I have these lasagna style beds loaded down with leaves. Have any of you direct seeded in this kind of environment? My potatoes came up, but I'm concerned about seeds.

I managed to get out 10 lbs of Purple Viking potatoes! Then I transplanted swiss chard and cilantro around 6pm and it has already rained here tonight. So they should make it.

What kind of organic nitrogen source to you use on your corn? Potatoes? Cucumbers? Rabbit and duck manure worked well on cucumbers and potatoes for me. But corn... I think it needs 3-4 times the nitrogen as anything else.

How far apart do I plant corn seeds, peas, etc. I don't know what happened to my memory. But I thought remembered that we planted the rows with 3-4 seeds per spot about 6 inches apart. Is that right or is it farther or closer?

I put some aged manure in my lasagna-style beds last year, as well as leaves, straw, coffee grounds, shredded paper, etc. The large seeded things (squash, beans) did pretty well direct seeded. I did need to plant some extra squash though, because germination wasn't as great as I would have liked. The small seeded things (basil, for example) didn't do well at all. Besides transplanting into the lasagna, another possibility would be to mix up some seed-starting mixture (however you like it), and put a "plop" of that in the bed before you stick in your seeds. Based on past experience, I would definitely moisten it first!!! Possibly even put some plastic over it to hold moisture until it germinates (if you're as dry as we are up here).

I planted corn in raised beds last year on about 1' spacing. Beans in rows with about 3" -4" spacing between seeds; planted on a-frame trellis, one row on each side of trellis. Seemed to work ok. Didn't plant peas last year, but I think I did about the same for them the year before. I think I'll put some in tomorrow though (peas)!

Another option is hilling beans, but since that's not how I've done it myself, someone else can chime in. I have hilled my squash and pumpkins (several seeds close together with more space between hills).