Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: garddwr on December 22, 2008, 19:13

Title: root crops in raised beds.
Post by: garddwr on December 22, 2008, 19:13

When I will get my plot in the new year I want to grow nice carrots and parsnips and because the soil has a lot of stone and rock in it I am going to build a deep raised bed so I can grow nice long carrots and parsnips.

I was going to get some top soil for filling them up so there will be no stones e.t.c and I was thinking maybe i should add 50% sand ? What soil combinations should I use ?

Thanks

Title: root crops in raised beds.
Post by: AndyRVTR on December 22, 2008, 20:39

Not sure if anyone else uses this method, but it seems to work for me.
I have raised beds but normal soil, there is the odd pebble but nothing major, and what I do is use a steel pinch-bar and where I want my parsnips/carrots to grow I make a deep hole by ramming the pinch-bar into the soil.
The weight of the bar makes easy work and once I have it 12-18" deep, I turn the bar round and round to make a cone-shaped hole, the top of the hole being around 4-6" wide.
I then add the compost into the hole leaving it loose and then place the seed in the top 1/2"
Fill the hole with a little more compost and press down with the palm of the hand, then............... let nature do it's work.  :D

Title: root crops in raised beds.
Post by: yummy on December 22, 2008, 21:05

I do that too  :wink: