cabinfever

I think all of these suggestions are good ones. I would add:
1) If you have any potential gopher/mole issues- first put down a layer of chicken wire mesh to keep them from burrowing up under your raised beds. I attached mine with heavy staples into the inside of the frame. I would use the cardboard & newspaper as well.
2) If you are using actual "topsoil" from a nursery, understand it IS HEAVY, so as someone suggested, add some sand & mulch to it, for a looser well mixed soil.
3) I use the newspaper & grass clippings after planting for weed control on top of the soil as well. A couple of layers of newspaper work fine & you can add more as the season continues (both newspaper & grass clippings). The grass clippings will break down if watered & feed the soil. Even if a couple of trees drop their seeds on top, they will be seen before they take any deep root situation & easily removed.
4) If, like my DH, you think I mean "manure" from the gardening center in place of mulch, you will have TONS of weeds popping up from the fertilizer you've used! Don't do it!
Best wishes on a wonderful garden!

My MIL had beautiful strawberry beds this way with little weeding work as the strawberries sent runners on top that continued to feed from the original stem. We had tomatoes & other basic vegetables which loved this method. I convinced my mother after doing one of her beds this way, & leaving the other the way she'd always done it, where she grew more weeds than anything else.

rushdoggie

Thanks for all the tips, I finished and planted them and the sun finally came out today.

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