Soil Feeding and other 1st timer questions.

Hello,

Just started my first veggie garden, haven't had a one since me and my grandma shared one when I was a child. Growing jalapeno, cayenne, and a Tami G grape tomato.

So I just have a few questions I need answered. Its a raised bed and I put 100% soil from Lowes(I Live on a small island, figured sand was not ideal) the bag said it will fertilize plants for up to 9 months. So I'm guessing I do not need to add feeders and other items from the store to my soil right?

Cant think of any other questions at the moment, but if anyone could add some advice for a first time, that would be great. Remember first timer so all tips are greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Coons, I would recommend adding a good layer of mulch to your bed....if you use an organic mulch (pine straw, fine pine bark, leaves) they will break down and provide nutrients/humus to your bed as you can turn them into the soil at the end of the growing season and if you are not using the bed during the fall and Winter, a thick layer of mulch will help keeps weeds from taking over.

It will also help the bed remain a little cooler in summer and hold moisture in the soil.

Also you likely will need to fertilize--although the soil said it has fertilizer to feed for 9 months, the amount of fertilizer in those bagged soils is usually pretty low so you will likely need to add some. Plus your bed doesn't look very deep, so some of the roots will end up going down into your native soil below where there's not much in the way of nutrients if it's very sandy. Also a 2nd vote for putting mulch down.

I completely agree with ecrane, you will surely need to feed, especially the tomatoes as they are very heavy feeders. I would suggest a good organic fertilizer. I would also highly recommend adding copious amounts of compost to the bed. I see you've already got stuff planted, so you could use the compost as a mulch, under the organic mulch suggestions given by themoonhowl. (yes, that means 2 layers of mulch, but that's ok). Also, any time you add a new plant, use compost to back-fill the holes. When it comes to growing stuff, there's almost no such thing as "too much" compost. :)
Don't mulch all the way up to the crown of the plant (where the main stem meets the roots), but leave a couple-inch radius around the crown, between the mulch and the crown.

Oh, and tomatoes also need to be regularly watered, don't let the soil completely dry out, that can lead to blossom end rot which will ruin your fruit. I know, it sounds like "gosh, tomatoes are a pain in the butt", but really they're not; regular watering and feeding, lots of sunshine, good drainage, and they're happy.

Please keep us posted on how they're doing, ok? Good Luck!! =)

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the informative replies. Ive added a thick layer of mulch and worked it in to the soil I bought from the store. Currently all the plants are looking great, my cayenne's are about to set their first set of flowers and I have about 30 or more flowers on my grape tomato. I bought Vigoro plant feeder that I will apply soon. I also included an update photo the bed.

Thank you!

Hi Coons. That looks great. But, now you need to add a layer of just mulch over the top of the soil. That will help keep down weeds and hold moisture in the soil....it also helps to keep the roots from overheating and stressing the plant. Good job.

They sure are looking lovely, Coons!! =) Yup, the mulch on top will be a big help big time, that's for sure. Looks like there will be some good eatin' going on at your house pretty soon! =)