[lordthanatos]

hiya all.

ive finally cleared my plot and getting ready to put some veg into the ground but need some advice really.

im going to be boarding off all the growing beds so can have woodchip paths around the plot.

what is the min/max size is should make a growing bed if there is such a rule of thumb? i suppose it would be down to what im growing to a degree but wanted some general idea off what i should be looking at

im going to be growing mainly brasscias in these beds

thanks

[mumofstig]

4ft x 10ft is a nice size for raised beds, but it really just depends on the space you have to devide up 

[ferreter51]

I have raised beds which are no wider than 4ft.  They vary in length from 4ft through 6ft, 8ft, 12ft to 20ft according to the space I have available.

[bigben]

A couple of years ago I looked after an allotment and built lots of raised beds because that seemed to be the way everyone did it.

Last year I got my own and had very limited wood so could only use it to help build wide "terraces" on my sloping allotment. I have found I have much more room now that I have very few permanent paths. It has allowed my big areas to grow pumpkins in and I simply use a wooden batton or tread a narrow strip into a path. With  3-4ft wide beds it is easy for a third of your allotment to actually be paths.

[TerryB]

No wider than 4ft, so you can reach the middle without standing on the bed.

I've made mine all 15ft long, so any of the cloches and nets can be moved from one bed to the other. Cloches & nets made from roofing battens screwed together to form a 4ft by 71/2ft frame with plastic pipes attached, then plastic sheeting / netting streched over frame.

The beds only need to be edged with wood if you intend to raise the level of the soil.

You can also join the beds together. Three beds joined makes a letter E.
A form of Key beds.
 

 

[lordthanatos]

hi

thanks for this been real help as ive seen so many shapes and sizes about was abit lost at sea making a decision

thanks all

[Kristen]

No wider than 4ft, so you can reach the middle without standing on the bed.

What he said.

Plus as long as you can be bothered to walk around and not be tempted to try to "hop over"!

[superplanty]

2.4m by 1.2m     Wood is often sold in these sizes.

[viettaclark]

......which in old money is 8' by 4'......

[realfood]

I go for big beds, up to 5m x 4m. Just use a few walking boards as required. You waste so much space with loads of paths. My plot possibly produces more fruit and vegetables than most of the allotments on our site.

[granjan]

I agree with Realfood.  I am gradually getting rid of my paths as I've become frustrated by the limitations they put on the growing space. 

[mumofstig]

I have divided my plot up into 4 ft wide beds,  but there are no boards just trodden earth paths.  I can cultivate all the bed areas from the paths

It is easy enough to dig up a piece of earthen path if I want to change anything

[Doddy]

My take is (as earlier) - 2.4m x 1.2m (8'x4'). I bought my wood from a timber yard and the size was based upon practicality (they could cut the 2.4's in half, and 8ft was sensibly the largest I could fit in my car. As a size goes, it allows two columns of beds in my 1/2 plot with a 18" perimeter path and a comfortable 30" centre path.

[Chappers]

My beds are all 4 ft by the width of my plot. I find it much easier to plan where you want to grow your veg along with crop rotation. Also raised beds dont need digging if you dont walk on them and compact the soil. its esier to cover over individual beds when not in use to keep weeds down. I also made a couple of frames covered in scaffold netting for growing brassicas in which can be moved from bed to bed.

Chappers

[Kristen]

You waste so much space with loads of paths.

Not to disagree with you, but I have 4' beds and 18" paths, and I plant right to the edge of the bed which, in effect, uses some of the path as "growing space"