A couple of weeks ago I decided my garden was moving to new location for next year and I got a headstart. I want to try a raised bed method of sorts.

I started with a coldframe style raised bed...the back is several inches higher and the 4 old kitchen windows we replaced fit exactly across the top. (I built it myself as an experiment - NO experience with coldframe gardening!)

How high should the soil level be? (Right now it's about the same as the ground level outside the box-perhaps a little bit higher.)

Have now built a 2nd raised bed same size - no extra height in back but thinking temporary hoop house cover idea workable if spring gives us a hard time again next year.

Ground prep: Dug up grass/sod & shook out all topsoil I could into a pile next to the bed. Dug out another (5) inches and piled it to the other side - rocky! Discovered layer of bigger rocks at next level (probably filled in there by previous owner as this used to be a potato farm before the barn burned down and this area may have been the outer edges of the barn entrance). Once the rocks were out ground forked over pretty well...lots of worms throughout, so hoping that's a good sign.

Loosened another level of soil depth of fork.

Dirt back in: Sifted out rocks bigger than a quarter; subsoil back in first, then topsoil; then bag of purchased bag of cow compost.

THE OOPS!: Need more fill - level barely back at ground level. What best to fill a raisedbed & how high?

Have lots of questions re/coldframes & raisedbeds - will wait to see if anyone responds (or tells me which forum to go to!)
Laurie in Maine

I like a 12-16 inch rich deep garden to grow carrots well in, etc...

One of our beds is also built as a cold frame just like you describe.

The soil in my beds is 8-10" high. You don't need to go that high, and sometimes I wish the level was lower so the soil wouldn't spill out when I am working it. 6" is sufficient. If you want to raise your soil up, add more compost, more topsoil, maybe some peat moss. Just don't add all compost or manure, as this will break down over time and the level will sink.

"Need more fill - level barely back at ground level. What is best to fill a raisedbed & how high?"

I like to use some sand to amend garden soil, along with compost. Last year I got a 6-yard load of sand and used it all in a month or two raising the level of parts of the garden that were low and needed better drainage. My wheel barrow came in very handy for that.

The sand has the advantage of not rotting down and settling. And it provides good drainage. But I am still making all of the compost that I can. I depleted all six of my compost piles this year and now I am in the process of making new compost piles for next year.

I may get another load of sand if the soil ever dries out enough to get another truck in here. Right now it is so wet that a truck might very well get stuck. I like to have the truck back right up to the garden to dump a sand pile where it will be handy to use. I may have to wait for the soil to freeze some before we can get a truck back to the garden this year.

For smaller amounts of sand, you can buy it in bags at some home improvement stores like Home Depot or Lowes. However, some sand meant for kid's sand boxes is really finer than is good for garden use. The sharp sand meant for mixing with portland cement to make concrete is better for garden soil. Just make sure there isn't any portland cement in the bag meant for the garden.

I use my Merry Tiller to mix the sand with the garden soil, but if your tiller won't start, you can mix the sand in rather well with hand tools like a spading fork, a hoe, a potato hook, or a bow rake.

MM