"The Newest 2' High Raised Bed........"

I decided to go the less expensive route when building our 2nd, 2' high raised bed.  Last time I used cedar and for the same price, I could have made 3 of these.  This time I went with regular pine 2"x4"x8', and for the sides I chose 8" pine car siding.

Here are the 8' side frames.

Next the car siding was screwed onto them starting at the top of each side.  There was just enough frame left on the bottom to attach another 2"x4"x8' piece of lumber making the sides even more sturdy.

I stood the 2 side frames on top of 4 sawhorses so I had the ends easily accessible for completing the box frame.

Don helped me maneuver the box onto our 2 wheeled cart and off we went to place it in the garden area.

I plan on planting our squash in this raised bed.  Last years squash harvest was dismal.  I "think" that our "Wascally Wabbit" ate most of the squash blossoms, so I'm taking no chances with having them within his/her reach this year.  There will also be room in this bed for bush green beans.  It will be quite nice not having to bend over so far for picking them, too!  ;)

As in last Falls raised bed, I will be placing full bales of straw for the base in this bed, covering them with several bags of "Wholly Cow", my preferred growing medium mix of compost, manure, and peat moss.  As the straw decomposes, more organic matter will be added to the bed giving me even more nice, rich soil in which to plant.

Here is the long view showing our 4 raised beds.  After having already provided Mr./Mrs. Rabbit with a broccoli buffet, I'm pretty sure I will be surrounding the long raised bed with a fence of plastic netting, hoping it will deter him/her from snacking on the tomatoes and peppers once they get planted.  Planting Marigolds is supposed to help repel rabbits, too, and I have quite a few seedlings in our greenhouse waiting to be planted and begin their guard duty.  ;)