[Bluedave]

I'm thinking of building some permanent raised beds in the greenhouse - is this a good idea or not worth the hassle? I know i'll have to change the compost every couple of years to prevent disease etc but figured that this could be thrown on the main plot.

I'm looking to grow mostly tomatoes with some cucumbers and peppers. Will also have some shelves about a metre above the beds for starting off seeds to go outside - will these shade things too much? Would shelves further up the pitch of the roof be a better idea?

I've sketched the layout out so that you get an idea. All comments greatly appreciated as usual!

[savbo]

Removable staging or folding shelves are a good idea - you can raise seedlings on them and most will be gone outside before the toms get too high ...

I have a border rather than raised beds - worked OK this first year, will swap a lot of the soil over the winter. Why did you want it raised rather than flush?

I've grown peppers in 9" potson non-removable staging, with loads of toms in the long borders and 2 cucs at the end of the greenhouse, now growing along 2 canes I have put in the roof trusses...

M

[tode]

I've installed supports for plactic seed-boxes (which can also be used for plants). When toms in pots underneath get going, I just remove the trays and let the toms grow through the supports.

Is your GH glazed down to ground level?
And how's it positiond: EW or NS ?

[Bluedave]

Cheers for the reply,

would love a flush bed - unfortunately theres a load of concrete in the way and i've had enough of bashing up concrete so the bed will sit on that.

It's glazed all the way down - positioned with the long axis NE/SW. I plan on having the shelves as removeable.

[mumofstig]

I have a bench on one side of the g/house and in the summer i remove the top and shelf boards and let the toms in pots grow through the frame...easy

[tode]

Sorry, forgot the pic    


Seems a shame to put in a raised bed if you're glazed to ground: in winter you need all the sun you can get.

I'm thinking of concreting my GH floor, and will continue using 5 gallon 'pots' for growing toms.

[gillie]

I would fill your beds with shingle and grow the tomatoes etc. in large pots or rings on top of it.  The beds only need to be raised six inches or so.

I am worried about the shelf.  I think is will need to go higher up than a metre if it is not going to get in the way very quickly.

Cheers,

Gillie

[Bluedave]

Seems a shame to put in a raised bed if you're glazed to ground: in winter you need all the sun you can get.

Thats the point of the question really - is there any advantage to it or is it a waste of effort - I could just grow them in pots/growbags?

Like the tray system - will have to look into that.

[tode]

It's very simple: just an aluminium angle back and front, with struts to take the weight.

 Not sure where you could find the trays, but they must exist in UK  (got mine from Holland ! )

I use old 6 gallon plastic oil drums (free from garage): cut the top off and drill holes for drainage (after washing out with fairy liquid).
They're really strong, and being squarish in shape, are very easy to arrange in a block

[meterman]

I now use raised beds in the gh instead of pots. surely a pot is just a raised bed with less compost? I fill mine with just horse manure each year then mulch the rasps with it at end of season.

[Bluedave]

Hi meterman,

thats what I was thinking! Just wondered if others thought it was a waste of time or if there were advantages - would the toms/cucs grow better in a raised bed or no different to being in pots?

[Faz]

You should also consider that by having raised beds, you effectively reduce the height of your greenhouse, so you're toms won't have as much room to grow vertically before they hit the glass roof.

It would be more of a problem for some types than others, but the plants get very tangled and difficult to get to once they hit the roof, they are also a bit more prone to disease where they are pressed against the glass and subject to condensation.

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, when i built my new gh i put it on a concrete base and now grow everything in pots, i've had great results with toms and peppers even cues, with the added advantage of being a heat source ( storing up heat during the day and letting it out at night ).

[tode]

Bluedave: is your GH sitting directly on the concrete, or is the concrete buried ?

[Bluedave]

it's directly on the concrete.

With regards the raised beds effectively reducing the height of the greenhouse - would pots not be doing the same thing?