Over the weekend, I purchased three 8″x6″x2″ 8′ and one 4″x2″ 8′ boards to make a 4’x8′ bed. I read off a screw box that one should used stainless steel and not galvanized screws for redwood or cedar since the acids in those woods can corrode galvanized steel. I used 3 inch screws tha required a #2 square bit. For the support posts, I just used one foot lengths of the 2″x4″. Dad helped with the cutting with the use of his rotary saw. Construction was quick with a drill and the screws. The next day, the bed was filled with compost, manure, peat moss, garden soil, and sand. We added sand to the dirt underneath the bed which we had turned over to give the dirt better drainage. Over that, we put a layer of peat moss. Then we added a layer of chicken and steer manure, then a layer of compost, and then a layer of garden dirt. We planted mesculun mix and radishes. We’ll replace this initial planting in the spring with tomatoes and basil.
