Gardening nomenclature for newbie

[HomesteadHeaded18]

Hey Guys and Gals, Brand new here and to gardening. I would like to start with a small raised bed.

How wide should I go? I am thinking maybe 6 or 10’ long. How tall” I am reading that maybe no weed barrier is needed. What is a good mix or soil to use?

I am not sure what we are going to plant, I will have to research what is appropriate for planting in spring. Id like to start with some watermelons perhaps for summer. Simple veggies for good eating as well. I love tomatoes off the vine. They have such a great smell dont they!!

I think that is a good start for now! Very excited to get after it!

Thanks

 

[Gardening Girl]

I think you should keep your width of your beds at a reasonable width to work in. You will probably have it set up so that you can work it from both sides. But, you still don't want it too wide. If you are planning on just doing 2 rows I would go with a 4' wide. Of course some of this is going to depend on your plants you are growing as well. Look at the spacing on the plant labels or on the seed packets to figure this out. We usually go 12" high on our perimeter as we can sit on this easily. But, we only go about 8" high with our dirt. I am not sure about what you are asking about the weed barrier. Maybe under the bed? If so, we have never used any there. For the soil, I would check with my local nurseries and see if they have any for sale. They may have a mix that they have made up for sale by the tractor scoopful. We have several places like there where I am at, but you would just need to check. You could check with your local nurseries as well for plant timing. I am in zone 8b, and I have my tomatoes in already. Although I did get a little bit anxious this year. I haven't planted my watermelon seeds yet, but soon, maybe this weekend. Thing is, if you are going to try watermelon in a 4' x 6' bed, you won't have room for anything else. Maybe you could find a spot just for the melon somewhere else. Good growing!

 

[TomatoTango]

Test your water. Ph is what causes a lot of issues. You can buy premade mixes at a nursery or you can make your own by adding a variety of ingredients. A premade mix is easier since you don’t have to worry as much at the start about nutrients in the soil.

There is no right or wrong shape of garden bed but make sure it’s what suits you and your building area. Beds wider than 4’, for example, can make picking difficult.

Also not all plants like being grown together and some will interact poorly near each other. Strawberries and tomatoes usually do bad together, for example. So you may want 2 beds with different plants in each.