Analysis paralysis IS more common, with the Internet and with huge number of choices. There was a thing in the paper that just going to get a pair of JEANS (even a guy, not me) brings 100 or more options. Even this forum can instill paralysis--wait wait, back up, big picture--I know I do that. Back to raised bed. Along lines of making it good enough but not overly good (or expensive), and at risk of incurring more paralysis, you might think about whether you are going to use some trellis, tripod poles for veggies, etc and then think, will I have a problem with what will "go" with my proposed box? So you might want to reserve some $$ for some of these raised-bed veggie-supporting accessories of nicer construction or materials, and/or keep the basic bed from getting so "fine" that you can't grow peas. I'm thinking of something that might remain in the bed during the winter and provide "vertical interest" and so might be designed to be inherently attractive as well.

I got golden gate gardening by pam pierce, and it's not a bad book for the microclimate information, but I don't need to buy it now. It has a lot of you cannot do this and you cannot do that. For example being that IÂm in the fog zone, I cannot grow tomatoes or corn. When you have a problem like a blight she has a lot of can and can nots. I wish she offered more alternates to can situation with the pros and cons instead. I would rather Google the topic to get a number of different opinions, and then mull the situation over in my mind. It give me something to think about. I went to the Lnygso website and it's bad, they have a lot of stuff there, but they don't deliver. The "compost" in the photo looks like they kind they dye black, the color did not look natural. It's not a good as making a labor intense food scraps compost. I add star bucks coffee and osh redwood bark shredded, and it's the only compost I really need. They have seminars there. And there is a garden to view, but thatÂs not the kind of plants I like to grow, the lush ones, but Redwood city is quite a bit hotter than San Francisco in the summer. I still think Supersoil gave me good results when I used it in the past. It has sand, but the sand is a good type of grains of sand. The grains are not the kind of tiny grains that get all compact on you, like my sand which is bad sand, that hardens to a Caliche. When this happens the water wonÂt penetrate the soil, it just sits on top of the soil and evaporates. If you try to dig down you will see the plant roots are dry underneath. This encourages shallow rooting of plants. So, thatÂs good sand. Almost no one makes real compost anyway. Whole foods has some compost, but it was just some like pointed pieces of wood without any real deposed material. I would think with all the fruit they donÂt sell because itÂs priced too high, they could make a great compost. The other book on northern ca, has arrived and I have to pick it up an read it this weekend.

I think in the desert you have to be more creative when it comes to picking flowers that are heat and drought tolerant and 'look like' they come from a cottage garden. Im trying the same thing in southwestern utah. Im sad not to be able to grow foxglove, but I can grow lots of roses, daylilies, alyssum, larkspur AND I can start them earlier and keep them later than many other climates :) Theres an advantage you know!

My advice for new gardeners is to go to your local garden center and buy a paperback book on the basics of gardening. Most important is the soil. It should be neutral pH (tested by your local cooperative extension) amended with compost and manure (available in bags), loosely dug to 2 feet deep, less for just annuals. Go talk to gardeners in your neighborhood. They are a wealth of info for your area, and usually love to talk about gardeneing. Keep reading the info on this website. Experience will be your teacher, too. Gardeners are always experimenting and learning, always making mistakes and new discoveries. Start small and you will be rewarded with enjoyment. Good luck!