.
• Printer paper.
• Most disease-free yard waste.
• Cardboard.
• Egg shells.
• Vegetarian animal manure (e.g. cows, horses, rabbits, hamsters, etc.)

 

[plowhog]

Right now I have a huge quantity of fallen oak leaves. All chopped up from getting mowed, then sucked up by a Cyclone Rake. I have lots of cubic feet of this material.

Would these be good to add? And I have four raised planters -- 4x8 feet each. So just a small area.

 

[ultrarunner]

Good question as I am on year 4 on my balcony boxes...

Was told to plan on rejuvenating annually bur so far only a little Miracle Grow and slow release...

 

[jaydee325]

Get the book, Square Foot Gardening, by Mel Bartholomew.

 

[CalG]

I did a quick search re: "cover crops," but mostly found articles about use in open areas to limit soil damage from runoff. My application are 4x8 foot raised planters.

It was 21F here this morning. Not sure if a cover crop would grow well over winter?

According to the weather forecast for the Reno area, you are looking at temps in the 50s for the next ten days.

That's sufficient time for WINTER RYE GRASS to get a start. It will grow whenever it can even through the winter. Won't look like anything is happening, but IT"S ALL IN THE ROOTS!
Add bagged amendment when you spread the seed! Add those leaves too, mix them through and through, all the way down to the bottom (before planting the rye grass ;-), just don't put a suffocating layer on top. I turn in as much maple leaves as my wife will let me. In three weeks, the organic material is nearly undetectable from 5 feet away. But if the soil is run through your hands, It's obvious. If you plant rye grass, a light mulch over the top is great. 21 degrees here today. rye grass is green and looking good! I'll need to mow the top off before turning it in next spring. ;-) (picture taken out the front door just now. 4 o'clock in the afternoon. burr! yup, that's snow ;-)

 

[arizona98tj]

Right now I have a huge quantity of fallen oak leaves. All chopped up from getting mowed, then sucked up by a Cyclone Rake. I have lots of cubic feet of this material.

Would these be good to add? And I have four raised planters -- 4x8 feet each. So just a small area.

Yes, chopped oak leaves would certainly qualify as disease-free yard waste.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Right now I have a huge quantity of fallen oak leaves. All chopped up from getting mowed, then sucked up by a Cyclone Rake. I have lots of cubic feet of this material.

Would these be good to add? And I have four raised planters -- 4x8 feet each. So just a small area.

Oak leaves (and others) have a high tannic acid content, and will sour the soil. That's great for acid loving crops, not great for most vegetables. I compost my leaves by mixing alkaline wood ash with the leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, etc., plus some nitrogen fertilizer to keep the little compost beasts happy. If it's so cold the pile freezes, you may have to let it "work" through warm weather to rot down to compost and deal with year old compost instead. Mix it in. Fertilize to restore nutrients removed by crops. The compost will keep soil micro-organisms active, but you need N-P-K to make plants.

 

[the old grind]

For container plants too cumbersome to re-pot making compost tea is so easy to make. What Larry said above, adding Nitrogen ferts will speed a compost. Just be sure to check ph before top-dressing with it. Berries and asparagus like acid soil, but one has to know what they have before applying. Props to Ralph for using fish emulsion. Not cheap, but a great organic fert .. and not just for growing 'natural' glaucoma medicine, a 'local' hobby I gave up 40 yrs ago.

 

[plowhog]

Oak leaves (and others) have a high tannic acid content, and will sour the soil. That's great for acid loving crops, not great for most vegetables.

Thanks for that input, Larry. A few years ago I was chipping a large volume of oak twigs and someone else advised not to use the chips for garden mulch. For the same reason.

And I realize now I should start saving some of my late fall grass clippings ...

 

[ponytug]

Before you decide not to use the oak leaves, check your soil pH. I have so much clay and limestone rock in my soil that oak leaves, chips, bark are all welcome additions to the soil here.

All the best,

Peter