COBURG, Ore. – Garden beds need a refresh before spring planting, especially after a wet winter left soil compacted and nutrient-poor.
Caleb Johnson from Johnson Brothers Garden Market demonstrated how to prepare old garden beds at the guest house at Coburg Gardens. The beds were filled with compacted clay that could rot vegetable roots.
“This would not be a great place to put new vegetables, just because it’s not light and fluffy and there’s not good drainage and there’s not a lot of nutrients in here,” Johnson said.
Johnson recommended using a biodynamic soil recharger instead of replacing all the dirt. He used a new product from Seacoast Compost, an Oregon company that uses waste from fisheries, dairies and timber products.
“They have a great product that doesn’t stink, but it is just full of micronutrients and great things that are going to enhance your soil so you don’t have to replace your whole bed,” Johnson said.
The product works for both tilling and no-till methods. Gardeners can either mix it into the soil or spread it on top of the beds.
The compost won’t burn plants because it’s organic. Gardeners can plant immediately after applying it, though it takes time to work into the soil through watering and natural breakdown.
Johnson also recommended adding organic fertilizer before planting. For tomatoes and peppers, he suggested bone meal because it provides calcium.
Chelsea Deffenbacher joined KEZI 9 News as a morning news anchor and reporter in January of 2024. If you have a story idea for Chelsea, you can email her at: chelseadeffenbacher@kezi.com.
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