Starting prep for my veggie bed, was going to make something such as this, layer bottom with cardboard and fabric to kill the grass….filling it with mushroom soil, mixing in some kind of miracle gro organic stuff for the vegetables. Does that sound like best route? Also pressure treated wood is a no no right ?

I'd nix the fabric and just use cardboard and newspapers. Compost and soil next and I tend to stay away from the Miracle Gro soils. Good luck and keep us posted on how this works out.

Mushroom soil is a good option though right? I believe I used that years ago and worked great. I don't have access to organic matter other then what they sell at lowes and Home Depot

nickm62388 said: Mushroom soil is a good option though right? I believe I used that years ago and worked great.

I don't have access to organic matter other then what they sell at lowes and Home Depot

Wait a minute.... what about house hold compost? What about raked up yard leaves?

I've used mushroom compost with mixed results... sometimes they were good, other times, it was like the carbon ratio was a little high.


I'm not a fan of those boxes... I've built them, but in my area, the wood didn't last but a few years.

Personally, when I do boxes... wood... brick... whatever... I dig down past the turf... They call it 'double digging' and work lots of organic material into the native soil... I usually don't need to add a bunch of bagged anything...

Unfortunately I don't have home compost, don't have leaves, don't have a compost tumbler or anything

What? don't you cook? make coffee?
I don't have a compost tumbler or anything... but I certainly produce household compost... I've seen composters as simple as a couple of posts pounded into the ground with a bit of wire wrapped around them... toss everything in and ignore.

At my house... I have a pile near the garden that receives everything that the chickens don't get... cover with garden soil on occasion if I get tired of looking at it... add compost to garden whenever.

As far as those yard leaves... I used to stop and grab a couple bags full when I saw them out by the curb...

About the grass clippings…my lawn gets fertilized every couple weeks by naturalawn of America so I don't know if it's safe throwing fertilized grass clippings into a bed that vegatables will be in? So I could just mix grass clippings and my mushroom soil together and be good to plant vegatables in it?

How do you plan to manage the vegetables?

Mine are organic, I would not have anyone coming to my house and dumping chemicals anywhere.

If you plan to use chemical fertilizers on the veggies, then... maybe those grass clippings... or... just dump them in a pile... wait for them to decompose...

Of course... there are herbicides that survive the composting process and create 'killer compost' Not in a good way either...

Maybe get rid of yard service...

Within the first two years of operation, NaturaLawn of America reduced the amount of weed control and insect control by over 86% and 93% respectively, as compared to traditional chemical lawn care.

They say they use less chems... that's not the same as not using any..,.

Ya I appreciate the input so far but I will not be taking a chance using grass clippings. I guess it's been a while but I assumed/expected to be able to fill it with mushroom soil, go to Home Depot and grab a bag or two of some kind of stuff to mix in so the vegatables have good soil to thrive in :/

I don't use grass clippings either, I think your plan sounds reasonable.

Nick, those boxes look great. I agree with Karma, forget the fabric... actually, I don't even think you'll need cardboard or newspapers; all that soil on top will kill the grass, but your choice on that. Roughing up the grass and base soil will help prevent an impermeable layer forming between the base and new soil and assist drainage.

There are reports of mushroom compost being excessively high in salts and many reports extolling its virtues. This article is the most comprehensive one I've seen explaining exactly what goes into mushroom compost. Worth a read to help make up your mind.
https://www.epicgardening.com/...

If you're already thinking about buying bagged products, why not just find one specifically designed for raised beds and save yourself the uncertainty of doing your own blending? It can be a bit pricey, but if you're just starting out, it saves a lot of guesswork. As this season progresses, you can start your own compost for next year. Imo, the fertilizer on your grass is less of a concern than the likely herbicides applied with it. It would be wise to find out what your service uses. It's a shame to let all those grass clippings go to waste because they are constantly rendered toxic. I won't be as dogmatic as the previous poster, but perhaps as you get into gardening you might consider rethinking the whole lawn situation.

Good luck!

So your saying mushroom is good ? Lol I'm not good with "extolling it's virtues lol

I suggest reading the linked article and deciding for yourself. You are describing your plan as using it as a growing medium ("mushroom soil"). It's a low-nutrient amendment, nothing more. You need a foundation of well-draining soil in your boxes.

Homemade compost especially a lot of it doesn't happen overnight.. A mix of products( topsoil, compost, mushroom m) is better than just one type of product. Outdoor lumber I think has had its chemical additives changed in recent years but I would do some more research . Also lawn services today do offer organic substitutes to treat lawns.

Here's another thought. Find a local nursery that sells compost by the yard and have them deliver.

Don't be intimidated by a lot of information. Keep it simple. Some important ingredients are joy and hope in husbanding mother earth. Even a pinch makes a difference. Happy growing! y

For now, get a bale of STRAW, NOT hay which may take root and you'll never see the end of it as it spreads by the rooting system.
Take the straw and cover every square inch of your garden after planting to keep the moisture in and the weeds out.
Then each year just keep adding more straw & mulch and it will slowly decompose and give you a rich soil.
I also break up small sticks and throw them in to add carbon to the soil. Maybe sign up for the Nextdoor website and ask neighbors for extra leaves and grass clippings to add. Here's the link:
https://help.nextdoor.com/s/ar...

Treated lumber became regulated in like 2003. It used to contain a form of arsenic, copper arsenate or something. I used treated lumber, I didnt want to have to replace them in a few years. Your mileage may vary, if it bothers you, go untreated.

For what its worth, either way you choose- your garden will still likely have arsenic in it, its a natural chemical :)


I didn't put weedmat or cardboard down in my beds, and I'm having thistle making the long journey to the top. I doubt anything short of sheet metal would stop them though I guess.

I painted mine to make the wood last longer, it took almost 5 years before it became warped and we used it under some grow bag. Really I try not to throw anything away. I'm sure eventually it will rot completely.

nickm62388 said: Starting prep for my veggie bed, was going to make something such as this, layer bottom with cardboard and fabric to kill the grass….filling it with mushroom soil, mixing in some kind of miracle gro organic stuff for the vegetables. Does that sound like best route? Also pressure treated wood is a no no right ?

As for the safety of pressure-treated timber the old arsenic or cresote treated wood were definitely not recommended for food contact/production. The new treated wood is treated with "Alkaline copper quaternary" (ACQ), many places state that it is safe for vegetable beds. The inside of the boards could be lined with something such as a plastic liner, but then some people don't like plastic. It's a vicious cycle. I will state that I'm under the impression that you can't use ACQ treated lumber for certified organic gardening.

The recycled lumber of the framework that you pictured would make me wonder if this was old aresenic-treated wood that is being recycled. Lots of playgrounds and public area structures were demolished and replaced with either engineered wood (plasticized) or either ACQ or other less dangerous treated woods...some old arsenic-treated wood finds its way to being recycled sometimes. I like old wood and I like the idea of recycling but I would be wary of this would if I didn't know it's history.

You could go with the engineered wood but it's kind of expensive. Or you could use something like vinyl siding but it's not as stout, will tend to bow out some, will need supporting posts all around it's edges, and I'm not sure how long it would last in this application...it would be about the widest piece you would find.

Or, you could just go with raised rows without rigid sides.

Just some thoughts.