Two raised beds can grow a summer’s worth of tomatoes and herbs without turning the whole yard into a garden.
Keep the lawn
Put the beds on a sunny edge and leave the middle open. A mowed path between the beds and the grass keeps the mower out of the soil.
Start with fewer plants
Tomatoes, basil, and a short row of greens are enough for a first season. Water the soil, not the leaves, and add compost when the beds look tired.
Stop while it still feels easy
If the list of crops gets long, skip some. The beds will still be there next spring, and the lawn stays the place you actually walk.
