RyGuy said:
Question #1 : does the dirt underneath the raised bed matter, such as compaction? Or disease, is there any precaution I should take there?
That would depend on how deep the beds are. If your mother is of advanced years, or suffering from arthritis, you would probably want to raise the beds quite high - like 3' off ground level. If the garden soil goes down that far, you don't need to worry about what's underneath. That's a lot of work to construct, but ideal for seniors and invalids to tend.
https://www.agespace.org/real-...
If, OTOH, it's only 12", I would want to loosen the soil underneath as deeply as possible before putting in the pre-mixed garden soil I assume you'll be using.
Question #2 How does one simply feed different types of fruits and veggies , since my mom will be doing the tending I want to keep it super simple as possible
The simplest way is to buy an all-purpose fertilizer such as 10-20-10. (Associates at the garden center are usually happy to give advice if you're not sure which one.) You mix up a batch according the directions, decant the solution into smaller containers (If anyone in your family uses liquid laundry detergent, those empty jugs are ideal, and don't even need rinsing. Big juice jugs are fine, too.) that your mother can lift, so she can apply it every three or four weeks during the growing season.
Question #3 : is there any precaution to take to keep bugs / animals off of them?
Again, so much depends on the environment.
Squirrels tend to dig up bulbs, and cats are always looking for a litter box. You can try stretching a plastic net over the bed - stretched very taut, a couple o inches above soil level - before the seedlings come up. Against cutworm, you can also put collars around the stems of young plants. Against slugs, you can sprinkle diatomaceous earth, or pulverized eggshells. Of course, there are all kinds of sprays. Ultimately, though, you can't defend against everything all the time. Some damage will happen.
A couple of notes:
Asparagus is a whole different kind of crop. It normally grows in a trench, which has to be replenished and mulched, doesn't give anything back for at least the first two years, and then only for a few weeks every spring. Might not be worth your while. But then again.... people do unusual things, and maybe you can, too.
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The strawberries need a dedicated bed, so they can propagate and renew themselves from one season to the next. Hoops with netting to protect them would be a good idea. Get hardy varieties of root, keep the bed surface well mulched and cover them really well over the winter.
The beans and cucumber can share space. Pole beans would be a good choice, since the cucumbers also like to climb. Some ideas:
https://slickgarden.com/trelli...
Keep the tomatoes and cucumbers apart, because they can catch mildew from each other. But in among the tomato, you can put some herbs and lettuces.
I think this is a great project and will bring you and your mother a great deal of joy.
