Autumnal Prep for a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden

As part of our planning for rebuilding our home habitat, we are preparing for the emplacement of a raised bed vegetable garden.  Our plans have been intentionally sequential and in accordance with rebuilding the habitat following the construction of a new house: we first focused on 'green infrastructure': rejuvenating the compacted soil, extraction of invasive plants, emplacement of native plants, and selection of pollinator-friendly plants to accompany bee and butterfly houses.

Now that we have re-attracted pollinators and extracted all invasive plants, we have turned to rebuilding the compacted soil and allocating space to a raised bed vegetable garden.  Our intent is to use the garden for fresh produce, as well as canning and dehydrating.  I love beet chips, so that will be on the dehydrating agenda.  The space we have chosen is in between an exterior stairwell extending from our basement and a covered porch/deck.  Currently, there is lawn there that is about 14 months old and emplaced by the builder as sod.  The soil is heavily compacted; actually I never recall seeing an earthworm in or around my soil or in any of the soil samples I have taken in this area. 

So, the first phase of this project is focused squarely on repairing the soil of the raised bed garden area.  While the point of installing raised beds is to remedy challenging soil, it makes sense to repair the soil in the area of the raised beds for deep rooted vegetables like sweet potatoes and tomatoes.

To kick off this soil rebuild, I spread leaf compost in the area of the raised bed garden two weeks ago while I tended to other tasks.  Yesterday this project had my full attention and I spread a piece of non-bleached, recycled paper in the area of the raised beds and then spread two-three inches of a blend of organic top soil and leaf mulch over the paper.  In effect, this will terminate the grass, turn the dead grass into a layer of mulch, and begin a decomposition process that over time will attract worms and insects to this area to bring life back to the soil.  I am counting on worms to create space in the soil so the soil may breathe and the plants will potentially thrive from the worm castings.  That is the plan, anyway.  I am not sure how long it will take, but if I keep adding organic matter, it should happen eventually.  I am starting now to allow the process to occur through the end of autumn, winter, and early spring.  Here is what the area looks like now with the paper and organic matter:

In late winter/early spring I will install three 3'x6' raised vegetable garden beds.  I have chosen Urban Garden Workshop .  Urban Garden Workshop sustainably sources their materials and the type of reclaimed wood that they use is resistant to rot and not treated (avoids chemicals seeping into your soil and plants).

More to follow on this long-term project.