After designing the layout of your garden and deciding what to plant, the next step is to create the planting beds. You may elect to use containers, the mounding technique, or to build raised beds.
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- Limit actual bed width to between 3 and 4 feet. A popular length is 8 feet but beds can be any length you want.
- Plan for paths about 5 feet wide for good wheelchair access.
- Assure that crops will have at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
- Have water and electrical sources nearby.
Whether you elect to mound the soil or build raised beds the first steps are to:
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- Clear the proposed site of all weeds and large rocks.
- Require anyone using power equipment to wear safety glasses and protective clothing to prevent possible injury.
- Plot the site for the number of beds. Using stakes, twine and a tape measure, mark the bed to the desired width, or draw the lines with gypsum.
- Discourage weeds by under-laying paths with heavy weed-block fabric before covering with mulch, chips, bark, or decomposed granite.
- Soak the bed before planting, as loose soil will settle to 2 to 3 inches below the top of the bed.
Vegetables and herbs are usually grown in raised beds. Good topsoil amended with composted organic matter can be used in bed frames with an open bottom to the soil. In beds with a wood bottom use commercial potting soil and renew it each year. They should not be filled with garden soil as it does not drain well.
If you intend to plant edibles in native soil and suspect that the soil maybe contaminated with lead or other toxic materials arrange for a soil analysis. Contact a local Agricultural Testing Lab (scroll down to see the map) or call the UC Cooperative Extension office in San Diego (858-822-7711) for a list of local labs. Check with the lab you intend to use to learn how to best collect the soil sample, and ask if they provide a report to help you interpret the result. Also ask if they provide recommendations on how to correct soil problems.
Learn more about soil and testing in the next section, Enriching the Soil.