Gaden Bed

Yesterday we built our second raised bed. And I must say that I think this one will work out much nicer than the last. Not only does it get more sun, it also has more nice dirt before it hits the rock hard stuff.

After we went and bought an insane amount of tomato plants (for two people who don't usually eat uncooked tomatoes, we sure did buy a bunch), we went to Home Depot to get lumber and dirt.

We walked around in the lumber area, and Shawn asked what type of lumber I wanted. I suggested redwood or cedar since it's untreated and lasts longer out in the elements. He looked at the 2x6x10's and decided it was way too expensive (never mind the fact that I was the one paying for everything, with my money, out of my account). So instead he decided to get the untreated pine (according to the sales associate it is untreated, I think he lied as I'm sure you'll notice in the photos below). I pointed out that pine would only last a fraction of the years that the cedar would, but he countered that he could build 3 beds in pine for the cost it would be to build 1 bed in cedar. I asked if he REALLY wanted to be rebuilding beds instead of just building it once. He said he would. So I acquiesced on the lumber issue--if he wants to be the one rebuilding a bed every 5 years because it's falling apart, he can be my guest. (And I realize I'm making this sound like it was only a 10 minute conversation, but it wasn't. We were standing in the lumber area of Home Depot for like 45 minutes.)

We then went down to the meager selection of soils. I said that I would really rather go to the Natural Gardener or to the Red Barn and get some good garden soil. He said he'd rather just buy all the stuff at Home Depot. He found some Top Soil bags for $1.50 and got all excited. He then read the note on the bag about how in order for it to be good turf soil it needs a bag of triple compost for every 2 bags of the dirt. I just assume it's the stuff known as Red Death and insisted that we should mix in more compost than it recommends. I also claimed that I only wanted to fill half the depth with dirt, and half with mulch, so we only got enough to do half the depth. "Oh well, must go back to the store...Oh hey, I wanted to go look at stuff at Red Barn, and while we're there, we might as well buy the soil we need." (so that's on today's agenda)

We get home and start debating on where to put the bed. I want it pulled out from the fence about 2-3' so I can walk all the way around the bed. He wants it pushed up against the fence so he doesn't have to mow the area between the fence and the bed. The side effect of putting it where I wanted to put it was that we wouldn't have to dig as much since it was flatter (the area he wanted to put it has about a 1' difference from the front to the back). We ended up putting it where he wanted it because it leaves more space to put in extra beds if we decide we want more (this bed runs parallel to the fence, and putting it where he wanted it meant we could ultimately build 2 more beds running perpendicular, if we so choose to do so). Also, I took this photo at an angle so it just LOOKS like it's sloping toward the right of the picture.

As Shawn screwed everything together, I was put in charge of hauling dirt bags to the back yard and digging a trench for where the bed would lay. When I was finished, we moved the bed to the trench and then started with the leveling. After we got it fairly close to level, newspaper was laid down and dirt/compost thrown in. I forgot to wet the newspaper after laying it down, but I figure that if we saturate the dirt after everything is said and done, then it will have the same effect. Besides, I'm not going out there now and shoveling out all that dirt just to wet some newspaper.

Now, as mentioned, I need to buy more soil (actual good garden soil), plant the plants, lay out the watering system, and mulch everything. And yet, it feels like we have more than half of the stuff done. Though some of it could be that from here on out there isn't really anything for the husband to get all stubborn about.