We use scrap lumber, but it looks nice enough. We ran irrigation pipe
underground first with stub ups and then built the beds. Each one has
two or three drip irrigation lines running between the rows. Since the
ground is too rocky to till, this is the only thing we can do.
Thanks for introducing us to terra petra, it's very interesting. We are
also experimenting with Fukuoka's no till method in our prairie (which
is also full of rocks). The native grasses (silver and little bluestems)
have very deep roots (around the rocks) so we see no reason to destroy
that. Last year we planted 100 tomatoes directly, had great plants but
low fruit yield we think was more related to the intense heat in spring.
This year we added small piles of compost in place on the prairie and
are growing vetch on top, into which we plan to plant this year's tomatoes.