New planting bed

Last year, I replaced some of my smaller raised beds with a much longer, single raised bed. Here is a link to a post I put online last year showing the new bed.

The year before I replaced some raised beds with red bricks to make a long raised bed. Check out this post about doing that job. In 2009, I started the process of replacing smaller wooden beds when I took out three 20'x5' beds and replaced them with a single 70'x5' bed outlined with cinder blocks. I thought this would make a nice rustic look and also never rot. Turns out I was half right, cinder blocks are permanent, but they don't look good, or even rustic. After a couple of years, they look like a mess. So, this spring I moved 200 cinder blocks to some beds at the lower edge of the farm where they won't easily be seen.

Then, I put my brother who was visiting from Philly to work nailing together 16 foot 2"x10" boards to make the bed. It's not perfect, but it sure looks better than 200 cinder blocks!

Yesterday, I weeded the bed, added compost and put down paper mulch to keep down the weeds. Lastly, I planted some beets, carrots and lettuce and watered in the seeds. Can't wait for them to sprout!