The raised bed is ready to plant

Well, the weather turned from short-sleeves to sweatshirts and hats overnight -- dampening our gardening enthusiasm.  Nonetheless, we managed to finally fill our large raised bed with our best approximation of Mel's mix (basically a self-mixed potting soil made of multiple composts, peat moss and vermiculite.)  The mix made sense to me since my raised bed is basically a very large container.

The light and fluffy mix is begging to be planted.  So I am probably lucky that the weather changed so quickly or I might have turned my tender veggie sprouts out too soon.  I will have to read up on this but I think the plants can go out once they have true leaves and/or their roots break through the pellets. 

I imagine it would be be best if I harden, or leave the pellets outside protected, for a day or two before I plant them out in the soil.  To help me harden my pellets, I am thinking of building a small square frame and covering it with a heavy, clear(ish) plastic sheet -- kind of like a smaller version of My Tiny Plot's peach frame -- so I am ready when the time comes.

In the end I am happy that the weather has bought me a chance to regroup.  And I am also pleased that the colder weather is bringing rain.  I am sure my new strawberries will appreciate it since I am a lazy waterer (my soaker hose still isn't attached to the faucet!)