Tom is building new beds for our next growing season.  This is how he starts putting in a new raised bed. 

COMMON ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
-  BLOOD MEAL
-  BONE MEAL
-  COFFEE GROUNDS
-  COMPOST
-  EGGSHELLS
-  EPSON SALTS
-  FISH EMULSION
-  GRASS CLIPPINGS, LEAVES
-  LIMESTONE, DOLOMITE
-  ROCK PHOSPHATE

ORGANIC MATTER
-  SUPPLIES NUTRIENTS FOR PLANTS BY PROVIDING SURFACES WHERE NUTRIENTS CAN BE HELD IN RESERVE IN THE SOIL
-  FACILITATES BETTER DRAINAGE BY LOOSENING SOIL STRUCTURE
-  INCREASES ACTIVITY AND NUMBERS OF SOIL MICROORGANISMS
-  ENCOURAGES EARTHWORMS
-  HELPS DECREASE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY PLANT DISEASES AND INSECTS

Organically Grown Vegetables
-  No Synthetic Chemicals
-  No Synthetic Fertilizers

SOIL AMENDMENTS
-Materials added to soil to improve its physical properties
LIQUID FERTILIZERS
-Watered into the soil or sprayed on leaves.  Good for booster feedings. Examples include:
-  Compost tea
-  Fish emulsion
-Kelp
DRY FERTILIZERS
--Usually mixed with soil or spread, or side dressed. Examples include:
-  Blood Meal
-  Bone Meal
-  Rock Phosphate

     
MAKING COMPOST
Compost can be made at home or purchased.  Good compost ingredients include leaves, grass clippings, tree trimmings, horse manure, coffee grounds and other  food scraps such as egg shells, citrus peels and banana peels. A compost pile must be turned regularly and needs water.  Compost is ready to use when the ingredients are no longer identifiable.  The color will be dark brown and the texture soft and crumbly. 
Tom (pictured) is a member of Urban Harvest and is a certified organic vegetable specialist.