I wish I knew how people fit so much into a raised bed.

Good morning!

One question about raised beds: How do people fit so many different vegetable plants into them?
My beds are 8 feet long and 3 feet wide. From what I've read about the different vegetable plants, they need a certain amount of space to grow and spread out. By the calculations, I can only fit about 3 or 4 tomato plants in the garden bed or only two squash plants. How do they make that 1 foot gardening thing work when it contradicts what is said about the space a plant needs?

Looking forward to tips and tricks!
Beeker

 

The richer the earth, the closer you can plant

 

That, and I think with a raised bed you are going to control weeds better, so you can put them closer. I am trying raised bed for the 1st time this coming year, so will find out.

 

The main problem I have with raised beds is that they dry out too quickly. I have to water them more often.

 

Just ignore what they say ! They may need a bit more food but you can plant much closer than what they tell you !

 

I've noticed they dry out fast.
How often do you water your raised beds?
Once or twice per day? More?
I've been watering once per day, but was planning on twice per day this coming season.
With extra spacing, the sun gets through to the soil and dries it out, even cooks/sterilizes it.
I plan to get more leaf litter from my neighbor to protect my soil better.

 

My raised beds are usually well mulched. If I remember once a day maximum watering.

 

HaHa always pictures of the beginning and middle of the growth! They look great! The end parts are not so photogenic!

 

You can mulch with brown paper bags. Cut them open so they lay flat. Almost no weeds that way and the ground stays more moist. Also prevents fungal spores from splashing from soil onto tomato leaves and helps avoid some leaf spot diseases.

For most veggies my raised bed rows are a foot to 18 inches apart - onions, garlic, shallots, radishes, lettuce, spinach, cilantro, basil, are in rows a foot apart, peppers about 18 inches apart. Roma tomatoes about 18 inches apart. Dwarf tomatoes about 18" apart, bush tomatoes about 18 inches apart.

I am using drip emitters to water, saves a lit of work.

 

Might like to watch this video

 

Another great video, @Logan !
Thank you!
I used to have one of those garden planners. That is where I got the information of spacing my plants. And it doesn't make allowances for companion planting.
I don't have an account with Youtube, but I should probably start so I can subscribe to all these great channels you send. I've got a long list of bookmarks!
Any tips on making compost when all you have is leaf litter and newspaper?
I have been buying organic soil and compost to fill my beds since I don't have enough green matter to make compost with.

 

@Beeker your welcome
I buy my compost for the seeds and plants.
I've never made my own and what comes out of the compost bins goes on the garden as a mulch.

Mix it with the kitchen scraps like raw fruits and veg, nothing else from the kitchen.

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/Wh7niZDgnp0?feature=share

 

Do you have kitchen scraps, potato peels, lettuce, egg shells etc?
It can all be added to your compost pile. As well as your finished plants in the fall.

 

We do not have enough green to add, only brown such as newspaper, leaf litter and maybe egg shells.
We usually leave the finished plants overwinter to use as cover for the seeds we plant in the early spring. Once they are finally cleared they would fit into the "brown" category.
There is also the problem of pests.
Last time we tried compost, it attracted rats.
We would need a pest-proof tumbler which are a bit pricey at this point.