[cousdude]

did hear one suggestion of using logs from cut down trees etc - anyone tried/had any success/problems with this idea?

[Knight Family]

I cannot see why it would not work, as its only to keep the soil in. Only trouble may be the size...

[CHRISDONOHUE]

I have no problem with people trying alternative approaches and making experiments.   This represents good science.   For example, Geoff Hamilton was initially extremely sceptical about Organic Gardening but found by experiment that his organic plot outperformed his non-organic plot, particular after some years.   If people similarly who wanted to evaluate the benefits of raised beds/deep beds did a similar comparison, I would also have no problem.

What appears to be happening is that advice to use deep beds/raised beds without any scientific reason or exerimental evidence is being swallowed by new entrants to allotments involving them in a high cost, low yield system rather than using the traditional low cost, high yield system of using all the land given one and planting at the optimum yield as determined by experiment by the National Vegetable Research Station which is very similar to traditional spacings.

If you have a particular problem, such as a bad back, you may prefer to use the system.   Have all the deep/raised bedders bad backs?   I hope not.   Has anybody any experimental evidence of the superiority of deep/raised 6-9 inch beds over traditional methods?   Surely this forum is the place to present such evidence.

[The Thin Blue Line]

I found root veg better in raised beds, carrots and the like less likely to fork etc.

I assume that is due that on the whole the soil in my own raised beds are not as compact ?

[Aunt Sally]

If you have a particular problem, such as a bad back, you may prefer to use the system.   Have all the deep/raised bedders bad backs?

Another advantage of raised beds is to improve siol drainage in our recent couple of years of very wet weather.  

I have good sandy loam on my allotment and it drains well even after heavy rain.  My son who lives in Brum has very heavy soil which becomes waterlogged after a heavy mist     He's found raised beds a great boon

[Aunt Sally]

Is there a scientist in the house or is it simply "flavour of the month" for "tidy" people?

Oh no no no  Chris.  There may be a lot of science to gardening but there is also a great deal of "art" to it.

One old gardener on our site knows nothing of science.  His rows are as straight as solders his soil is magnificent from 36 years of working by him, his crops are to die for.  The adjacent plot to him was neglected for many years but is now being gardened by a young couple who have put in raised beds.  Their children can play on the paths collecting bugs and picking daisies without damaging any veg plants.  Their beds are quite amazingly prolific and look beautiful.

It's horses for courses and who is to say what's right and what's wrong.   It's the enjoyment of growing your own food in a way that gives you pleasure which is the most important thing surely

[SalJ1980]

who is to say what's right and what's wrong.   It's the enjoyment of growing your own food in a way that gives you pleasure which is the most important thing surely

Well said Aunty!  

[Ice]

My winter project is to build five beds using gravelboard.
1.9x15x240cm
Five boards per pack at £18.35 each x 3 =£55 squid = £11 squid per 2.4x120cm bed.

Can anyone see a problem?

[DD.]

Yeah 55 squid!

[SalJ1980]

Yeah 55 squid!

   

[Bombers]

My winter project is to build five beds using gravelboard.
1.9x15x240cm
Five boards per pack at £18.35 each x 3 =£55 squid = £11 squid per 2.4x120cm bed.

Can anyone see a problem?

Yeah., apart from the £55 squid bit. What are these boards made from?
If softwood, then 15mm is too thin IMHO, :roll: They will bend with the weight of the soil. you need at least 25mm thickness.
plus, 240mm (i.e. near 10" in width), I would expect them to split/shake all over the place in the sun.( If we get some next year :roll: )
If you want real deep beds, then either double up with Decking boards, or try and scrounge some old scaffold boards (from a local builder/scaffold hire place??)

[Ice]

These are standard treated gravel boards and are 1.9cm (19mm) thick, 15cm (150mm) deep and 2.4 m long.  Decking boards are too expensive.

[Bombers]

These are standard treated gravel boards and are 1.9cm (19mm) thick, 15cm (150mm) deep and 2.4 m long.  Decking boards are too expensive.

Need to put my glasses on  :oops:

[Ice]

These are standard treated gravel boards and are 1.9cm (19mm) thick, 15cm (150mm) deep and 2.4 m long.  Decking boards are too expensive.

Need to put my glasses on  :oops:

     

[Bombers]

These are standard treated gravel boards and are 1.9cm (19mm) thick, 15cm (150mm) deep and 2.4 m long.  Decking boards are too expensive.

Need to put my glasses on  :oops:

     

Never did like metrification.... In my job, we're all still using feet 'n inches, much bl@@dy simpler IMHO"!