Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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February 16, 2020 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 287
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Changing soil in Earth Boxes & Raised Beds??
How often do you change the soil in your earth boxes and raised beds?
I use peat moss, pine bark, perlite, vermiculite and compost in my raised beds and plant tomatoes year after year in the beds, when should the soil be changed to avoid problems like RKN? I use peat moss, perlite and vermiculite in my earth boxes, does anyone change the soil in their earth boxes, if so how often? Has anyone ever had RKN or other pests/diseases in their earth box because of growing tomatoes year after year? |
February 18, 2020 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: California
Posts: 383
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Yes, Tomato Russet Mite. It is vicious, it overwinters and unless I change the soil, it wipes out my tomatoes.
Having said that, if you don't have that particular pest, it isn't as much of a problem. You can solarize to sterilize the soil in the EB to kill it, but the warm, sunny period I would need to do that is the same time I need to use the box. I know Marsha grew all winter so she would solarize for 6-8 weeks or so in the summer and that would solve it for her. The dilemma is, the fresh soil has not broken down the lime yet, so I invariably get BER with the refreshed boxes. I go with it because it is the lesser of two evils, really. |
February 22, 2020 | #3 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 287
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March 18, 2020 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Smoot, Wyoming
Posts: 523
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It was recommended to me by a Soil Testing Laboratory that rather than replacing the soil in the entire bed - instead - dig a deeper and wider planting well every year when planting the seedling (removing what you dig out) and plant the seedling in fresh potting soil. Over time, the bed is replenished. My beds are 15 years old and producing outstanding healthy plants year after year using this method!
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March 20, 2020 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Germany
Posts: 13
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I did not change it for 5 years.
I put mulching things on top in summer when I have them. In spring they get compost on top and occasionally when I walk by and have a handfull form another project. I did not have disease, so no need to change that. When the pot is too full I remove a bit earth and put compost. The pots are big and heavy, I do not want to remove earth. |
March 20, 2020 | #6 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 287
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March 22, 2020 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MA/NH Border
Posts: 4,919
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I just keep adding several inches leaf mulch to the top of my raised beds and top that off with a couple of inches of well shredded dry leaves every fall. In the spring I plant through the mulch. I actually stopped turning them several years back.
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April 1, 2020 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
Posts: 1,337
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In my raised beds I never change the soil. I add to it every year.
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April 3, 2020 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6
Posts: 1,582
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Not sure raised beds would be much protection against RKN, at least not for long.
In containers, as long as one is careful, I think you can use the same medium for a few good years. The time will be probably decided by how compact it gets, after 2-4 years, depending with what you started, it decomposes to finer particles and becomes increasingly less aerated. |
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