basics

My sister made this "stepping stone".

When I started to build a raised garden, everyone said, "Why?" and "Isn't the dirt in your yard good?" and "How are you going to fill it?" My back yard is a lake every spring. Can't garden in 2" of standing water! My zone 4 growing season here is from mid-May to mid-September. I really don't want to lose even a few weeks. Also, this wall is the perfect height for sitting on while gardening.

This book has lots of useful information. It was published in 1981, so some of the information is outdated, but the basic premise is still sound. I'll be referring to SFG frequently.

My garden is 4' x 31'. SFG recommends 4' x 4' garden beds. I don't have enough yard space to have walkways between small beds, so I made one long bed that I can reach into and walk around.