Hubby just built me three 4x4 redwood beds for my narrow, shallow, sloping yard. May sound too small to be worthwhile for some, but it is a huge step up from my collection of plastic and felt pots!!

Two beds are 12" deep, one is 24" deep. Under both I have hand-tilled the leached sandy clay and put down a layer of cardboard, since I encountered bermuda grass amongst the fillaree and foxtail.

I would like to plant 1 bush zuch, 1 bush crookneck, 1 okra, 7 small peppers, and a few yellow pear toms on a trellis. (I have other toms already setting fruit in large pots).

All beds have full southern exposure and all day. The 12" beds are 27 inches from the house and have that much clearance on the other sides. The 24" bed is 14" from the house and has ample clearance on the other 3 sides.

(BTW, I'll get more beds once we've re-sided the garage, maybe next year...)

I figure the two squash could go in opposite corners of

So, the question is, which plants most need the deep bed?

Okra has a humongous root system, but it's capable of going as deep as it needs because the roots are very vigorous. So it can use the shallow bed.

Summer squash have fairly shallow root systems - give them the shallow bed.

Plant herbs too - basil would love the area, as would oregano, sage and thyme.

Since the bed is deep with plenty of root space, I may try to cheat on the sfg spacing rules and sneak in an extra tomato, and encouraging it to trail over the side..

I'll definitely sneak a dill in somewhere! I have parsley, thymes, sages, rosemary and sweet bay growing elsewhere. I've 3 earthboxes to replant next, thanks for reminding me that one should be filled with basil!

If okra is such a vigorous root-space-hog, it may need to just fend for itself! Perhaps I should try amending the native soil downslope from the planter boxes and it can suck up any moisture that moves its way. We just had a deep rain (thank goodness) so the clay is very easy to work today. Hmmm....

The 2 cu yards of planters mix more than filled all 64 cu ft of planting bed space, though I know it will settle a bunch. They are full to the absolute brim, and the settling will be made up with mulch.

But, there's still enough to fill two 1x7 planter boxes. I'm going to put them right between the fence posts, there is no fence up now but I'll be putting up 2x4 welded wire, 5 ft tall. So eventually about 50 ft of back fence will really be a trellis.