Hello by Billp53

[Billp53]

I made my beds about a 16 to 18 inch wide and lined the bottom with old news papers about one or two pages thick. That seem to help keep the grass I sat the box over from coming up except for a few very determined sprigs. So weeds where not a problem like I have had in the past with a regular garden. The only real problem was keeping the grass cut between the boxes as I placed mine a bit to close together. I may put plastic down between the boxes next year but don't know still trying to decide.
For the filler dirt I put in a layer of dirt from my yard when a section was dug out for my pool. Then I put a layer of composted dirt I got by the bag from Wal-Mart and it seemed to work well for my first time. Next year I hope to use the dirt I remove from the now existing boxes, composted plant trash and more yard dirt mixed in over time. I may still add more composted dirt to the mix as I plan to go from 8 boxes to maybe 18 if not a few more. My yard is very hard compacted down so that a tiller could not break it up so raised beds where the answer for me. My only major mistakes were not giving myself enough room between the boxes and not building and planting more. Will, and I may have to beef up my boxes a bit more too but my simple disign worked for me so this is how I'll do my gardens from now on.
Billp53

 

[cityfarmer]

Welcome!

 

[Billp53]

Will mine might not be the best way but it seem to work for my first time this year. I got fence boards cut one in half lengthwise and made my boxed one and a half boards tall and about a foot wide and no bottom. My length went from 6 feet to 12 depending on room in the yard. I got bag compost at about $3.00 a bag and mixed it with dirt I alrerady had to put in each bed. But first I put news paper in the bottom of each bed before I put the dirt in and I had very little trouble with weeds. In fact I only pulled a few before the plants got some size and after that no more. Now I did have some grass and a weed or two but so few I did not bother with them. A far cry from my old days of tilling mounding and hoeing my standard garden. My only problem now was the grass between the boxes, as I didn't give enough room between them to mow. But Next year will be much different bigger and better or I hope it will.
Oh! and the news paper in the bottom of the beds rotted away into the soil. This I have found as each crop dies off and I dig out the dirt to go to the compost pile I have found very little paper left over.

 

[Billp53]

OK I want to post pictures on a post to go along with a question but can not figure out how help please!

 

[catjac1975]

Go to search for posting photos-easy directions.

OK I want to post pictures on a post to go along with a question but can not figure out how help please!