Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: big green bloke on January 04, 2024, 12:37
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hello everyone in novemeber i had a heart attack so i am now limmited on what i can do and had to give up my alloments but my next door has built me three raised beds as i live by myself i was wonder what would be the best veg to grow in them :tongue2: :tongue2:
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Hi, sorry to hear your news BGB.. think of the veg you really like to eat and decide from there would be my first suggestion!
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Good advice there from Andy.
My only other thought is to remember that raised beds dry out quicker than open soil.
If you want to minimise effort then simple things like beetroot, French beans and courgettes come to mind. Assuming of course you like them.
Take care HH
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It might be worth double checking how deep the beds are, and the depth of plants you're likely to want to grow. Something with a very long tap root may not be appropriate if they are lined / bottomed beds.
Also, depending on how small the beds are and how much variety you want to grow, consider looking into Square Foot Gardening.
Good luck!
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i would echo grow what you like to eat i only use raised beds now because of back problems also along the no dig lines if you like peas i would try Alderman they grow to 6 feet tall and give a great crop also i grow closer than is usual with all the veg we grow' Swift sweetcorn is shorter which may suit better. wishing you good health and luck with your new set up.
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I have three raised beds, all of which are of different heights. From my experience last year don't grow tall varieties like some sugar snaps, climbing beans, etc as you'll have to get a ladder to harvest them or, like I did last year, climb up on them, depending on their height of course. As previously said, grow what you like to eat then think about when they're ready to harvest and how best to do that. I'm just mentioning that because I love leeks but trying to bang a spade into the raised bed and digging them up wasn't the easiest of things. Here's where your neighbour could assist you.
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I would be tempted to plant some smaller varieties of vegetables or plant the normal size vegetables a bit closer together.
You will have a better selection to choose from and hopefully be able to extend the harvest.
Potatoes and salad crops I would plant in tubs or bags to save the space in the raised beds.
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Just add to my earlier comment, I only grow in raised beds now and over the past couple of years I've grown most veg, potatoes, cabbage, brussels, carrots, swede, parsnips, peas, sweetcorn, beets, lettuce, onions, strawberries, beans, garlic & courgettes. My raised beds are made from scaffold boards which are 9" wide and have a good 8" of soil/compost in them. Last year one of the beds had a 2nd board on top which I grew my maincrop potatoes in and the soil/compost was around 12" deep.
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I would add, grow what you notice is the best over its shop bought equivalent.
Homegrown sweetcorn would be one of my must haves, but as others have said, pick what you like to eat. Also even if a crop doesn’t make much sense on that criteria but you love growing it, make room for it on your planting plan :D