Starting a raised bed garden

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HoLeChit

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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.
 
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OKRuss

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Here's a pic of how I did mine. 6"x6"x8' treated timbers. 2 high. Drilled 3/8" holes and drove down 2' rebar to help keep together(probably should've used 3' and maybe 1/2"). Still have some warping after 4 years. I have the bailing wire up to keep the dog out(and to trip my wife...shhhh). You could put some chicken wire along the bottom and be able to step over. BUT, I think chickens can get a couple feet off the ground so not exactly bird proof.

I wouldn't worry too much about the squirrels but then again we have a dog. Never known squirrels to eat tomatoes or okra.

Yes, I'd get the manure/dirt into your beds this winter. As for ratio of mixing, guess that depends on how "hot" your feedlot dirt is(how much manure vs dirt). Will let someone else give input there. I used rich mix from a place in packing town then add a little booster each year.

Gardens are fun and much like anything else you get back what you put into it.
 

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rickm

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Since it is only going to be up around 2 to 3 years you might look around for some old used sheet metal to use as the sides it will be cheaper than any lumber that you find, as for planting make sure you mix the plant so that the early crops can be gathered before the later crops so that it will give more room for them to spread out. The earlier you add the mixer of soil the better so it will have time to break down and you can always add more before planting.
 

OKRuss

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As to your veggies, keep in mind that squash will take up a lot of ground space. Cucumbers are easily trained to a trellis and I think zucchini could be done this way also. You might consider what is planted early and may be harvested to free up space for a later crop. Ex: Spinach/lettuce. I think ours was through producing about when it was time to plant tomatoes or peppers. Or, if you have a fall garden, you can repurpose the same space.

rickm made a good point. I've had some later plants not do as well because of shading out from the earlier crop until pulled.
 

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rickm

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Yeah alot of people get over whelmed when doing a garden and get over crowding which will cut down on their production, plants need space to grow and get sunlight. Cumbers does good on a trellis's and some tomatoes can be trained to grow up instead of out
 

OKRuss

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Beets, carrots and regular potatoes are some of my favorites. Beets and carrots have to be thinned out but no biggie. Might suggest having a couple of pots around the garden too. Could use one for horseradish root, garlic or herbs. These are what we have in our garden so a little biased. The onions are always much sweeter than I remembered so going to have an extra row next year.

Just now see another thread from last year "Raised garden beds?" but haven't gone through it.
 

MacFromOK

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I love home grown green beans (we always planted pintos from a sack of grocery store beans).

Years ago, a friend of ours would plant some stringless beans for his granddaughter. I never could figure out why, 'cause they tasted just like the store-bought canned ones.
:anyone:
___
 

GnometownHero

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In Kansas City I built a cold frame bed on the south wall if our brick home. Used an old thermal pane patio door for the lid and 2x10 construction.
We had broccoli and salad greens until pretty cold weather late November and bok choy, Chinese cabbage and spinach for Christmas and New Years meals. On cold nights put a moving blanket on the lid glass and stuff kept producing
 

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