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By the way ... I used to live in Storrs, CT and I understand NE soil (or total lack of it). However, we grew fine asparagus there by digging a trench (removing granite rocks actually:) and replacing the soil.

This issues about asparagus in raised beds are twofold: 1. Asparagus is a SHORT season crop ... after it matures enough to be cut ... usually after three years of growth with no or VERY LITTLE harvest ... you only get a few weeks of cuttings and then you leave it alone. That means that your bed...

This may be obvious and I apologize but the answer depends on how much else you are adding to your pile. Coffee grounds are fairly acidic and have little nutrients in them. They will take a lot of nitrogen just to decompose properly. If they are a small percentage of your total pile then no...

The beds are gorgeous. My compliments. I do wonder if you want to rethink your use of a bed for asparagus. It really gets no benefit from a bed and may actually do better in the ground. It makes a beautiful border by the way. I have done raised beds for 35 years and I have done asparagus...

This is an issue that affects all new gardeners ... why wait to plant ... I am eager now and it can be done so, by golly, let's do it! Rhubarb planted in the spring or in the summer will probably make it alive to the next year but Rhubarb planted in the fall will thrive. You will probably be...

There are several kinds of fennel ... one grown mostly for seeds and one grown mostly for the bulbs. Bulb fennel ... wonderful when roasted, is a fall crop. Start it in late June or early July so it is ready to bulb in September or October. Seeds need to be kept moist for good germination...

I've had great luck with potatoes for a long time. I do raised beds and my success is directly related to two things. the first is a constant replenishment of cover around the plants ... with nutritious compost if I have it but otherwise just mulch. It keeps the plants strong and able to...

Angela ... it grows from root divisions. Do you know anyone who has some? If so, just ask for a root division ... a piece off of the root. It is best to do in the fall ... dig up a plant and divide it so that each division has some of the growing "crown" Plant it in loose soil with a LOT of...

My understanding is that modern pressure treated lumber is pressure treated with salt and no longer contains the hazardous chemicals that it once did. I have been using it for my beds for many years with no ill effects. Paul

There are two kinds of weeds ... annuals and perennials. Annuals are no problem. Their seeds will be buried too deep to surface and if they do they can easily be weeded out. Perennial weeds are tough. These come in two forms ... storage root weeds like dandelion and rhizomatic weeds like quack...

We use Good Mews (recycled newspaper) for kitty litter and we put it into the compost pile (sans fecal matter of course). It works great and gets so hot that any stray bacteria are efficiently dealt with. If this worries you, don't do it unless you are an experienced composter. This is an...

NHN ... there is a VERY good product out there. It goes by many trade names but it is iron phosphate. It is basically just a harmless salt but it is terrific. I used to be driven crazy by slugs and now I have very few problems. Slug Magic is one trade name (Ortho's I think). Just sprinkle the...

Cassandra ... if you want to do it the easy way, most lawn and garden centers sell a top-soil / compost / manure mix that they will deliver in bulk (in a dump truck). It is sold by the cubic yard. So, if your beds are 1 foot deep, three beds of your size (3 times 3 times 1 times 3 beds equals...

One more thing .... potatoes Potatoes are trivial to grow with almost no effort and fresh young potatoes, gently washed (cause the skins are very fragile) steamed, served with butter or buttermilk or yogurt, etc are one of the best, and nutritious, things in the garden and will remind you of...

Not sure what your economic situation is but I have been gardening for over 35 years and I have started over in new sites many times. Here is what I confidently think is great advice. Do raised bed gardening. Start small with only a couple of beds. Go to your local big box hardware store and...