Some first vegetable growing questions.

So i am fairly new to having an organised garden, in the past it has all been pretty slap dash and simple. But now we have a very large and nice garden i want to start growing my own vegetables and have an actual garden bed.

What i would like to know(amongst other things) would i be better off building a raised bed on top of the lawn or be better off digging the lawn up? And if i do a raised bed is it ok to put a lining down first on top of the grass or would i be better off just doing it directly on top? Baring in mind that as i type i can see at least 3 rabbits in my yard and i know there are more, and there is also at least one mole somewhere.
So i know i will have to protect my veggies no matter what i do are there any good tips on keeping the rabbits out?

Also as i am new to this European climate is a tunnel a good option to use or not really necessary? I gather they are useful as it hasn't been the warmest spring so far.

I'm sure i have more questions but these are the ones that come to me now.

 

Marley's answered the rabbit problem.
As far as the raised bed issue goes, there are a number of options but much depends on how much area you have available and how much you are willing to spend. You'll have to buy wood and compost to fill the beds.
The principal advantage of raised beds is that they are narrow and because you don't walk on them the soil doesn't get compacted and allows good deep roots to form. It's also easier to weed and harvest from raised beds.
With regard to the grass, the top couple of inches under the grass is very rich loam due to the decayed vegetation in the soil and this can be used to enhance the fertility of your beds (raised or otherwise). If it was up to me, in your situation I'd mow the grass short and then remove the top couple of inches of turf, stack the turves upside down under black polythene for a year and then use the resulting compost on the veg plot.
Me? I'd just dig up the lawn and stack the turf. Which is what I did here 30 years ago.
Tunnels - I'm assuming you mean tunnel cloches and not the large Polytunnels, these are very good for protecting tender and early sown crops, but are not essential if you sow tender crops a little later.

 

Thanks guys for the responses, yeah i have the exact area worked out for where to start it, i just need to draw up the plans and make a trip to the hardware store once i know exactly what I'm after. The length of the wire underground is helpful too, but would that also prevent moles from getting in? We don't have them back in Australia where i am from and now i have one in the yard here and don't know a thing about them. How much damage are they likely to do? It was one of the reasons i am thinking of a raised bed with maybe some wire down at the base.

As for the tunnel i think i will concentrate on the actual garden first then see about it.

 

I don't want to argue with Marley Farley about the height of the rabbit fencing - but rabbits can jump 4 feet. I've seen them do it. Maybe 3 feet is enough in the ordinary way of things but I would hate to put up the fencing and find I was a foot short. I would jack the height up a bit.

 

Well yeah i would probably have it a bit higher anyway, these rabbits do seem a lot fatter and content than the ones back home but i shouldn't under estimate them. We have also seen a deer in the yard but i don't think any amount of fencing will stop that.

 

I made my raised beds - 4ft square (2" by 8" untreated larch - probably not the most economical solution!!!) and attached netting on the underneath, then got a frame and netting from the shop and nailed some small hooks all round the sides of the frame to hold the netting close in to the sides. So far we haven't had any problems except something's been at the radishes. I think it's slugs so I am thinking of making a high salt gel or something to smear up the sides and top of the frame.

Mmmmm - what about mega loads of salt in petroleum jelly

Susanna

 

I think i just like the appeal of the raised beds more than anything, but the more i think about it i just don't know if it is really necessary. I mean i will have to put up some fencing anyway and i can do a larger patch more economically if i was to just dig in. I don't really know how much of a problem moles can be but if i can keep the rabbits out that is a good start and deal with any other issue as it comes.