RAISED BEDS

I'm thinking about building some raised bed my ideal is to lay down feed sacks then add about 3 inches of rabbit manure and 3 inches of soil these will be used for beets, carrots and early crops anyone see any problems with this and how close do you think i can plant I'm use to having hundred foot rows and lots of room
thanks dave 719

dave719,

I've planted my carrots in a raised bed (box) 40" wide and 7' long, planted my carrots @ 6" apart or seven rows. This gives me the equal of a 49' row.

I mix equal amounts of composted cow manure, peat moss and topsoil to fill the bed. I'm not sure I would layer 3" of manure for root crops, course I never had rabbit manure to use, don't really know how this would work.

I'm told carrots don't like fresh manure, so I would make sure it's composted.

Yep. Too much manure will cause carrots to fork. 'Twill also create much topgrowth on the beets (I love beet tops tho!). As for your other 'early crops' not sure what you are planting.

Root crops really benefit from potassium more than nitrogen.

I'd save some of that rabbit manure and mix it more sparingly (share it) with other parts of your garden.

Thanks for the help will use less manure as for other parts of the garden there is plenty to go around 10 rows of rabbits 70 ft long makes a lot of round balls As for other early crops usely do some cabbage peas culiflower but they are going in as fall crops this year got to much going to have time to plant this spring

Wonderful wonderfu rabbit doo...I used to keep around 80 or so rabbits at one time (well, keep them coming and going, that is).

You should consider bagging up some of that doo and marketing it, dave. (Ya'll raising meat rabbits?)

Hope you have a great gardening year!

Yes we raise meat rabbits have 122 working does right now with room for 150

One of the healthiest meats you can eat. High protein, low fat (no fat nearly!), low cholesterol. Luv it!

If I'm ever your way I'd like to visit!

Shoe if your every up this way give us a yell there 4 of us here within a 100 mile some a closer we've been saying we were going to get together but never have can't seem to find a time we all can get away Make that 5 we were going to a go to Baker Creek fall fest but i couldn't get away last year Jere is the fifth one he's less than a100 from me maybe a little more for some

dave...sounds like it would be a great get-together to me!

We use to raise rabbits to butcher and sell but nothing like your scale operation!! Now we have 2 pet fertilizer factories. I did find someone not far from us who has quite a good amount to give away so I'll likely try to get some of that too.

I throw the spend potting soil, plant clippings, etc. from Powell Gardens under my bunny cages and let the chickens do the mixing and turning. I also dump leaves under the cages to be rotted down. It makes great mulch and raised bed fill.

for early crops don't forget peas and spinach

Great thread!