Hi, I'm new at gardening (what to prove my wife that I can do it). Like to start a raised bed garden with lots of vegetables. The only thing I know is tomatoes which we plant every year and have lots of them. What dirt to use, combinations of dirt, when to start tilling these are some of my questions. Would like to have some other vegetable that I'll grow them on a 8*3 by how much you suggest as deep. I'll start with seeds. When should I start? What vegies I can start with and can I have all year (except Nov-April I guess). Thinking about yellow beens, carrots, lettuce, beets, eggplant, green/red peppers, hot peppers, radishes, tomatoes. I hope I'll not take to much of your time and I appreciate your knowledge. Thank you. Michael Collins

Dear Michael, A raised bed can be as high as you like, common heights are 6,12,18 inches. Waist high makes it even easier. Use a good garden soil high in organic matter. The important part of building the bed will be to spade over the lawn it will sit on so there is no interface created. Orient your bed so that the sun moves side to side, not lenghwise. All the vegetables you mention will grow very well in a raised bed. If you stagger planting dates you can easily have fresh produce thoughout the season. Start with your cool/cold season vegetables, move to summer/warm season and return with the cool/cold vegetables for the fall. Most of the vegetables you mention will be started from seeds. Tomatoes, Eggplant, Peppers are likely to be from Transplants. A very good book on care and culture is the Vegetable Gardening in the Midwest. You can purchase a copy at your closest Extension Office ( http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/findoffice.html) or online at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/findoffice.html

Good Luck, Richard Hentschel