Where are you in upstate NY? I'm asking because if you're in the far north,
you could probably start some cool season crops like leaf lettuce, spinach,
radishes, arugula, snow peas, etc.

I was born in Plattsburgh, NY and lived in West Chazy in my childhood, moved
to Albany/Saratoga area in college and am now living in Raleigh, NC for the
past 8 years. Down here we have 3 seasons. Early Spring (Feb-Apr) for cool
crops, Summer (Apr-Oct) for warm season crops, and Fall (Sept-Dec) for cool
crops again.

To grow the cool season crops, you need warm days and cool nights to do
best. It sounds like you've got some good soil combinations in your
layering process. I started my garden very late down here this year because
I own a residential flower planting service and my customers get first dibs
on my time. I'm just getting several flowers on my cucumbers and pole
beans. Got lots of yellow pear, grape, better boy, and celebrity tomatoes
that are green. They should ripen any day now. I've got some jalapeno and
bell peppers that are ready now. In 3 weeks we will be driving up to
Plattsburgh for my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary party. Not looking
forward to the drive - roughly 15 hours.

Good luck on your new garden. Hope it works out well.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"Allan Matthews" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm 68 years old and as a teen ager sold veggies off a 3 acre
plot. Kept a large garden for several years but gave up a few years
ago and want to get into a raised garden situation. I have laid up
loose cement block, two tiers high 17 blocks long and three blocks
wide. A heavy layer of paper over the bottom, 8 inches of stone free
sandy loam, 3 inches of rotted horse manure, covered with loam, filled
to top with horse manure and tomorrow I am going to cover it heaped up
with about 4 more inches of loam. I am going to add 50 lbs of
pulverized limestone to the top layer of loam. Its late here in the
season, upstate NY so am going to plant string beans and set out a few
strawberry cuttings. Is there anything else I should do to this now
besides water it? Any suggestions on what I can plant this late? I
plan on a few inches of leaves this fall. Comments would be
appreciated.