I'd like to learn what has worked (or not) for you. This is my first year experience with a raised bed.

leaves, place your trough so a rounded end points north. Also grow your tallest plants on that end and slope the size down to the shortest on the south. This allows for the least shade in the garden--at least shade produced by its own plantings.

I did a raised pottage garden, near the kitchen door, this year--great fun. In spite of the bed being newly developed in the lasagne style with new top soil, thetomatoes developed early blight, but have gone on to produce.

Of 7 tomato plants in a "square foot gardening plan, got heaviest production, best old fashioned sweet tomato flavor (for me) and largest size fruit from caged 'Big Boys'. I enjoyed the earlier 'Golden Girls' for their yellow contrast and the itty bitty 'Sweet 100s'- much like BB in flavor and tiny 'Yellow Pears'. The first being the best flavor of all cherry tomatoes for me, the pears are good and unique. All are still producing, except for 'Heritage' which never did.

'Burpless' cukes:from 4 plants on 6' trelliw-needed 8', enough for two of us and gave about four away-which was part of my plan.

Two summer squash from each huge plant which looked tacky from mildew almost immediately. 4 "Patty Pam" squash which shriveled up and died after one squash, it was one of four PP plants that survived that long.

Beautiful production of pretty red margined leaf lettuce, and chard. Radishes and miniature carrots were eaten to the ground before I realized I had bunnies and put up a fence.

Red blooming pole beans-two meals for two. Herbs: basil, lavendar, thyme, parsley and rosemary are doing great.

Plan from north to south: Pole beans-research better producing beans for MN zn 4. Space 2 1/2'. Tomatoes spaced 3'. Lettuce as path edging-pretty, handy. Plant 2 more 'Better Boys', Sweet 100s', Yellow 'Pears', research a better flavored yellow and early tomato, tho 'Golden Girl' was pretty, a consistant size, heavy producer with almost no bug damage. Cukes at north end of path on trellis.

Omit space consuming, mildew prone squash or find a mildew resistant variety. Do sq ft gardening on south end for short crops only: carrots, radishes and herbs-they get more air circulation than tall plants that close together-maybe it's OK in the drier states. Why didn't I think of that before I planted?

gramma jan