Hold on a minute. Everybody's all excited about growing a whole lot of stuff and using a whole lot of products, but let's think about this.

First, does this concrete bed have good drainage? Or is it going to turn into a swimming pool which drowns your plants? Check this out.

The bed is neglected. It may have thousands of weed seeds in it. It is amazing the way weeds can find and colonize neglected soil. I have raised beds that aren't even neglected, but I will soon be sprinkling the pre-emergent herbicide (gasp)to get the weeds that have found their way in.

I have been gardening since 1977, and I have learned that as you get older, it's a drag to have too many kinds of things. Grow too many kinds of things, and every time you turn around, there's a new chore or a new problem. By August you feel overwhelmed.

I suggest you talk to people who garden successfully in your neighborhood. (Does your city have Master Gardeners?) Start with tried-and-true crops, maybe three or four kinds. Consider critters, too. Do you have to cope with deer, rabbits, squirrels, grizzly bears? :) Local knowledge is good.

Finally, put in a few flowers to gladden the heart. Lilies are good.