[Alec_Macpherson]

I have secured a very water-logged site which could be turned into allotments.  Rather than wait for all the funding to come through for stuff like drainage, I'm getting started on raised beds.  This coincides with the move from kerbside recycling collections of square boxes - maybe 1' x 1' x 2' - a large wheelie bin which is collected less often.

As such, I am scavanging as many of the square boxes as possible with view to growing veg in. 

My question is, with otherwise fertile soil and without the expense of too much compost on my meagre unemployment benefits, could I expect to grow as decent veg as I do on open soil?

[Goosegirl]

Raised beds will certainly help the drainage problem, but only to a certain extent. Any soil, compost you put in will eventually settle and you will need to top up maybe twice a year. My OH is unemployed and no benefit now so I understand your problem regarding expenses. Raised beds give you the opportunity of growing veg closer together, depending on their depth. Invest in some grit to help with drainage and ask your local council for cheap or free compost bins.

[Alec_Macpherson]

I was thinking of growing in the square plastic boxes, once I'd drilled/melted extra holes for drainage; rather like growing potatoes in bags.

The most frustrating thing about trying to grow your own veg whilst unemployed and not in an allotment society is not having access to cheap seeds.

[Yorkie]

You should be OK for most plants in the boxes, subject to drainage.  Brassicas might be a little tricky as they need very firm soil, and you might get wind rock in compost in boxes.

The other issue would be whether you have a water supply at the site - the boxes will need a lot more watering than ordinary garden soil.

[JaK]

I currently use those recucling boxes for growing carrots. They work brilliantly!

[Alec_Macpherson]

Wind rock, Yorkie?  I can see how contained boxes like this would be especially prone to fungal infection at soil-level.

The only brassica I would have considered is Brussels, but I have space in my home garden for those.  There's no water supply yet at the site, but enough water which collects after every rain fall to scoop it up with a watering can.

The drainage problem is largely due to an iron pan about spade depth which seems to be fragmented slate.  I'll be laying potatoes directly in banked-up soil to help clean it - yes, strictly speaking, I know I'm the one who does that! - and mebbe Jerusalem artichoke.

Yes, JaK!  My first thought had been for carrots 'cos I never have been able to grow them at ground-level.

[Yorkie]

By wind rock I mean that brassicas are quite tall plants.  They get rocked in the wind and if not firmed in very very well, they suffer.  Sprouts, for example, will 'blow' and therefore not grow properly as sprouts.

In the soil, plants have a better chance of being well firmed in, of putting out longer and deeper roots, and not being 'rocked' by the wind.

[Alec_Macpherson]

Ah, yes.  The site is highly exposed in an already windy area, and I am inclined to keep taller plants to my sheltered home garden - although, last year during a particular gale, I had onions jolly well near uprooted.

[Kristen]

I have heavy soil. I made my raised bed by digging out the soil from the paths - in effect lowering them 6" or more - and using that to raise the beds. The paths become the route for water to escape, and the beds themselves are remarkably workable, even in Winter (although not straight after a downpour!)

[arugula]

Along the lines of your plastic recycling boxes, we have for a few seasons running grown successfully in fish boxes which are probably even more shallow. Lettuce, salad leaves, spinach, carrots, land cress, herbs have all worked well.

Not tried it with longer term crops such as parsnips, leeks, cabbages, but I feel it wouldn't work so well with these or potatoes or beans... Tomatoes I would say try too as they used to sell growbags for tomatoes, do they still promote tomato growing as a use for growbags?

[Goosegirl]

Wiokos have three seed packets for the price of two. There is another supplier (?name) that does smaller quantities for a cheaper price.

[Epona_4]

I currently use those recucling boxes for growing carrots. They work brilliantly!

me too jak and parsnips....had fabulous crops of both last year and all fly free because they are much easier to protect