[noshed]

That's a good plan

[paintedlady]

Downsides I have read about include more slugs hiding at the edges and less worms in them.

Worm populations were fine, slug population about same but yes they would have more "hidey holes" I suppose.  T'other downside is an increase of ants nests.  I knew there was a couple of ants nests in the wilderness and then I cleared it all .... now collectively all my raised beds is like Manhattan - each one is like a block and has its own population of ants.  And they bite :shock:

[jolly jen]

You can make scruffy ones from old pallets - just drive posts in and nail the boards on. All you need is a bag of galvanised nails and some pallets.

if you use old pallets wont they only last a year or two???

[Gwiz]

I'm lucky insofar as I can get good treated wood from work. I have gone with the raised bed system because I have a very bad back that won't put up with much digging at all.
The raised beds mean I dont have to bend over too much.
The only disadvantage I have come accross, is that they can dry out a bit quicker than normal beds on the plot. This will become less of a problem as each year goes by if more and more organic matter is introduced into the beds. the organic matter improves the soil's structure and improves it's water holding capacity.
They do make the plot look tidy, it's not so daunting a task to do the weeding (do a bed, have a cup of tea, do another bed....and so on)

[Glen]

Well i think the plan for me will be go with what i have got at first, assess what problems i have and then re-evaluate. Where i live in Dunstable the soil is very chalky so i will need to be nosey at the site (when i eventually get allocated a plot) and see who is doing well with their bed type.

Anyone else have chalky beds to contend with?

[Gwiz]

nosey is the way forward.
If it does well on their plot, then it should do well on yours

[Jaye]

We are going to install raised beds in our garden over the next couple of weeks. Whilst i see the point about not walking on the beds I think the kids would run full tilt into them. I am in the process of getting timber - can you use treated timber? We were worried about the chemicals and the food? What sort of treated timber do you use?

Jaye

[gobs]

There was an in-depth discussion on treated wood a while back, if you search you should find something in one of them technical sections.

[SkipRat]

I have gone along with the raised bed system and have 6 of them 30 feet by 4 feet, I use them in pairs ie: 2 for brassica,s, 2 for legumes, and two for roots & potatoes, to work a 3 crop rotation plan. I made mine out scaffold boards that gave a few coats of preservative to. When I installed them I spaced the board support posts 6 feet apart. this gives me a 30 * 4ft bed but it is in 5 sections (5 * 6ft = 30ft) and it makes it a lot easier to plan my seasonal planting plan as i know what space is needed for each crop and how much of the crop to sow so this saves on excess plants being grown.
All in all I,m glad I made the choice of a raised bed system.

[Rob the rake]

I'm SO jealous, Skiprat. I had the best part of my old plot bedded up and then we moved. :cry:

Got to start all over again I'm afraid. It's all going quite a bit faster this time though, I made all the mistakes first time around.

[amblelottie]

We have for and against  on our site, but most of the newcomers favour raised beds.  I have put some of what I consider to be advantages on our blog.

[SkipRat]

I'm SO jealous, Skiprat. I had the best part of my old plot bedded up and then we moved. :cry:

Got to start all over again I'm afraid. It's all going quite a bit faster this time though, I made all the mistakes first time around.

Thats the problem whe you move RTR, but at least you have the experience to repeat the set up that you had at your last address. I wish you the best of luck in your endevours.