Update on the Garden Update

In the ongoing saga of the garden upgrade:

We're getting ready for the largest, and second-to-last raised bed. The others so far are 8' x 3' x 2' high (more or less; they ship them in nested sets, so some are slightly smaller).

This one will be 8' in diameter: round. I calculate that as needing about five yards of soil. We'll use mostly garden mix, with some mushroom fertilizer added in, maybe in the middle layers.

Once this bed is in place, there are only two steps to go: we'll replace the bed that formerly held the raspberries and rhubarb (more about them shortly) with a 10' x 3' x24" high bed.  This will be the last purchase.

And finally, there's one bed in the back that has just been holding extra dirt. That will go in where the garlic is now, but not until I have opportunity to harvest the garlic. We can't do without garlic! 

I plan to cut the bottom out of this one as well.

I've been cutting the bottoms out of most of the beds (with the exception of the first one, up against the fence with the espaliered apple tree). It turns out that some plants (notably asparagus and sunflowers) like deep roots, up to 9' deep with asparagus. Plus it gives the worms a clear path in and out.

The main motivation for the change is that the original wooden raised beds are rotting. They need to be replaced, and this is actually no more expensive than using cedar wood or planks made from recycled plastics, or any other option I could find.

Plus these give a higher bed. Easier to keep working the garden.

And we've added cinder blocks under them to get them another eight inches up. Strictly a convenience thing.

Then we'll shovel sixty-eleven loads of wood chips in between all the beds. That'll be fun!