Planting and Maintenance

• How often should raised beds and planters be watered?

  That depends on weather conditions. During extremely hot, dry weather, you may have to water once or twice daily. During cooler, wetter weather, you may only need to water every other day or not at all.

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• How and when should starts be transplanted to the soil?

  Seeds should be started about 8 weeks before you anticipate the last spring frost to fall, any earlier and your seedlings are likely to outgrow their flat trays and pots.

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• What is drip irrigation and how can it be used with your raised beds?

  Installing drip irrigation or placing soaker hoses just under the mulch or soil surface keeps your plants moist while depriving weeds of water. Drip irrigation used in conjunction with mulch reduces evaporation and makes watering much more efficient.  Because water is applied more slowly you may need to leave it on for longer intervals. Drip irrigation is also an excellent choice for plants that have problems with excessively wet foliage such as tomatoes and zucchini.
   

• What is a climate zone and how do I determine it?

  Your climate zone determines which plants will be safe from a killing frost in an average year, and helps you know the earliest date when you can plant crops outside.

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• How do I make my garden more productive?

  Top dress your beds with compost and earthworm castings and cover with mulch to feed the soil and improve moisture holding capacity. Foliar feed your plants with compost tea, seaweed, and algae extracts to fertilize plants for faster plant growth and greater yields.

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• What is good garden hygiene and how does it help keep pests out of my garden?

  Good garden hygiene consists of weeding, pruning, changing mulches, removing diseased plant material from the garden, sanitizing pruners and hands after contact with infected material, keeping the landscape around the garden tidy, and keeping up with the harvest. 

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• Can I plant a tree in your raised beds or planters?

  Yes. Larger, deep square planters like a 4'x4'x27” or a 6'x6'x33” planter with bottoms are well suited for growing dwarf fruit trees, large shrubs like blueberries or pomegranate, and for palm and citrus trees.

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• How do I extend my growing season?

  Raised beds allow you to get a head start on the growing season because soil temperatures stay 8 to 15 degrees warmer than in-ground gardens. You can further extend the growing season by planting seedlings indoors under lights or in front of a sunny window and by setting up a simple cold frame structure over your beds to help protect plants from frost in early spring and late fall.