1. Can/should I stain the 1x12 wood? Yes you may. Do you want to? probably not for edible crops. I use regular fir 2x10 lumber, with no treatment (you'll probably have fir, not pine as you mentioned). I'm on my second year now and there is absolutely no sign of rot. The wood changed from.. 'wood' colour to a beautiful silver. I expect at least 5 years of service, at which point i'll unscrew and replace the wood as necessary. Wood where I am from is cheap.. about $6.00 for a 12' 2x10. 2. Can/should I use Thompsons Water Seal on the wood? Again, you may - but I wouldn't. It's a chemical you don't need in your food. Wood that is in direct contact with the soil is still going to rot. Thompson's might prolong that a bit, but it's not magic. Skip it. 3. I also have a large pile of leaves/grass/compost the corner of my yard that I was thinking of lying down on the bottom 2-3" or so of my vegetable garden on top of a layer of cardboard. Should I use that pile of leaves and grass that is semi-composted on the bottom of my vegetable bed? Sure, spread it out among your beds, mix it with the soil you're putting in there. It'll help condition your soil. You don't need the cardboard. 4. What is your best suggestion for a top soil? Compost is your base, then you can add materials as necessary to improve drainage, retention etc. You can use mushroom manure (which is actually spent soil from the cultivation of mushrooms) It lacks in the big nutrients like NPK, but remains high in the trace and mineral nutrients. Add some additional fertilizer or mix with the compost in your yard - get's better with age.

Thanks cindysunshine but I do not use chemicals of any kind in the garden. I spoke to a farmer who lives a 1/2 hour from here and she said that the blights are all over this year - a mixture of much early rains and then soaring heat. We will have to plant all the tomatoes elsewhere in the garden next year I'm afraid! I hope they can manage to get some fruit before they must be pulled out. I'm curious to see if it really is blight because it is ONLY tomatoes and not any other solanums or the basils..? I think I've now got 50 tomatoes in, about 15 peppers (mostly sweet are in, I need to add a few hots), a small amount, maybe 6 plants of burgundy okra (going to try them for pickles) a 6x4 bed of blackeyed peas, malabar spinach, at least 10 melon plants and even more winter squash (which are going NUTS)...nothing on the tomatillos yet but they are flowering like crazy, 3 lots of climbing beans but the yellow mushroom beans are not doing so hot (high heat I guess)....so I planted more bush beans where the sickly tomatoes came out. I am going to put in yet another bed of bush beans too (for canning). I tried ground cherries as an experiment, and have planted loads of cukes - as usual lots of zucchini too but nothing so far. Which is sad because I'm the one person I know who would use the TONS of zucchini!! Luckygal we grow garlic in the winter. I planted what should have been enough for the year but I think I'm a bit short :( I can't wait for more garlic planting room... I love the stuff! What we are not able to grow here this year is corn because of the landscaping in the back we still need done. My hubby was looking forward to more corn.

1. I've an abundance of standing oaktrees that need to be thined.I'd like to use them for my bedwalls. Any pest/fungal problems that would make this unadvisable? So long as there are not pre-existing issues, oak is a great choice. 2. where can I find a root depth requirement (so I know how tall to build my beds) per vegetable plant species. Where do I find what seed varieties work best in my area.I've gardened for years and my choice of seed is usually determined by how good the seed company's ad is.....Not all ways a good choice. Everyone around here has their own opinions, and everyone row grows...I'll be the first around here to try sq/ft container growing. Root Depth: Minimum 6 inches of soil is required. A foot would be better. And you can go higher from there to waist high - but your cost goes up in materials and growing medium. The best resource you can get for square foot gardening is the book called Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew, it's less than $20 (maybe even less than $15) and jam packed with everything you need to know and photos. Varieties of vegetables? What vegetables specifically are you wanting t grow? 3. Does anyone know how deep a bed has to be to keep earthworms alive and happy?I heard about some folks that offer weekend gardening classes.any and all advice is appreciated... Thanks. Since worms are mobile, they're going to look for food more than anything else. They'll tunnel down if they need warmth. Master Gardeners of Greene County Hotline: 417-881-8909 Or visit them inside the Botanical Center at 2400 S Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO Here is a link that might be useful: Map of the Gardens

Disagree with a lot of the above Interesting comments: "I don't have to weed my garden or till it each year" Please understand. You DO need to keep the soil tilled, You DO need to hoe and keep the soil tilth. If you don't you WILL be growing more weeds that you can imagine. Some additional comments that I do not agree: "produce more per square foot" (How does a raised produce more per square foot) There is a strong tendency to plant more plants per square foot but this means overcrowding which ends with smaller plants and reduced production (and sometimes none) "warm up faster" (the same characteristic that makes them dry out faster... especially in mid summer. and you need to water, water, water) The early jump you get from them warming up faster isnt really much of an advantage overall. "get you above bad clay soil" Clay soil is awesome. It holds moisture, and nutrients. If it is tool heavy of clay, spend one season preparing it with lots of organic material. You will learn to love it. look really nice. Yes they can. but most I have seen look embarrassing by mid to late summer, Cons: expensive - Yup more soil and amendments to haul in - Yup. not too mention the additional costs, already mentioned dry out faster. Yup. weeds like it dry and hot. You will be certain to accomplish this.