How to grow vegetables in above-ground garden bed?

[Maggymay]

I do not have any photos, but I have an above ground garden bed.

It is in full sun,I am in Perth WA.

What vegetables can cope with that? and how often do I water and at what time of day?

What vegetables need stakes?

What is the best way to get rid of snails and woodlice, what insects are beneficial for the bed.

I am a very new to gardening person.

I hope that I can get some guidance from this 

[EricL]

Hello @Maggymay 

Would it be possible for you to tell us the dimensions of your above ground garden bed? Is it a raised garden bed or does it just have very tall sides held in by timber sleepers or pavers? Any extra information about your garden bed will help us make suggestions on what you can do.

Here are some handy links that will help you prepare your garden bed:

• How to choose the right soil for your plants by @Noelle 
   
• How to determine soil health by @Noelle 
   
• What are the best summer vegetables to grow?
   
• What are the easiest vegetables to grow?
   
• No-dig garden bed for edibles by @mich1972 

In WA for the month of January the suggested vegetables to plant are beetroot, capsicum, celery, carrots, kale, eggplant for February: leeks, lettuce, melons, and radish.

The information you need regarding watering, insecticide and staking will be available once you choose the vegetables you'll be planting.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[mich1972]

Good afternoon @Maggymay. @EricL Has shared some great information on how to get started. If you are in Perth , we have another heatwave this week and to be very honest with you I would hold off until it cools down. 

[mich1972 · Accepted solution]

Really not a good week to be planting vegetable seedlings 

[Maggymay]

I certainly will not be planting at this time. I want to get the bed ready for cooler weather.

maggymay

[Maggymay]

Thanks mich1972.

I will not be planting at this time, as I am an older person I stay home when it is so hot.

maggymay

[mich1972]

Take care in the heatwave @Maggymay. When it finally cools down we can talk again about your edibles and soils 🌿😃🌿

[Maggymay]

Thanks for the advice. I bought all of the other items for the bed, I will not be doing anything until the weather cools down.

I just want to firstly get the bed ready free of weeds and anything else that need to be done. 

I bought some stakes for the tomatoes and capsicums. Later I would not mind growing some cucumbers and things like that.

I want to take it slow as I am slow these days, I am 83 and cannot walk too far.

[Jason]

Feel free to post whenever you need a hand with this project or anything else around the house and garden @Maggymay. We're here to help.

Jason

[Maggymay]

Hi Jason. 

I do need help.

Yesterday I went to Bunnings at Cannington WA. I was looking for items to clear my bed( I inherited it, live in a community)

And make it ready for the cooler months, I am hoping to grow cucumbers, tomatoes,lettuce capsicum and possibly beans,

I do know that these have to be staked.

I am going to weed the bed, do you think that when I have done that I can put down several layers of newsprint before I add any new soil.

As this bed is in a retirement village we cannot have a compost, but can I take my vegetable scraps and dig them into the garden?

As you can  tell I am a new person to the raised bed, I would like it to be productive. The bed is about 2mt long and 1mt wide.I do not have a garden as I live in a 2 bed apartment