Gardening

I put them in place when I moved here 8 years ago. I covered the grassy area with cardboard, newespaper, junk mail, etc. I then lined the cinder blocks up. My beds are only one block high, so no cement needed to put them together. I then filled each bed with mushroom compost. I have had great success growing in these beds. Since I filled them with compost, it needs topping off just about every year. This year, starting last fall, I started putting alll my of compostables from the kitchen and coffee grinds from a coffee shop directly on the beds. On top of that I put wheat straw. As I have pyulled back the straw, I have found nice soil/compost underneath. Weed seeds will blow onto your beds, so you will still have to weed, but not as much. Other factors like watering and weather are wild cards. I do like my beds and my results. No further fertilizing is needed. You might get a soil test of the underlying ground, though, to see if you are lacking somethig.

Good luck!