raised planting beds

I would like to hear from as many folks as possible about their success/failure with starting out new raised bed this way:

I'm starting some new flower beds in my front yard and don't have the time, nor the energy and most certainly not the money to pay someone to come in a remove sections of grass. So my thinking, (I did a test bed in the back yard last year and its working out great) is to create raised bed right on top of the grass.

I have a Master gardener telling me I just can't dump new bedding soil on top of the grass????? She is saying I have to remove the grass then till the soil before dumping new soil on top. As I said ealier, I did a test bed last year with some less than desirable clay soil in the backyard that I added lots of peat moss to and to my joy, (even after watching the deer feasting on my plants) flowers are awaking in this bed now. So, since this wasn't the best of soil and it looks to be working out, this gave me hope that if I did the same thing but start out with great planting soil that I could have as good of a showing, if not better. I never did anything to get rid of the grass for my test area by tilling or laying anything down before the new dirt came in as there wasn't time. I saw the truck at the neighbours house, asked what they were going to do with the dirt and they said I could have it. Next thing I know I'm showing the guy where to dump it in the back yard.

But the words from this MG are making me worry that I might be throwing my money away by trying this same thing on a larger scale.

What words of wisdom do yall have to share with me..... Was this pure luck that my test bed did well and I shouldn't try this again or should I just do it?????

Lasagne Gardening.

If you really don't want to remove the sod, don't, BUT, lay down some really thick layers of newspaper on top of the sod before you dump the soil on it. Just the black & white sections and never anything glossy, like the inserts. I checked with our local publisher and they use a soy based ink, so it was good to go. And wet the heck out of it too. Try to choose a calm day or else it will get amusing to the neighbors.

Thanks grannymarsh, yes I could see how I could provide a free show for the block should it be windy.....LOL

thanks for your comments

I have several raised beds now. I have tilled none of them. I would suggest the newsprint, although I didn't and have had no problems. I guess it would make a difference how thick your lawn is, mine wasn't that thick.

I read several places on the internet that you didn't need to remove the grass and sure enough, you don't.

One other thing.

My veggies and flowers are going nuts. Here is what I use.

top soil, peat moss, organic compost, miracle grow garden soil (not potting soil) and right below the MG (which I put on top) I sprinkle a very thin layer of lime for the veggies. No lime for flowers.

It's amazing.

I have 6 raised beds in which I do all my veg gardening, including root veg like potatoes and carrots and parsnips. I did not remove the sod under any of them. I also did not put down newspaper. They are on a slight slope and have wood sides. The soil at the fronts is about 14 to 16 inches deep, and at the back about 8 to 10 inches deep (because of the slope). I have used them this way for 3 years. I think the depth of soil is too deep for the grass to work its way through. I filled them with horrible clay soil from digging fence post holes, then mixed in bags of top soil and compost, which I bought from big box stores as "broken bags" on pallets. Cheaper that way. I also put in a little bit of peat. I have supplemented them each year with my own "homegrown" compost from my pile. The veggies go nuts in those beds. Taking all that sod out would have taken me a lot more work.

I think the depth of the bed is quite critical. If you are doing a 4 inch raised bed, for example, that probably isn't deep enough to stop the grass (unless you go through the newspaper treatment as well).

Claire

Thanks so much folks.

I have decided not to waste the time nor the strength in removing the sod first. I'm just going to move very close, lay down newspapers and then bring on the dirt.

I'll post some pictures in a few weeks.

If you wet the newspaper as you lay it down, it is less likely to blow in the breeze. I have also created new beds (now THIS is really lazy -- but I'd just had shoulder surgery) by laying down a row of bags of topsoil right over the grass. I then cut rectangular hole in the top of the bag so I could amend the topsoil, right in place. I used a (sorry honey) screw driver to poke down through the plastic bag so there was drainage at the bottom - in multiple places. I planted seeds right into this "temporary raised bed" and I mulched around the edges of the bag with grass clippings.

It wasn't "the best" method if I'd been healthier, but I had one usable arm and hubby has a bad back. but I got a nice showing in that temporary bed --and the following spring, I was able to cut the plastic bag away and let the plants settle right into the dirt below. (The bag suffocated all the sod and there was no grass to be seen.)

I have also "just" covered a bed with black landscape fabric in the fall - and pulled it off in the spring or early summer - to find the weeds and grass all "dead" and the space easier to till. (As we never got our own spaces planted until the end of the greenhouse season, we learned to take shortcuts that continue to help as we age.)

You will find, in gardening, that there is never just one "right" way to do things. We all have our favorites, and like housework :) - we often have to compromise or try new methods in order to get things done.
blessings

T
Theresa

I just now saw my typo,,,, LOL I meant to type mowed...

Anyway I'm stuck on how to design the new bed layout... I have about 1 more week before I have dirt scheduled to start being delievered.

thanks everyone for posting about your experiences.

I have built a number of raised beds too and have not tilled or removed soil. BUT, they are quite deep. I'm in agreement as above that if it were 4 inch bed, I'd expect grass to come up.

Just a reminder, its already been mentioned....wet the papers or cardboard down real good before covering them up...I did my front yard by the lasagna method and it turned out fine....plants look nice and are healthy as can be....not hardly a weed in sight...... I ain't got no complaints, see you can teach an old dog new tricks.........

Paul from Alabama

Thanks to all who have taken the time to share with me. It is appreciated.

Well PaulFromAL, I spend the better part of a day going through your site. I really love what ya did to your yard.

I started a thread with pictures in soil and compost, (maybe that wasn't the right place to post my progress for my yard as it hasn't had much attention, so if anyone would like to see what is going on check it out there. I would post a link but I don't know how to do that just yet... Still learning my way around here.

I just finished up putting 10 yards of mixed top soil, sweet peat and leaf humus down on two beds in the front of the house and 1 new smaller bed in the back yard and a new top dressing on an old bed from last year.

Tomorrow I have 8 yards of leaf humus coming as I of course have nothing but clay soil... (is there really any other type of soil but clay???)

Again thanks everyone, I'll be posting new pictures tomorrow on my other thread. unless ya all want to see them here???

Meadow

Why thanks Mrs_Ed...

I figured it couldn't be too hard since so many folks list them.

meadowyck.....Glad you enjoyed the photos of the yard....If you have any questions about anything not explained well enough on the site and you'd like to know just give me a holler.....

Paul from Alabama

Thanks Paul. Will indeed, I spent many a summers in Marion, AL (dad's side of the family), now that I'm older I sure wish my Dad had kept our family farm, as I would so love to live out the rest of my days there. Nice and slow pace of living with nature all around along with the farm animals...

My first 'real' girlfriend went to some girls school in Marion, Alabama.......That has absolutely nothing to do with raised beds but her mother had lots of roses growing in her yard.......close enough.......:)

Paul from Alabama

too funny Paul. Me thinks you a Character....rofl