That would be an ok method for a straight-rows-in-a-rectangle garden. But
for raised beds you really wouldn't have to use any of your existing soil
unless it's really superior soil. In my area, suburban backyard soil is
often messed over during new home construction and there might only be a
thin layer of topsoil at best.

"pgh" wrote in message
...

Hi,

Sorry for the elementary question. Here's my situation:

In the backyard of the house we are buying there is a
lawn (grass) like most other backyards. I want to gradually
convert much of that space, or at least all the portion that
gets good sunlight, to raised beds and do gardening (mostly
edibles).

My credentials as a gardener are...0 years of experience.
So I'm reading a book to help me figure our what I need to
do.

The book explains I should remove the top layer that has
the grass (sod) and set it aside, then excavate to considerable
depth, then through back the sod upside down, then optionally
add a layer of organic matter, and then put back to top soil
I removed during the deep excavation.

I'm thinking that as I build beds, I'll probably want to get
rid of the lawn in the space between them and convert that
space to something that doesn't require maintenance. My
question is whether it would be a good idea to throw the sod
off the inter-bed space into the bed--again, upside down--when
I first build it (that is, together with the sod off the area
where the actual bed is).

Thanks for any advice.