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For our raised beds we take 4 parts of top soil (or dirt), mix in 1 part compost and 1 part aged horse manure. We do this in the fall. Once the soil is amended, we plant either rye or barley and let it grow. Before it sets seed, we mow it down with a sickle and till that into the soil. When the leaves fall in the fall (tree leaves, but not from oaks), we cover the beds with leaves and cover the bed with a black tarp. We let that sit over winter. During this time, the tarp helps to keep the leaves in place, the weed seeds out, keeps the soil warm and helps break down the leaves and cover crop. Also keeps the worms active and the squirrels out of the garden.
Come spring we take the tarps off, till what's left of the leaves in and plant. Because the tarp was on there we can plant 2-3 weeks before everyone else because the tarp keeps the soil warm. Then the next fall after the crops are done we add more manure, leaves and bagged grass clippings, cover with the tarp again and wait until the next spring.
Once a bed is good, it needs to be fed to be kept good. That's the mistake a lot of people make is they amend the soil once and think it's done for 10 years. Not the case, it needs to be done every year.
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