Looking into using soil blocks as a gardening alternative? Here's how to use soil blocks by yours truly, the Garden in the Pines!

Use these tips to fix the heavy clay soil in your garden. It is possible to improve clay soil over time and enjoy a bountiful harvest!

Learn how to make great soil for your vegetable garden. What do plants like. What you need to add. Better gardening starts with better soil.

Learn how to make the best garden soil for growing vegetables, and why soil healthy and quality is so important for your backyard garden.

Hello, how are you today? Welcome to our blog About Gardening. We hope you are very well and looking forward to a new post or Gardening Tutorial. Today we want to share with you a

Testing your garden soil is one of the best things you can do to improve your garden and the amount and quality of produce you harvest.

The health of your plant begins with the soil it’s planted in. Different plants require different types of soil. Here are some easy soil recipes to mix up for everything you’re growing this season!

A good garden starts with a good soil, and there's no better example than a vegetable garden. Here are some tips to make sure yours succeeds.

How to prepare your garden for planting. Garden soil amendments you should be making and easy ways to improve garden soil.

Healthy plants require healthy soil. This article examines nine ways to keep your garden soil healthy year after year.

Don't throw away old potting soil. Instead, follow these steps on how to reuse old potting soil so you can save money and help your garden.

Whether marketed as topsoil, black soil, black earth, or some other catchy phrase, it’s not easy to know what’s in the bag. Use these tips to help guide your soil shopping decisions.

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Gardening and landscaping require massive amounts of soil, compost, or mulch.

If you want to have a successful vegetable garden, healthy soil is an important aspect of your work and a soil test should be one of your first steps. Soil health is crucial for growing

This time of year, much of our garden activity focuses on clean up and prep work. We have a little extra time on our hands because we’re not actively gardening as much as we do in warmer months, so it’s an ideal time to get things ready for next spring. Take potting soil, for example. Many of us have bags lying around in the garden, by the back door, in the garage, or in the potting shed. Now’s the time to organize all those bags for storage, and we’ve got the steps to help you do it so your potting soil is ready to go in a few months! Where to Start: Saving Soil 1.) Gather up all your bags. Take a walk around your garden and in the areas where you have your gardening supplies. Round up all of your potting soil bags, opened and unopened. Inspect each bag, removing leaves and any obvious bugs from the contents. Make sure the potting soil is completely dry, as any lingering moisture can cause a variety of mold or mildew problems over the winter. 2.) Find or buy a large plastic storage tub. I get mine from my local home improvement store — 20- or 30-gallon sizes with lids work well, and they range from $7.00 - $12.00 each. I prefer the ones that have the lids that snap on all the way around rather than those that simply snap on by the handles — this gives me added confidence that moisture will be kept at bay. 3.) Thoroughly clean and dry the tub. This is especially true for storage tubs that you already have on hand, but I recommend washing out new containers as well, including lids. Use a weak bleach water solution (9:1 works well), and soak both the container and lid for about 10 minutes to sterilize. Empty the bleach water and allow both pieces to air dry. Before using, wipe with a clean cloth to make sure there is no moisture on board. 4.) Prepare your bags. Combine potting soil into fewer bags if you have small quantities in several different bags. Seal all of your bags with clear tape before placing the bags in the tub. You can also simply empty the potting soil straight into the storage tub itself, sans bags. After loading the potting soil, close the container with the lid, making sure it’s completely snapped into place. 5.) Store for the winter. Store your tubs in any dry place like a shed, a garage, or a basement. We have a covered carport where all of our out-of-season garden supplies are stored — if you have a carport, be sure to store your items far enough under the eaves so nothing gets wet during inclement weather! Share The Garden Love

Once you have assembled your Vego organic gardening raised beds, the next task is filling the raised garden beds before planting. One of the most common questions we get from new gardeners is how to fill a new raised bed and still save money. There are many different methods out there that work well! From our experience, the Hugelkultur method is the easiest and most cost-efficient method to use. Summary Hugelkultur is the process of layering organic garden waste inside the raised garden bed, before adding soil to save on costs, in addition to attracting and preserving moisture. Of German origin, hugelkultur translates to “mound or hill culture.” It is especially applicable in areas where soil retention and drainage are poor, which is typical of soils found in urban areas. The materials used include large rotting logs, sticks and other debris that are layered with grass clippings, coffee grounds, compost, and other organic matter. As the material breaks down, it creates a flourishing environment for beneficial fungi and microbes that mimics the natural landscape of a forest. There are many advantages to the Hugelkultur method, including soil quality improvement, minimal maintenance, and water retention. The Hugelkultur Method to Fill Raised Garden Beds To create a bountiful garden bed, organic matter such as rotted hay, plant waste, and compost is added to the soil. Wood debris decomposes slowly, making it a stable source of organic matter. The optimal kind of wood used is one that is starting to rot, which can be obtained from branches cut from a dead tree or logs from an abandoned wood pile. This organic matter will decompose over time, and plant roots will travel deeper into the raised garden bed soil to obtain the nutrition. It will also work as a big sponge, retaining water to maintain an ideal moisture level. In the Hugelkultur method, for filling a raised garden bed, the large pieces are laid at the bottom as they will take the longest time to decompose. In the picture above, the piling logs may take up to 5 years before the base sponge breaks down into rich, wonderful raised garden bed soil. The smaller pieces are placed on top of the larger pieces to fill space, such as branches and sticks, and then grass clippings, leaves and kitchen scraps. Compost and topsoil are on the top two layers for your raised garden bed so you can start planting as the organic matter beneath decomposes. Some Considerations While Filling a Raised Garden Bed Using Hugelkultur Method Pests: Something to be aware of are termites, especially if you live in a wooded area with a high termite distribution, which can be attracted to the large amount of buried wood. However, most termites tend to live in dead trees that are still standing, rather than buried logs found in hugel beds. Garlic can be grown for pest control. Make sure to be vigilant against pests such as slugs, snails, and pill bugs. You can use organic pest control such as beer traps if slugs become a problem. Various Hugelkultur Methods: The classic method requires you to dig a deep trench around 2 meters and fill it with large logs, adding progressively more logs until it becomes mound-shaped. Most gardeners dig a shallower trench that is about 1 meter. Vego raised garden beds provide a convenient alternative that only requires you to fill the container on the ground with the appropriate contents. They provide structural integrity through an enclosed terrain that is easy to manage and will last for many years, making it the perfect framework. That way, you don’t have to spend time digging a trench or placing a fence around it, which can be burdensome and labor intensive. Additionally, it is more aesthetically pleasing than just a mound on the ground, which is unsightly to some. Wood Type: The right type of wood is important to consider. Hardwoods are recommended as they break down more slowly and hold water longer. However, softwoods are also acceptable. The woods that work best include birch, alder, maple, cottonwood, willow and oak. Avoid allelopathic trees like black walnut, red oak, and sycamore, as they contain chemicals that inhibit plant growth, as well as rot resistant trees like black cherry and black locust. Preparation: Be sure to add a fresh layer of compost on top prior to planting. The combined layers of organic material above the wood should be as deep as the wood base. This means a 30" bed can have up to 15" wood in it, while a 15" bed will have 6" wood to allow enough space for the growing medium. Moisture Levels: Maintaining moisture is an important aspect of hugel garden beds, as dryness is a commonly reported issue. Therefore, it is important to shift the soil into crevices to eliminate any dry pockets. One way to accomplish this is to continuously water the bed during construction to make sure there are no gaps. You should also use a good quality organic mix soil, which improves water retention. productarticletag_emailll[email]emailll_productarticletag Hulgelkultur Method Advantages Using the Hugelkultur method for filling raised garden beds has many advantages and has been proven to work. If you are seeking to cut down on costs, or looking for a sustainable gardening technique, then this method is for you. The vertical nature of the mound helps maximize surface area, which is useful in compacted, urban areas. Therefore, it is a method that is suitable for farmers, gardeners, and homeowners. Cost Efficient: Buying bags of soil from a store is quite costly, which can amount to over a hundred dollars for large garden beds. The Hugelkultur method turns garden and kitchen waste into useful material for filling raised garden beds, allowing you to save a substantial amount of money. You can also repurpose fallen tree branches or dead branches cut from trees instead of carting them away or burning them. The organic waste will decompose over the years, enriching the soil and providing steady nutrition for plants to use. Environmentally Friendly: When branches are burned, gasses and nutrients are released into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. By retaining them in the ground, they undergo carbon sequestration, a process that reverses CO2 pollution and mitigates climate change. Water Retention: Hugelkultur tends to hold water very well since the garden waste works as a sponge to hold moisture, releasing rainwater into the soil during dry seasons. This allows gardeners to save on water costs by reducing the frequency of watering. In addition, you don’t have to worry about overwatering your plants to the point they become waterlogged, which is detrimental to root growth and can choke out oxygen. Soil Temperature: While compost is decomposed by bacteria, hugel beds are primarily decomposed by fungi. As the organic matters decompose, they will heat up and create a microclimate under the plants, and warm the raised garden bed soil, which can be very helpful in colder climates. Soil Improvement: Hugelkultur also creates a mini biosphere consisting of microorganisms, fungi, and insects, emulating the natural landscape of a forest, with its spongy, nutrient rich soil teeming with microorganisms. Because the soil is naturally aerated, it employs a gardening technique known as no-till gardening. Plants grown in this manner are more resilient to disease, pests, and environmental stressors. They are also more flavorful due to the abundant nutrients. Minimal Maintenance: Although the initial setup takes some effort and preparation, there is not a lot of maintenance involved in these garden beds once they have been constructed. You only need to minimally maintain the garden bed by occasionally adding a couple inches of compost and fertilizers to the top to replenish it. They also require minimal weeding compared to conventional beds. Below is diagram for Hugelkultur in our Extra Tall 32" Raised Garden beds. You can use the same concept to fill your 17" tall garden beds or any other beds. You can build the garden in a sunny or shady location. Hugel beds are very versatile and can support many types of plants, including vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Make sure to match the plant to the appropriate growing conditions. Vegetables grow best when exposed to full sun. Greens like lettuce and spinach and root crops like carrots and beets will tolerate partial shade. You should try to plant a wide variety of crops, including both perennial and annual plants, as diversity offers more opportunities to harvest and results in a more plentiful yield. It is important to note that root vegetables such as carrots may have difficulty growing in Hugelkultur beds due to the depth requirement of at least a foot of soil. Tubers like potatoes can also disrupt the structure. For more detailed information, consult plant tags and garden catalogues for the climate requirements of other plants you plan to grow in your Hugelkultur garden. productarticletag_article[academy/difference-between-garden-soil-and-raised-bed-soil,academy/how-much-soil-do-i-need-for-a-raised-garden-bed,articles/how-deep-should-raised-garden-beds-be]article_productarticletag

The best container soil is well-draining, moisture-retentive and nutrient-rich, like a mix of coir or peat, vermiculite, compost and perlite.

To remove the pathogenic microorganisms, a gardener must know how to sterilize soil. Soil sterilization can kill harmful microbes in the soil that harm plants.

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Wood ash from your fireplace, woodstove, or outdoor boiler may seem like a waste product, but there are a surprising number of uses for wood ash. Historically, wood ash was an asset, and there are

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A good garden starts with a good soil, and there's no better example than a vegetable garden. Here are some tips to make sure yours succeeds.

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Learn how to improve soil drainage, moisture retention, and aeration, by adding soil amendments or soil nutrients to make your soil richer and more productive.

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The perfect time to think about how to improve your garden soil is over winter. Though most of us think of gardening as a spring activity,

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Healthy plants require healthy soil. This article examines nine ways to keep your garden soil healthy year after year.

Terra Preta Soil is the black earth of the Amazon; although this soil was created centuries ago, it still sustains life today...

One of the most important things in gardening is taking care of the soil. It is easy to forget, as we grow in our gardens, that the soil beneath our feet is teeming with life.

The best thing to do for your garden in the off-season is to feed the soil. Read 10 tips to build nutrient-rich soil for healthy plants!

When gardening, the soil you use is critical to successful gardening. Do you know the difference between potting soil vs garden soil? Learn more on which to use in your garden.

Planting in compacted soils almost guarantees plant problems and little or no yield. Learn how to loosen your soil quickly

Well, there is a hidden gardener in all of us. That is what we like to think! A lot of people never think about this.…

You may think that dirt is dirt. But when it comes to topsoil vs. potting soil, it's all about location, location, location. Learn more in this article.

Testing your soil at home can reveal a lot about its composition, nutrients, and pH. Knowing this will help you amend it (or not).

If you don’t have a fancy soil testing kit, you can still conduct some simple tests to determine your soil’s composition and PH.

Effortlessly Shape Your Garden's Future Bring efficiency and joy back into planting with our innovative Handheld Seedling Soil Blocker. This nifty gadget is a game-changer for garden enthusiasts looking to kick-start their seedling production with ease and precision. Perfect for prepping your garden in any season, it transforms the painstaking task of sowing into a seamless, enjoyable process. No more cumbersome pots or trays - with our Soil Block Maker, you're not just planting seeds; you're cultivating dreams, one block at a time.   Product Features Our Handheld Seedling Soil Blocker is a must-have for any green thumb. Its ability to quickly create four snug, 2-inch square soil blocks makes it a valuable time-saver. Designed for simplicity, it requires just a quick press and release to shape your perfect seedling bed. Crafted from durable, high-quality plastic, this nursery pot alternative is made to last season after season. Quick 4-block soil creation Efficient 2x2 inch block size Simple ejection handle mechanism Durable, high-quality plastic material Uncoated for a natural gardening approach Comes as a ready-to-use set   When to Use The perfect time to use our Soil Block Maker is at the onset of your gardening season when you're ready to jumpstart your seedling production. Whether you're preparing for spring vegetables, summer flowers, or autumn herbs, our soil blocker is there to ensure you get a head start on your gardening goals. Why Our Soil Block Maker Stands Out What sets our product apart isn't just its ability to create multiple blocks at once or its user-friendly design. It's the empowerment it gives you to produce healthy, robust seedlings. By mimicking natural conditions, where roots can air-prune and avoid becoming root-bound, our Soil Block Maker encourages stronger, more vigorous plant growth. This fundamental feature lays the foundation for a thriving garden that starts with the very soil your seeds are nestled in. Unearth the Benefits Saves time with quick soil packing Easy-to-use for gardeners of all skill levels Reduces the need for disposable pots, making it eco-friendly Encourages strong seedling growth with natural air-pruning Reusable and easy to clean, ensuring long-term use Ready to Transform Your Seedling Production? Make the smart gardener's choice today. Our Handheld Seedling Soil Blocker isn't just a tool; it's an investment in your garden's future. With a simple action, you'll be on your way to a luscious garden brimming with life. Click 'Add to Cart' now and start sowing the seeds of success!

Are you ready to start your spring garden prep? What needs to be done, and when? Tips for prepping your garden for spring.

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On a quest for the best soil test kit? Our complete buyer's guide helps you choose which is best for your garden's needs this year!

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