Grow in dirt or raised beds? - Page 2

Gardeneer · November 27, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Speaking of harsh weather right now it is almost exactly the same weather in Panama city Panama.

70's, wet, mosquitoes, humidity in the 90's.

I'm running the AC to keep cool.

Worth

I'll take that over what we have :

28F here in our PNW corner at this very moment.

Thanksgiving eve happened to be our FFD of the fall/winter .

Gardeneer

Worth1 · November 27, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I'll take that over what we have :

28F here in our PNW corner at this very moment.

Thanksgiving eve happened to be our FFD of the fall/winter .

Gardeneer

I have been in Seattle during some of the coldest and hottest weather neither one are good.
I was there a few years ago during the big snow storm, I had to sleep on the granite floor all night in the Airport.
Brrrrrr.

MendozaMark · November 27, 2015

In my limited experience in the Mendoza desert, soil temps can be the killer. I need to protect my pots from direct sun, even early in the season. In my gardens, raised, half raised and regular styles, I have to do whatever strategy to keep them from over-heating. It really depends on two things, soil protection from direct sun and moisture retention/watering. The coverage I am using is mulches, shade cloth, and plant coverage. My earlier beds fill in before the sun becomes over bearing but later beds need more help. This year I was building new gardens and had late plantings. They have struggled because of the lack of plant coverage. I also haven't time to proper install my shade cloth yet for the new beds. What I have done, that has helped, is watering just before peak temps hit. I flood my gardens at ground level and it cools the soil right down. Its not much fun to do my watering then but it is a good stop-gap measure till I get my shade cloth up. You also have to be extra careful not to splash water on the plants.

Gardeneer · November 27, 2015

We have different challenges at different climates. Here in PNW we have a weather which is almost opposite to that of Mendoza. Heat and drought are very rarely issues. Instead of shade I wish we had more sunny days. I choose black color pots to help heat the soil. My requirement for raised be soil is GOOD drainage rather than moisture retention.
But in most places across the US you want something in between Mendoza and PNW requirements which I consider less challenging.

Gardeneer

Ed of Somis · November 27, 2015

I do not talk about my weather here... because people will hate me!

Gardeneer · November 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

I do not talk about my weather here... because people will hate me!

C'mone , Ed ... we can take it

ChiliPeppa · November 28, 2015

I don't think I could take so much rain and cold.

I have made 'sunken' beds in my garden to keep the soil temp more even and moisture where it belongs. i learned the method while living in India. Lots of work to start them but does the trick for the heat especially with LOTS of much.

Cole_Robbie · November 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiliPeppa

I don't think I could take so much rain and cold.

I have made 'sunken' beds in my garden to keep the soil temp more even and moisture where it belongs. i learned the method while living in India. Lots of work to start them but does the trick for the heat especially with LOTS of much.

That is really interesting. It shows the drastic difference in sandy desert soil, versus clay soil like mine. About ten years ago, before imported seafood from Asia made prices drop so much, there was a lot of interest in creating a freshwater prawn industry, because we have a great soil for building ponds. Just a little of this clay will make a great dam. A recessed bed in this soil would be a permanent mud puddle, because it holds water so well.

ChiliPeppa · November 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

That is really interesting. It shows the drastic difference in sandy desert soil, versus clay soil like mine. About ten years ago, before imported seafood from Asia made prices drop so much, there was a lot of interest in creating a freshwater prawn industry, because we have a great soil for building ponds. Just a little of this clay will make a great dam. A recessed bed in this soil would be a permanent mud puddle, because it holds water so well.

Wow, makes me appreciate the desert even more.

Worth1 · November 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiliPeppa

Wow, makes me appreciate the desert even more.

No kidding I have a clay loam soil water wont stand in it for long.
I will have to take pictures of my soil horizons here to show you guys what we have.
It can change dramatically in 1/4 mile.

Worth

November 27, 2015	#18
MendozaMark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Yarmouth,NS Canada Posts: 296	In my limited experience in the Mendoza desert, soil temps can be the killer. I need to protect my pots from direct sun, even early in the season. In my gardens, raised, half raised and regular styles, I have to do whatever strategy to keep them from over-heating. It really depends on two things, soil protection from direct sun and moisture retention/watering. The coverage I am using is mulches, shade cloth, and plant coverage. My earlier beds fill in before the sun becomes over bearing but later beds need more help. This year I was building new gardens and had late plantings. They have struggled because of the lack of plant coverage. I also haven't time to proper install my shade cloth yet for the new beds. What I have done, that has helped, is watering just before peak temps hit. I flood my gardens at ground level and it cools the soil right down. Its not much fun to do my watering then but it is a good stop-gap measure till I get my shade cloth up. You also have to be extra careful not to splash water on the plants. Last edited by MendozaMark; November 27, 2015 at 10:35 AM.

November 27, 2015	#19
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,916	We have different challenges at different climates. Here in PNW we have a weather which is almost opposite to that of Mendoza. Heat and drought are very rarely issues. Instead of shade I wish we had more sunny days. I choose black color pots to help heat the soil. My requirement for raised be soil is GOOD drainage rather than moisture retention. But in most places across the US you want something in between Mendoza and PNW requirements which I consider less challenging. Gardeneer

November 27, 2015	#20
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	I do not talk about my weather here... because people will hate me!

November 28, 2015	#22
ChiliPeppa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mojave Desert - California Posts: 368	I don't think I could take so much rain and cold. I have made 'sunken' beds in my garden to keep the soil temp more even and moisture where it belongs. i learned the method while living in India. Lots of work to start them but does the trick for the heat especially with LOTS of much.