[Larissa68]

We have just been offered a 25 x 25ft half allotment that a friend can't cope with anymore.  For this year we are looking at doing the minimum to wait and see where we need things and then doing a few raised beds next year if that's the case.  I'm thinking of just splitting it into 45in wide beds with 18in paths between.  So I would have 5 x 25ft long beds.  Would you split these down with a cross path so I would have 2 11ft 9in beds per row making 10 beds total?  Any advice gratefully received.

[Thrutchington]

The width that you have planned (45 inches) - you need to be able to comfortably reach to the middle i.e. 22 and a half inches, without having to lean on your precious crops. If you can, then i would keep them 25 feet long amd maximise the growing space.

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

I would split it into 10 beds as I find with my beds (4-5m in length) it can be a bit annoying to have to walk around them even at this length. A central walkway would also allow you to run a hose through easily.

Why not grow in lazy beds* this year with a mix of both sizes and see which works for you? You might find that you don't actually need raised beds having tried this type of growing for a year.  Lazy beds give more flexibility if you want to change the layout in the future and lend themselves to a no dig approach.


*my version of these is that they are slightly beds raised by virtue from addition of compost etc and a bit of soil dug out from the paths but no formal edging is required. You don't walk on them so in theory they don't need digging each year. Other people may have alternative definitions! After many years I now finally have weed suppressant membrane on the pathways in between.