So many searches have hit my blog after I posted photos of our potager garden, I decided to ask my husband to write a how-to with photos to show how he prepares the potager garden for planting. I hope you find it helpful. If you have any questions please post them in the comments section, and I’ll round up my husband to answer them for you.
Planting the Potager
A potager garden can be of any size and dimension. A patio container to a formal garden, depending on the space available.
I have found the raised bed method most successful, especially for the size of our section.
When building the raised bed any type of timber can be used, from old railway sleepers to half round posts, what ever your budget stretches to. You can even use bricks and mortar. There are kit set options you can buy ready to assemble. A good example is www.patchfromscratch.co.nz
Once you have decided what dimensions you require and have built the frame to contain your raised bed, the layering begins. Depending on the size of your garden and budget, this will likely determine the contents of your bed. I have found that a 3 layering system works for me. If your bed is going directly on to grass either spray the area to kill off grass, weeds etc or lay some weed matting or better still layer newspapers.
Recipe:
• Add pea straw. This is good for retaining moisture. Personally, I use shredded paper. It has the same moisture retention, is biodegradable and doesn’t cost a cent.
• Take some good manure e.g.: sheep pellets, chicken manure, or good general purpose fertilizer. Spread out evenly.
• Place a layer of organic garden mix over the manure. www.livingearth.co.nz Depending on the size of your bed this could be bought in bags or more economically in bulk. Soil is okay, but you could have the added problems of unwanted weeds germinating instead of your vegetable seedlings.
• Keep repeating the process until you have reached your desired height or depth of your potager bed.
The garden will subside and requires rebuilding at each planting. It may need an additional one or two layers. Be sure to turn the original bed before you proceed with layering.
Although rotation of crops is advised, I have found that this is not necessary with this type of potager garden. Self seeded potatoes keep popping up with no ill effects.
Potatoes dug from this type of garden only require a slight brush before cooking.
Happy gardening.
Ah… if only my thumb wasn’t so black. I can’t even manage to make my tulips grow (and they’re supposed to just pop up every spring, right? … yeah, not mine.)
I’d like to say this post inspired my inner gardener, but alas… I’ll have to settle for jealous
by Wylie Kinson May 3rd, 2008 at 2:32 pmCount me in the jealous column as well. What a lovely garden. I do my best with my container garden on our balcony but it’s just not the same :)
by Jenyfer Matthews May 3rd, 2008 at 10:21 pmWhat a lovely garden, Shelley. My husband loves growing things in the garden and I love looking at them - unfortunately if I so much as breathe on anything that’s enough for them to shrivel and/or drop off the vine!
by Christina Phillips May 3rd, 2008 at 11:05 pmWylie - I don’t have a green thumb. It’s my hubby who is the gardener. In fact hubby said yesterday, “when did you water the plants?”
“Um,” I said, looking at them. “Two weeks ago? Maybe I’ll do it now?”
Jenyfer - it’s true that containers aren’t quite the same, but fresh herbs etc are always handy!
Christina - it sounds like we’re much the same when it comes to gardening. I’m good in the idea department - the execution - not so good!
by Shelley Munro May 3rd, 2008 at 11:08 pm