First the ground has to be workable, which is confusing for me because that is about 11 months a year, here. If it is too early, you can spread Black plastic over the bed. Black plastic holds the heat at night to ward off freezing, so you can turn the soil mid day. A trick for next year, prepare the soil in late Fall, as if you are going to plant it the next day. In the Spring All you have to do is turn it once to add amendment. For now when you can push a pencil all the way into the soil it is ready to work, remove the Plastic & till. As for planting seeds, you need the soil temperature, use a agriculture thermometer to check the temperature of the bed soil. You can put transplants in a tunnel, to ward off any late frost. When no more hard freezes are likely you can use "wall of water" to keep the chill down.

How much compost to add will depend on how much organic matter you have in your soil now. Whether to add any lime, and which kind, can only be determined by a good, reliable soil test that tells you what your soils pH is and why it is where it is. These simple soil tests can help guide you, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. but a good, reliable soil test is also needed. Contact your state universities USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having that soil test done.

excellent choice... I would suggest that you do some further research by getting yourself a good book because simply setting up the bed would not be enough.. There are many aspects concerning soil,fertilizing, plant rotation, disease, insects, pests, plants that do well together (and plant that dont), irrigation, plant covers (for frosty nights and for insect protection), etc.. For instance my problem has to do with rabbits and raccoons.. Some may have to contend with mice, birds and deer. You could create a removable frame with chicken wire to protect your plants from birds and other such pests. Also try to learn how to grow your vegetables from seeds inhouse because many may require sowing before the last frost date. Also another good site to check out is Mother Earth News. Your idea for rock chicken is something else. (by the way, avoid using fresh chicken poop as fertilizers because they are far too hot, if not too concentrated... In fact, don't ever add any fresh manure to a garden bed, it has to be completely composted first) Wish you much luck on your endeavours.

A raised bed makes the garden look like something that belongs there. At a basic level, a raised garden looks neat, especially if you are starting out. It gives your eyes a clear separation between weeds/lawn and veg bed. Placing cardboard around the outside of the box extending one foot outward and topped with generous amounts of wood chips works to keep weeds at bay... otherwise they'll be growing wild alongside and into the raised garden, greener and happier than most. I have used relatively thin wood of cedar, and they last 2-3 years easily. A raised bed of 8 inches needs some reinforcements to stay upright. If you "Google Image" "diy raised garden beds" you'll quickly get a good idea of how you can do this with either a drill/wood screws or nails and a hammer. You do not need to fill a new garden bed to the top with top soil and compost. You could fill it a quarter or halfway the first year, and just keep building it up over the years. If you do decide to buy compost, you may want to check out the compost first hand before you order it, see how broken down it is, and what their practices include (organic, etc). If you are thinking about starting a compost pile for the first time, you can just pile up leaves without having to think about it. Your grass seeds will definitely germinate in the future, and you can save yourself some hassle and not put grass clipping in your compost. A compost pile consisting partly of kitchen plant scraps is more likely to attract animals than a pile of leaves. You may want to ask your neighbor what kind of chemical products they've used in their garden before coveting their bags of yard waste for your compost pile. For a compost container I recommend the Geobin compost system... Some state governments (MD) give them out for free in certain states, otherwise they are cheap and flexible (resizable). I have a few of these and they work great.