Starting a raised bed garden

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Bravo1413

Sharpshooter
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Rush Springs ok.
I need you guy’s expertise. Never really did a garden, I played around with planting some stuff in buckets before. I want to do a raised bed garden this next year. Figured I should get everything started and planned out about now. I have enough space to put in about 4 10ftx4ft beds in the back yard. Wanna plant pole beans, lots of squash, some tomatoes, sweet potatoes, some peppers, okra, maybe some onions. I’m open to other suggestions on good plants to put in as well. The garden is only going to be in place for about 2-3 years, as we’ll hopefully be buying land at that point and moving.

what’s the most economical way to go about building this garden? I was thinking of buying some 2x12s and making some squares, and filling with dirt. How deep do I need to have my beds?

I have a healthy squirrel population in my neighborhood, and a family of 5 in my back yard living in our trees. Are they oing to destroy the garden? What’s the best way to prevent their infiltration? Some chicken wire around the garden area? Speaking of chicken wire, I also want to get some chickens. I think I’m allowed to have 6 in the yard, but 4 will provide more eggs than I need. I’m under the impression that they will destroy the garden as well, but I’m working with a regular city yard. Any way to combine chickens into the area without losing the garden?

I have access to some good feedlot/pasture dirt from a horse enclosure. Is there a good ratio to go off of when combining that dirt with regular soil? Should I get that soil and drop it into my beds this winter and let it sit?

thanks in advance!

edit: I’ll also be dealing with dogs. Have a geriatric weenie dog that hates squirrels and won’t bother the garden, the golden retriever puppy will try to eat anything at least twice, and on the horizon, next year we’ll likely be getting another puppy, with a strong prey drive. So I feel like I have a deal where I need to let the dogs protect the garden, but also need to protect the chickens, and protect the garden.
I took 4, used water totes cut them in half with angle grinder drilled 2” drain holes in bottom and filled with soil. Great cheap planters. Paid $20 ea for 2 and 35 for the others. $160 for 8 planters aprox. 4ft. Square and 2 ft. Deep. Works great. If you move, just empty them and take them with you. Light easy to move (empty). Thick plastic supported with aluminum frame.
 
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