Archived Thread

NFT: Setting up a vegetable garden - questions

tbonfig : 6/23/2017 7:25 pm

So I posted here previously about the magnificent wall(s) I was building to create a retaining area in a slopped part of my yard.

I'm nearing the end of construction (my god I will never do anything like this again!) and I figured I would get some opinions from the green thumbs on the site.

On the lowest base layer of the garden will be filler dirt that was already there. I was then going to fill in the rest with organic vegetable soil.

I was thinking about putting down a weedblocker netting before the vegetable soil, good idea right?

I was then considering burying a soaker hose throughout the soil, spacing it in a snake path.

Is that the best recommendation for watering?

Any other tips?

Also, I need to put up a deer fence, curious if anyone has any opinions on that as well.

How big of an area are we talking about here?

jcn56 : 6/23/2017 7:50 pm : link

If you're just starting out for the first time - you're late in the season, might want to consider a minimal deployment for your first time out using a couple of raised garden beds to keep it simple.

Or if you really want simple and don't mind containers, the Earthbox is a really simple (albeit somewhat expensive) way to get started with little space and and an almost foolproof process.

thomasa510 : 6/23/2017 7:56 pm : link

Some landscaping fabric will reduce but not eliminate weeds. Nothing will really but it is a good idea to lay some down and mulch after you plant your vegetables to help them reduce weeds and retain moisture

Putting a weed barrier under the soil won't accomplish anything

Jim in Fairfax : 6/23/2017 8:13 pm : link

Weeds are in the air so the weed barrier

xman : 6/23/2017 8:15 pm : link

is not going to work well. If organic will your fertilizers also be? And your Mulch?

JCN's Right

looie : 6/23/2017 8:54 pm : link

It's a little late for planting but come August you could plant lettuce, spinach, peas for Fall crops. Just keep them well watered.

Victory Garden

Grey Pilgrim : 6/23/2017 9:55 pm : link

Two great resources...
https://www.amazon.com/Crocketts-Victory-Garden-Underwood-Crockett/dp/0316161217/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0/145-4464130-7976041?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DM50KBBY2N21RH3D9D8E - ( New Window )

Square Foot Gardening

Grey Pilgrim : 6/23/2017 9:56 pm : link

...
https://www.amazon.com/Square-Foot-Gardening-Garden-Space/dp/1579548563 - ( New Window )

IME Weed Block is useless and a hindrance in most situations

buford : 6/24/2017 7:34 am : link

The exceptions being when you are laying a path for mulch or stones. Weeds grow up and on top of the fabric, and it's a pain when you want to work around the plants.

Some tomato growers use a red plastic mulch uncovered to raise the soil temperature, but you probably wouldn't need that now. Mulching or hand weeding are best to keep out weeds. If you are buying bagged soil, you probably won't have too many weeds to start out with.

A couple of things...

EricJ : 6/24/2017 7:44 am : link

First, that filler dirt you are referring to. Be careful with that. There is a lot of soil that contains anthracnose which is a disease that creates black spots on tomatoes and other veggies (not all). It is very difficult to get rid of. I would dig down farther to remove all of that. Then put some sort of barrier and add all new soil. Buy in bags from HD if you have to. It got so bad around here that I had to move all of my tomatoes to large pots using bought soil and only things like hot peppers that do not feel the effects of this disease get planted in the ground.

Regarding the weeds, cedar mulch works great. It keeps 95% of the weeds and and whatever it doesn't prevent can easily be pulled. The cedar also lives together well with the veggies.

I would not grow a garden this year in that spot and

blue2 : 6/24/2017 12:28 pm : link

prepare for next year. Look up lasagna gardening on google and do that over the entire area you plan to garden on. Build your layers as high as you can...2-3 feet high will be perfect and breakdown to a nice garden soil by spring.