Everything is dead :( now what?

[Aorourke]

It's the end of the season for me here in eastern Ontario:( I got lots and lots of tomatoes. 6 pumpkins, 1 didn't ripen, a few onions and a lot of won't do that agains!

In the bed I had, tomatoes (far too many), lettuce, peas, beans after the peas failed, pumpkin, melons (they did grow but only to the size of tennis balls), onions, broccoli (they went to flower before I got to eat any, peppers (didn't grow that much) and that's it.
This was all in a 12' x 10' x 1' raised bed. Next year It won't be so crowded or I'll make another one . Not sure yet.

After pulling everything out the raised bed, what else do I need to do to make starting again easier next year?
Any hints tips and advice all welcome

[DoubleDogFarm]

After pulling everything out the raised bed, what else do I need to do to make starting again easier next year?

Cover the whole area with cardboard, cover this with hay / straw. Next spring pull this back and plant. You can also just punch holes and plant.

You could also spread manure / compost before the cardboard mulch covering.

Eric

[cherishedtiger]

Oh your garden sounds like my first!! I couldn't decide what to plant so I planted everything that sounded good. Way too much and everything sucked the soil dry of any nutrients. I got a lot of oops, wont do that again and hey look I grew mini-veggies!
I would say cover as mentioned above, but be sure next year to amend your soil with lots of compost, manure and other such nutrients or you will have a repeat next year.

[CharlieBear]

Just a thought if you really enjoyed the experience and have the room, build a couple more boxes. Most of my gardening friends have at least 4 to crop rotation purposes if nothing else. That way you can plant tomatoes/eggplant and or potatoes in one box this year, box 2 next year, box 3 the following and then 4. After that start the rotation over again. That will keep down pests, disease etc. Note the same rotation would apply to beans/peas but starting in a different box. Squash, cukes, melon etc in another rotation and everything else in the final rotation which is what I would call your first box to be sure of least pest problems.

[silentrunning]

Seeing as how you are in the colder growing area I would try Snow Peas, Leeks, Cole crops and Radishes. You already know that tomatoes work so how about other salad crops like lettuce? Also, consider a berry garden.