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Re: raised bed construction

> This is my first post to the list.  This year will be my first
> attempt at Sqft Gardening.  I am building raised beds from some
> lumber I have on hand.

>  2x12s  Naturally the size I think of  (because of the lumber) is  6
>  ft by 12 ft.

When you say 6'x12', are you referring to sheets of plywood or the
lengths of boards (2"x12"s)?  I would definitely go with the boards,
whatever length you decide is appropriate.  Also, you can cut them
into even lengths for the ends of the raised beds.  For example, when
my husband and I were building a 4'x6' bed, we were able to use a 6'
and a 12' length, both cut into half.  It is more economical than
having odd lengths of scrap left over....unless you're handy with
scraps, of course (we're not).

I have also used 2"x6"s with success in my garden.

> 1.  Will the 6' width be too wide?  Would 4' x 12' be better?  What
> size suggestions      would you all recommend?

I recommend a width that allows you to reach across half the bed
easily.  I have often seen suggestions for 3' or 4'.  If I'm sitting
on the edge of the raised bed, for instance, trying to transplant
and/or do other tasks with my hand tools, I can easily reach across
about 2' into the bed.  Farther and I would have to really stretch or
step into the bed and compact the soil.  For that reason, all my beds
are 4' wide so that I can reach into the center from either side.

Also pay attention to the width of your walkways between the beds.
Make sure that you can easily get all your tools, carts,
wheelbarrows, etc., between them so you can cart mulch, dirt,
compost, etc., around the garden without back-breaking labor.

I suggest also considering the issue of irrigation prior to building
all the beds.  You should consider how you're going to irrigate and
whether the construction/size/location of the bed will help you to
accomplish that method.  Lots of folks install drip irrigation in
their raised beds (economical, saves water, applies water to the
plants and not extraneous areas), others use hoses (I'm still using the
drag-around-the-hose-with-the-rain-wand method, but I enjoy it right
now), etc.

> 2.  The weeds we have are the mother of all weeds!  With that I was
> thinking of putting heavy black plastic under the bed before I put
> the boards down.  We are planning to fill the bed with compost.
> ------ Will the 12" depth be enough for all the plant varieties that
> I might later want?  Will the plastic allow enough drainage?  Should
> I bother with the plastic?

Based on my own experiences, the black plastic was not a suitable
method of weed control under the beds.  The walkways perhaps, but not
under the beds where the worms and water and roots and such need room
to wander, so to speak.  Yes, the weeds come up (in my case, it's the
!$^&* Bermuda grass), but I keep it relatively under control (I know,
it's got me fooled, huh?!) inside the beds.  Weeding is an ongoing
battle that will never go away, I'm convinced.

Most of my beds are 6" or 8" deep.  Before constructing them, what I
did in those positions was put down thick layers of newspaper (take a
whole section at a time -- it should be thick, but will biodegrade
eventually) over the area, then put down thick layers of grass
clippings (we save those from mowing our large front lawn), wet it
down a bit so the stuff doesn't blow away, then let it sit for a few
days.  Once it starts settling down (those grass clippings really go
down a lot after a few days!), we layered on some more newspaper,
more grass clippings, and wait a bit.  THEN we built the raised bed
frames and placed them over this area.  We were sure that all the
newspaper/clippings extended farther than the frame area so that the
entire bottom was covered without a little perimeter inside to let
weeds in.  After laying down the constructed frame, we filled it with
our gardening soil mix.  Every year we make sure to fill it up and
replenish the soil with compost, too.  So far, in the last 2 years,
most of my raised beds are relatively weed-free.  It is impossible to
keep out the Bermuda grass forever, so I have faithfully dug around
inside the beds and weeded out any dastardly runners which have crept
in.  So far so good........haven't resorted to chemicals to kill the
grass yet, and I don't want to.

You may be asking why I didn't dig down a bit to make a deeper area
of good gardening soil.  The reason is because in my area we have
very hard, clay-like "Texas Gumbo".  Unless it is very wet (when it
makes mudpies), it is nearly impossible to dig down without some kind
of major machinery (like a backhoe!).  My husband and I tried it once
when we first moved in....with pickaxes.  We were unsuccessful.
Going UP was the only way for us to go without killing ourselves.

Others may have radically different opinions on this subject of black
plastic, but perhaps my opinions above will help.

Joan
cmathew@airmail.net
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/8098/
USDA gardening zone 7b (just north of Dallas, TX)
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