Lowering my raised bed

[nickdub]

rotation is good but I wouldn't worry too much about it starting out, as a lot of problems take a fair few years to become an issue.

The other difficulty is that a lot of rotation logic was formulated by people who thought a veg patch as a good acre or more. Getting away from problems like insect pests attacking your plants is a lot more do-able if you are moving them 100 yards away, than of you're just going round in a small plot.

So in summary move your plants about a bit annually by all means, but don't let some pre-determined set of rules, the logic of which often won't apply in your circs, stop you doing whatever seems sensible and convenient.

[bikermike]

Well, the best-laid plans of mice and men and all that...

raked back the woodchip to find... marestail...
I suppose I should have expected it, but the area had been covered for three years, so I was hoping. Anyway, I didn't want to put that soil somewhere else, and I had to dig into it to get it out. (yes it won't stop it, but having expended all the energy to grow up two feet for no reward, and having to do it again should put a dent in it's reserves).

I then put about 2" of mulch on the top (large quantities of which fell off the side...) and didn't dig it out at all. Oh well, we shall see what happens.

[Dynamite]

Hi Bikermike. In my opinion, I would take out the compacted soil and lasagna layer (plenty of advice on the forum on that) it with compost and humus rich soil. It will then go down slightly every year and you just need to top it once a year with more humus rich material.

Kind Regards.............Rob

[Dynamite]

Hi Bikermike. In my opinion, I would take out the compacted soil and lasagna layer (plenty of advice on the forum on that) it with compost and humus rich soil. It will then go down slightly every year and you just need to top it once a year with more humus rich material.

Kind Regards.............Rob

Hence “no dig gardening”

Kind Regards.............Rob

[bikermike]

Thanks Rob!

I was planning to do something like that, but now I've discovered marestail in there, I'm not moving the soil anywhere. (it's endemic across my plot, but I've got it in retreat, so I'm not going to risk creating new outbreaks...). In the unlikely event of getting any time this summer, I'm going to start laying down some new beds along those lines (see my Very Lazy Bed elsewhere)

[The Oracle]

Even in a no dig system, an initial dig is often recommended to remove weeds and aerate the soil.

This is contrary to 'no dig method'.

Digging is only necessary to remove individual weeds such as brambles, rumex etc. You do not want to be disturbing the soil/mycelium structure.

[bikermike]

so how should I lower the level of soil in the bed?
(OK, it's an academic exercise now as I can't put the soil elsewhere)

I agree you want to avoid damaging the soil structure, but I physically can't put the required level of mulch in there to meet no-dig suggestions. even putting less than 2" on was going straight off the sides.

(raising the height of the sides is not an option)

[rary]

Could you rake the top covering to the side and then simply hoe the ground to a reasonable depth, add some B.F.B and replace top material once plants start sending out roots they will break up the soil

[rary]

As for the marestail try injecting it with some vinegar or bleach, I have never had any problems with marestail but I would try something like that before spraying any weed killer, and if you don't try you will never know

[veggiechicken]

so how should I lower the level of soil in the bed?
(OK, it's an academic exercise now as I can't put the soil elsewhere)

I agree you want to avoid damaging the soil structure, but I physically can't put the required level of mulch in there to meet no-dig suggestions. even putting less than 2" on was going straight off the sides.

(raising the height of the sides is not an option)

If you:-
can't raise the sides
can't "put the required level of mulch"
can't put the soil elsewhere
and you don't want to damage the soil structure ...........

just live with what you have while the soil settles - then top it up when there's enough room. Don't overthink it.

[bikermike]

As for the marestail try injecting it with some vinegar or bleach, I have never had any problems with marestail but I would try something like that before spraying any weed killer, and if you don't try you will never know

I've used vinegar to good effect before, but it works best when it's dry (it replaces the water in the plant, as it drinks it, but there's not much thirst in plants at the moment). And it works on the bits you know are there and can put it in.

and your plot smells like a chip shop afterwards...

[bikermike]

If you:-
can't raise the sides
can't "put the required level of mulch"
can't put the soil elsewhere
and you don't want to damage the soil structure ...........

just live with what you have while the soil settles - then top it up when there's enough room. Don't overthink it.

No risk of over-thinking, just trying to test the advice to make sure it's on-topic. The soil hasn't settled in the 12 months it's been up, so it'll be slow-settling if at all

[veggiechicken]

Whose advice are you testing?

[ESBkevin]

I've used vinegar to good effect before, but it works best when it's dry (it replaces the water in the plant, as it drinks it, but there's not much thirst in plants at the moment). And it works on the bits you know are there and can put it in.

and your plot smells like a chip shop afterwards...

Acetic acid is the commercial product that is all but identical to vinegar, in fact many chip shops use it instead of the traditional malted vinegar because it's much cheaper (available online).

The downside is it burns the green visible element but unlike a systemic weed killer (glyphosate) it won't kill the underground roots and they can/will sprout again. It's good, cheap and non poisonous for getting rid of general weeds and clearing paths of most green things but seems to fail on plants with big rhizomes.

[bramble]

Get yourself a bulb planter.
Get yourself some seed potatoes and plant them up.
This will help the compacted soil and also give you a crop of spuds.