How do I make a garden in a raised bed?

Question

There are landscape timbers around it already, it is 5x5 and full of tall grass-not too high off the rest of the ground. How do I get rid of the grass and get it ready for a vegetable garden next spring?

step-by-step please...i am willing to read long answers!

Answer 1

Dig up the soil, add compost & decayed leaf mulch to the soil along with either Gypsum or lime. Gypsum won't change your soil Ph. Lime makes the soil less acid. Both make the soil less compact & makes it drain better. You can add sand to the soil too, if you have a lot of clay. Lay down a thick layer of newspapers to kill the grass, then lay a thick mulch on top of it. Or you can lay down plastic or some material that suffocates weeds & that you can poke a big enough hole to put in a plant when you're ready.

I usually dig up an area ahead of time before winter. The freezing & thawing helps kill the weeds, then I add the compost & gypsum or lime. When it's time to plant, I dig up a big enough area for each plant, remove any huge compacted clumps, & replace it with topsoil or compost. Sometimes I add some peat moss for acid-loving plants. Then I put in my plants & add mulch around them.

Here's a forum you may enjoy, on how others have made a garden in a raised bed:
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg0221102423083.html
Good luck! Hope this helps.

Answer 2

If the grass is not too tall and/or spilling over the sides of your raised bed, you could try this method of working over top of the grass in the bed in preparation for next spring's planting:

1. Place a thick layer of newspaper (8-10 sheets thick) over the area.
2. Wet the newspaper well to hold it in place.
3. Cover the area with at least 6-8in of nutrient rich soil (soil with a peat humus mix will work well.)
4. When ready to plant next spring, you should be able to dig your holes right through the newspaper and into the ground below. (The newspaper will have helped the grass underneath to decompose over winter.)

For more help with the raised bed vegetable garden, this site could be quite helpful:

http://www.humeseeds.com/vegplan.htm

They also include a seed planting chart.

*~ Good luck ~*

Answer 3

Dig up the grass getting as much of the roots as possible. Sift through the dirt left behind to be sure as many of the roots you can find are gone. Dig up the dirt really well and cover with good topsoil. Fertilize. Mix all together and rake it smooth.

When you get ready to plant, make your rows and plant your seeds. Water and pull all weeds and grass that might come back from any seeds left behind. Hopefully you'll enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Answer 4

be careful with dealt with wood, many contain carciogenices. do no longer use anytreated wood. some human beings use previous railroad ties and the creosote on them is a shown carciogenic as is pentachloythenal (i'm hoping I spelled that perfect?) I easily have made raised beds with untreated wood, (SPF) shelter it via lining the interior with plastic. do no longer use dealt with wood. I dont understand people who answer and say its solid, its ok - why could they are announcing that?