First off thank you very much for the very wise and educated responses I appreciate your kind assistance.
Iām doing this to give me something to do over the summer and thatās about it.
I seem to be pretty okay with the whole tilling part.
On option b with the raised beds.
How far off the ground do they need to be. Or should I say how deep does it need to be.,?
If I were to go with raised boxes could I use 50% of the clay from the ground and 50% soil that I buy and mix it together and fill the boxes or is that not a good way?
I remember the first time that I āsunkā a shovel into this yard. I was planting two Pagoda dogwoods for my Mother-in-law of Motherās Day. Thunk!, remove a rock-Thunk, remove a rockā¦ad infinitum. Some thirty years later, still the same. I have measured, for every square foot of soil there is one square foot of rock.
Use as little clay in raised beds as possible, it doesnāt drain well at all.
If you choose to go raised beds, fill them half of the way with wood. (depending on depth of bed.) Enough your roots will be in soil I donāt like to use rotting wood because it introduces bugs. Fresh cut logs are best. You may ask a tree service to drop off logs small enough to handle. Explain what you need and be there when they areā¦ they can bring trash if your not careful. Or if you have a way to get them yourself ask where they are working and go get just what you need. They usually have to pay to dispose of stuff around here so they donāt mind getting rid of stuff.
As far as height, itās whatever youāre comfortable with. My wife is 5ā so our are 36" so sheās comfy while doān her thing.
Living traditions has great raised bed vids, how to build them. They bought firewood, itās clean, but I could see paying for it.
The organic pile in the corner would mix in fantastic.
Once upon a time, just after the last ice age was receding, Lake Agassiz was formed, covering Northern Minnesota, North Dakota, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. When an ice dam melted to the point of rupture, the River Warren was formed what we know as the Minnesota and most of the Mississippi River Valleys. My house sits on the bank of the glacial river. Boulders the size of minivans are fairly commonā¦and sought after.
All right guys I believe that Iām convinced that the raised beds are going to be a much better outcome in the end and give me the capabilities of putting in the beds the proper soil and compost needed for a fantastic foundation.
With that said what is the least amount of height that I can go with tall when making these beds?
The bedside be building would be approximately 7x6 x?
@1LuckyMF
I get what youāre saying about finding a log company and putting logs at the bottom Iām assuming this is just to take up space?
If so I have these two piles one of two by fours and one of tree branches that fall can these be cut down with a circular saw and laid in the bottom of the bed?
Iām assuming the logs is just to take up space to save money on soil correct?
Yes the wood will turn to soil in a few years anyways, soil to just over wood, then water to prevent air pockets, then top off with soil.
Really any brush will do, and bugs are really everywhere outside so cleaner wood may not matter at all.
Iāve grown 50lbs of sweet potatoās in cut off 55 gallon blue drums. Wife cried about them being ugly the whole time, she didnāt say a word when we were eating them. Meaning use anything ya want. I like free stuff.
For temporary, some T-post and roofing tin will work.
The raised bed in your pic can be cleaned up and used from what I can see. Though I like mine tallerā¦ were old farts.
I donāt have a good soil recommendation, I have a place on the farm I can scoop up top soil whenever I need. When I bought happy frog for my girls I bout pooped myself paying for dirt. Something like happy frog but cheaper, maybe a truck load delivered will be cheaper. Usually sold by the āyardā, Iām bad about researching everything to death to save .50$. ālet your fingers do the walkingā, or are you to young to remember that?
Yes Iām old to. Im almost 60 I definitely remember that
When building the beds should I put a solid bottom like a piece of plywood underneath or is simply using the cloth to go across the existing floor sufficient?
So basically Iām just filling the bottom with sticks branches logs and filling over top of them with soil correct?
Iāve had three heart attacks two heart surgeries a stroke carotid artery disease with carotid artery surgery. Trust me 60 years old for me is old. I shouldnāt even be alive
