Second year raised veggie beds

[Arriga]

This will be my second season using raised beds. Last year, I made the mistake of stepping in them( which I hear is a no no. How do I prep beds for this season?

[Mr green]

The reason is that you don't wanna compact the soil so that roots can grow more easily. So if it has gotten compacted you may wanna turn it a little bit.

And add some compost to the soil is a good idea as well.

[ElizabethB]

Arriga - what are the dimensions of your raised beds? I like SFG because the 4' x 4' boxes can easily be reached into without ever having to walk in the beds.

I am installing some new boxes. My old box/bed was 4 4' x 4' boxes adjacent to each other and against the chain link fence. Not the best lay out.

This year I will have 2 4' x 4' boxes with a 3' to 4' space between the boxes. G can mow between the boxes and I have plenty of room to work from all sides. I do incorporate vertical gardening for indeterminate tomatoes and cucumbers. A rebar frame on 2 edges of each box. Twine for the tomatoes to be trained up on and chicken wire tied between the uprights for cucumbers.

I lost my herb bed when we had to have the tree removed so they will be in pots this year.

If your bed is long/wide consider setting boards or strips of plywood to provide a walk/work path in the garden.

[imafan26]

I have a wide bed too because I am using a raised garden I inherited when we bought the house. I use stepping stones in the garden bed so I can minimize where I step and because I have to have someplace to step to get to the plants in the middle anyway.