I grew up in a traditional "long, straight, rows" gardening family, but once I had my own place, I immediately switched to a "Wide-Row" (aka "French Intensive")system with free-form raised beds. I don't use any permanent sides for my beds, because I like the versatility free-form beds afford me. I can easily change the size & shape of my garden beds every season if I wish, which is nice - especially if I'm trying new veggies.

In order to continue good rotation practices, I just roughly divide the garden into quadrants & basically keep track of what was where when. Also, by just tossing up soil (& all my terrific horse-manure compost) into my free-form beds, I'm able to form little mini-moats inbetween the beds & pathways that catch the rain & seep down where it's needed most - the plants' root systems.

Works for me.

I tried to post a message and something happened to it. So if this is a duplicate, sorry....I have been reading about the French Intensive style of gardening. I'm really anxious to try it when I move to TN next year.
The free form style appeals to me and crop rotation would be easy.

I have tried ground level straight rows and most recently the double dug method. The more I garden the less of an impact I want to make, so next season I am switching to the Esther Dean's Growing Without Digging method described in this LA Times article. At first I dismissed it, until I tried a test plot. It has worked fine thus far. I do use less water and haven't disrupted the soil structure below.

Wow- love the idea of "growing without digging. May try next spring, or even this late fall. I have been using a raised bed for about 20 years, some good and some not so good.

Now I have a 16 x16 ft garden, and I put old planks in it to walk on. I have been adding to the soil for years, manure from the barn, compost, and peat moss. This year I had a visitor, who said she couldn't believe how easy it was to pull something out of my garden so I must be getting there. It is finaly looking black instead of a grey brown. mk

Sounds great! It's nice to see progress after years of hard work.

A friend has a HUGE gardening area that she only uses part of. The soil is sandy but in good shape because of the care she and her grown sons give it.

We asked if we could take our winter squashes over there and hill them, rather than having them take up room in our raised beds. (Not enough trellises.....)

What we found interesting was the difference in the color of the soil. I dug all the plants from our beds and when we put them into her soil, our soil was black in comparison to hers. Granted, the sand makes some difference, but not THAT much! Think our squashes are going to be REALLY happy. They were raised right and now they can spread their wings. LOL

shatbox, Where abouts are you in Los Angeles?
I'm at the 57/ 60 freeways.
About growing without digging and using straw.The article talked about not watering for 14 days. do you do the same.

I use a lot of aged horse stuff from neighbor's place. seems like my tomatoes don't need to be water a lot like 12 - 14 days.. but then I've been told cause of the THICK skin on my tomatoes I don't water enough. but the ground doen't look like it needs it nor do the plants look droopy. Do you grow tomatoes and not water for days at a time?
Garden

quote:

Originally posted by Garden926:
shatbox, Where abouts are you in Los Angeles?
I'm at the 57/ 60 freeways.

seems like my tomatoes don't need to be water a lot like 12 - 14 days.

Sorry for the off topic, but...

Wonderful to see someone so close! I'm between the 10 & 60 at San Gabriel. I too have been using horse manure (from a stable in Pico) although I keep it away from the tomatoes. It tends to take a long time composting even though they say is the perfect green/brown mix.

I went as long a 20 days without watering my tomatoes back in April in my double dug bed. This year I went to the tomato talk at the LA County Arboretum in Arcadia (Feb)and Steve Gato (former specialty nursery owner) said this is fine. Just watch for a drooping look first thing in the morning and only then - soak it well. I'll take a pic and send it next time I get to that point. It's a funny tight rope walk, the fruit forms best with consistent watering so I keep a calendar to watch dry days expand and contract. It's going to be tough to trust the no dig method with my tomatoes.

I just transplanted a struggling green zebra to a no dig box. Such a deep rooting plant might not make it. We'll see what happens.

PS. Garden926: you are in luck, the Fullerton Arboretum is having a tomato tasting, a great place to ask and learn!

shatbox.
kinda pass out limited on miles.. I don't drive anymore
don't miss driving. 5 years ago passed out at the wheel. was reported to DMV...I have low blood pressure . I use salt whenever i wantand take mediciation for it, this week has been rough been laying on couch . bored
90over 60.. goes too low i pass out.. enough