I put cardboard at the base of my raised bed, I am hoping this will keep the nutrients in and moles out. But I saw this week a mole path around it. Do you think my attempt failed?
Wire hardware cloth is a better and stronger deterrent then cardboard.
Even with a stronger barrier Moles can still invade your gardens.
These articles will help you.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/animals/mole-control.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/raised-vegetable-gardens.htm
The CAT is pooping in the raised bed; what are the consequences?
Actually most of the content of cat poop is similar to that of other animals — cows, birds, etc. that we pay others to collect. I am not promoting cat feces as a fertilizer, but it isn't the end of the world either. The balances of nitrogen, potassium and potash aren't quite the same, digging up cat feces is not a pleasant gardening experience and there is the slim risk of infection.
Cat feces also contain parasites for roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm. However, if gardeners wear gloves, wash their hands and rinse and wash any harvested crops, they will greatly decrease any chance of infection.
It is essentially a wooden box (or a chest) with soil in it out on my concrete patio. I added a plastic tarp to the bottom, which I am now thinking is a mistake (I just learned that roots can get waterlogged and kill the plant). I already put all my soil and flowers in, and I'm not sure what to do. Thoughts?
Yes it needs drainage. The best of course is if you can pull everything out and start over with holes in the bottom, no tarp and raise the box a little with some wood or bricks underneath.
But the shortcut would be to drill some holes along the lower edge of the wooden box, where the bottom of the soil level is? Although if the tarp comes up on the sides, inside the box you would have to drill the holes clear through the tarp also, and that could be a complication.
Another option is to not water anymore than you have to. Just moisten enough to keep the plants alive but not so much as to waterlog the soil.
I have a raised wooden homemade flower box over concrete. It has a plastic tarp at the bottom beneath the soil, but I drilled holes so there is drainage off the sides. Would covering my plants with a plastic tarp before a storm prevent them from getting waterlogged and or broken/ripped up in the wind? I have marigolds, zinnias, and petunias which are all pretty top heavy/delicate. I just transplanted them 3 days ago. Do I also have to cover my potted plants?
Sure, during heavy rain periods or storms you can cover your plants. Be sure to uncover as soon as the rain stops!
I transplanted these 3 days ago into a homemade raised wooden flower bed, and am worried they are too crowded. Will crowding also hurt the flowers? My set up from left to right (should correlate with photos) 2 zinnias, 6 petunias, 12 marigolds, and 4 zinnias. I feel like the marigolds next to the 4 zinnias at the end is a little cramped, but I would love an expert opinion. The planter's dimensions: length- 66 inches , width- 13 inches
Looks fine. The key is to provide adequate water and fertilizer to support all.
https://www.domyown.com/dr-earth-total-advantage-rose-floral-fertilizer-p-9491.html
Besides removing any plant debris, is there any thing I need to do to prepare my raised garden beds for the winter? I usually don't do anything further, and have fairly good results the next year. But could I do better?
Yes, fall clean up of plant debris is very important. The next step is to nourish the soil and improve soil tilth by putting several inches of tree leaves over the soil. Some advise chopping or running over leaves with a mower; most leaves don't need this but maple leaves are well-known to mat together creating an anaerobic environment that inhibits breakdown. Another concern is that many a butterfly chrysalis and other beneficial insects spend the winter rolled up in leaves or as eggs attached to leaves; mulching or chopping destroys these creatures. One solution to matting of maple leaves is to mix the leaves with compost. 4 inches sounds about right. So get out there and take your neighbors' leaves when they are put out for compost pick-up. Fall is also a good time to work in nutrients for correcting deficiencies and pH problems. These amendments need time to work so fall is a great time. Withhold nitrogen; it passes quickly through soil and will be gone by springtime.
I grow veges in my raised beds,they are cleaned out now.
It isn't necessary and is actually not a good idea to till the soil in your raised bed. It turns out that tilling does more harm than good. I would chop leaves with your mower and put several inches over the beds. If leaves aren't available, put down a couple inches of compost. Otherwise winter prep is making sure you remove all plant material so any unwanted germs or bugs don't overwinter in the bed. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/veggie-garden-winter-prep.htm