tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426937534786021383.post3806447612056039396..comments2024-03-26T20:53:34.573-04:00Comments on <center>Upland</center>: Getting StartedOn Minibed E7Herrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116051416696885647noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426937534786021383.post-12773616098507268022017-01-24T08:56:07.680-05:002017-01-24T08:56:07.680-05:00Our garbage service changed to a special "lif...Our garbage service changed to a special "lift arm flip top can" and I was able to gather about 8 old garbage cans from neighbor's. Drilled holes in them and they are perfect sized composter bins and moveable if need be. During the gardening season I'll post them at the end of growing rows or under trees. The worms always get in and when heavy rains hit they will rise to the upper level of the bins. They work wonderful for rotation feeding. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426937534786021383.post-68562508153088991032017-01-24T06:15:44.057-05:002017-01-24T06:15:44.057-05:00Hi Jen,
Lasagna gardening is a great technique. I...Hi Jen,<br /><br />Lasagna gardening is a great technique. It will integrate with minibeds very well. But the minibeds are not raised. They are frames only to hold the big sheet of plastic from blowing away, and to provide a structure for various bed accessories. My experience with board-framed raised beds was that the soil dried out quickly and then needed frequent watering. With flat-soil minibeds, surrounded by the black plastic, there is a large reservoir of soil moisture for the bed plantings to tap into. I don't believe I will need to do any watering. That was my experience with Tom Doyle's Plant-and-Pick system, which Minibeds-on-Plastic is derived from. I never watered the garden with that system, even in very dry stretches, and the plantings thrived.Herrick Kimballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17116051416696885647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426937534786021383.post-18031777850809562272017-01-23T21:13:24.372-05:002017-01-23T21:13:24.372-05:00Have you ever read the book Lasagna Gardening? It...Have you ever read the book Lasagna Gardening? It might be an interesting thing to work into your minibeds experiment. (And if that is a part of your book, I apologize. I haven't had the chance to get it yet.) Sheet composting is how I build the soil in all my raised beds. I never worry about how hot it gets or how long it takes for it to break down. I build layer after layer of different compostable materials and just plant on top of it. The plants really seem to love it. My raised beds are taller though - mine have 12" sides.Jen Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07728342724033395477noreply@blogger.com