The last real remaining space has pretty poor drainage because it borders wetlands, but have great open southern exposure.

I am thinking of doing raised beds with fur wood as I have done with my other 6 raised beds. I make them out of 2x12s with 4x4 untreated post in each corner. I typically do them 10 feet by 4 feet. They can get to be a bit expensive especially with the 4x4 post in between.

This is the style: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-build-a-raised-planter-bed?sourcel ink=verticalrecommendation

I want to put them in a area where I would make 9 more.

I am curious if I should make just a long running bed instead of 9 smaller ones. I am not sure which will hold up better.

Also are 2 x 12s the best material. They are large, thick, and heavy.

One large bed is better as you will have only three sides to maintain or build.

IF you have a large lumberyard around you, use rough cut lumber.
Exotic if they can get it. It will cost more but its weather resistant propeties will pay off in the long run.

A decade or so ago, I bought an eight quarter by by sixteen by twelve foot Honduran Mahogany (Luan) board for a project and it was far, far cheaper than finished lumber.

Three, to six, of those, or any weather resistant lumber should be all you would need for a long time.
As it is rough cut you can get sizes you cannot in finished lumber.

A third option where the base wood is even cheaper is to buy an actual log and have a local sawmill cut it to side size you need.

As I said, IN THE LONG RUN, this is far, far cheaper.

Fir is imported from the PNW, if you do use wood I would second the suggestion to look for a local sawmill and see what cheap native woods are available. In CT you may well find hemlock, which has pretty good rot-resistance. White oak will last a good while also. Avoid pine and spruce.

So to clarify, I have a full-time job and this is side income for me. I am actually a chef and growing items that are premium that I can purchase and sell to other restaurant friends. So having something that may not make the utmost $$$ sense, but saves a bit of time is worth it.

Also, like I said, this is bordering some wetlands. Even last year when we have almost 2 months with no rain I was shocked that the the ground was wet when I stepped on it with bare feet. There is no standing water, but when you step it is wet (I have grass plated over it). When heavy rain comes I can not mow it.

SO for me this was not farmable land that I am trying to make work.

If someone can convince me that adding additional soil to raised the level and normal tilling is the way to go, I am all for that... But I am not sold. So I thought of 9 raised beds to start and fill in the area and try to produce food in a piece of my lawn.

I have a similar situation where the water comes in from irrigation up the hill from other farms. I just heap the soil up in long mounds, maybe 3 feet wide on the top, 18 inches high, and put down woven polypropylene weed barrier between the mounds to keep my shoes from getting muddy.

You get good drainage and aeration, the roots head down and get their own moisture from the wet below.

If it is that wet you will need boards four inches deep at minimum or you will be replacing them very often.

I have seen four byes, of non-water resistant lumber, rot in a matter of two years.

There are options. Home Depot has the regular cinder blocks, 8X8X16. You can plant one garlic, or one onion, in the holes. If you want narrower blocks, Lowe has them 8X4X16. You want to bury them at least two inches, and they will stop most grasses from coming into the bed. If you have long term plans, you could even build them two blocks high, as one of our illustrious members Jon does (he actually has them waist high, he has posted pics dozens of times). That helps in two ways, it is easier on your back, and you can leave more room for mulch.

I do not like sideless beds because a lot of stuff spills over the edge. Mulch, but also clods when you have to dig.

So based off this forum, I will not build the wood raised beds. I will do mounded raised beds (maybe hugel if I have time...).

So there is snow on the ground. But come March or so. What is the best way to kill the grass to start working the soil?

I have access to a fair amount of compost from my local transfer station (mostly leaf though).

Should I:

A. Kill the grass with black plastic and just wait?
B. Newspaper down and top with compost?
C. Other???

If it is as wet as you say you are going to have to raise it a goodly amount or all you are going to have is mud.

Make the bed as wide as you can work by hand (5 feet is about as wide as you can work from both sides) and as long as possible so you don't waste land in paths. Start small, with a bed as long as you can find compost and organic material for at one end of the area and keep extending the length every year.

Instead of using wood, use concrete blocks or salvaged rocks to build up the sides.

So we had a 4 day warm spell here. I was able to start working a grass-less patch that I had made some time ago. I made deep trenches between 4 foot wide rows that are mounded about 18 inches.

So the drainage part looks good. Actually in the path ways under the thin layer of soil left is rock hard clay with chunks of small rocks.

I just had some tree work done and have loads of wood chips. Does anyone recommend filling the walkways with woodchips?

My reasoning is this will keep weeds down and also reinforce the 18 inch raised beds.

Will the weed suppression and support for the beads work better than leaving it as is and letting the water drain?

So I did 4 foot wide raised beds with no lumber. I am putting woodchips in the walkways. It looks great!

Question:

On the right side it is a dense wet soil (keep in mind it is march and the snow just melted) with clay mixed in. It is a very dark and looks to be rich soil though.

What plants do best in this heavy and dense soil?