The pine wood degrading over time won’t adversely affect your soil mix or veggies. Just remember to amend your garden soil with compost or organic matter each time you replant your garden to replenish nutrients and ensure healthy plant growth. You can place a layer of cardboard at the bottom, which helps suppress weeds.

That’s great that you’re eager to try gardening, even in a shady spot! While direct sunlight is ideal for most crops, plenty of vegetables and herbs can thrive in partial shade. I’d recommend checking out two articles on my website that cover this topic: “Over 30 Vegetables that Grow in Shade” and “13 Culinary Herbs that Grow in Partial Shade.” These resources can provide you with valuable insights and options for planting in your shaded area.

Also, I wonder if the rotting pine wood will have a negative effect on the soil (Mel’s Mix) and the vegetables.
What should I put on the ground and under the frame? Newspaper? Cardboard?
Thanks!

Hi! Thanks for your reply. I am new to gardening, so don’t know a lot. I only have a very shady ground spot for one bottomless sfg. I ‘ll try there, but am afraid because of the lack of direct sunlight. What would you recommend?

Harlén, Yes, pine wood will rot, but you should be able to get a season or two out of it. I covered this in the article under “Wood for Raised Bed Gardens” and suggested some longer-lasting alternatives. Plywood should be avoided because it contains chemical adhesives that can leach into the soil. It also degrades quickly when exposed to moisture.