You need ground cover aka weed barrier.You can use cardboard but the weeds will come through in a couple years. Hubby puts a double layer of ground cover down including between the beds so I don't walk in mud.
We used cattle panel and fence stakes for the trellis bought from Tractor Supply. Our beds are 8 ft long (same as cattle panel sometimes called cattle feed panel) and 2 ft wide and 2 ft deep.
You should try to remove grass including roots etc before putting down the barrier.
You want to buy raised garden bed soil,it has compost in it also. Home Depot is the cheapest here. Tomatoes can have deep roots and you will most likely have to add soil at the end of the year or beginning of the year.
We add our own compost at end of year and usually buy more soil at end of year and store it on property as they don't want "store" it usually put it on sale.
You have to figure out what you want to raise and what can be raised together.
Daughter 2 is starting her first garden this year. She wants herbs and flowers. But also potatoes (russet and Yukon gold), different peppers and regular tomatoes. We are giving her a couple old wooden beds that we were just going to give to neighbor to burn. She will have to decide between determinate tomatoes ,bush like that comes on all at once or indeterminate which needs support,vines and produces all season. I have some old tomato cages if she goes indeterminate. I am sharing some potato grow bags. I don't think she will continue to grow potatoes after this year so she can give me the bags back.
You have to think about if you are going to water it if it does not rain enough (1 inch a week is good) and if you are, how are you going to water it. I've carted 5 gallon buckets, Hubby made a 50 gallon barrel to put on back of lawnmower. We drag a 150 ft garden hose here. I am looking at putting in a drip system. Got some of it so deciding where to install it this year.
I am going to do some winter sowing. I did this several years ago following this blogger at that time. It's a Feb project.
https://www.agardenforthehouse.com/your-2018-winter-sowing-project/
I will start my grow cart up in Feb. also. I have a few seeds I would like to order for some different plants. Pinetree has a purple broccoli I would like to try.
You have to make sure you give plants room to grow fully. I will plant quick crops, radishes, leaf lettuce, green onions etc. at edges with tomatoes etc.
I am growing more flowers this year, the lady that I got most of my flowers from died in accident last year. Her helpers and the new wife are going to reopen the greenhouse but they aren't sure if they will do flowers or veggies or both.
Blessed Be
Prayers for peace
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