[greenie]

So, some people use a base (or membrane) and some don't. Which is better experienced raised-bedders?

[milkman]

I don't have a base underneath any of my fixed beds (I just use black membrane fabric stuff on the paths).

[WeedDetester]

With regards to raised beds, does anyone know where the best place would be to get scaffolding boards? I've tried a couple of timber places and scrap yards with no luck!!

I used 2 railway sleepers to anchor down the greenhouse and just about got a hernia moving them, couldn't believe just how heavy they are!!

[muntjac]

contact scaffolding firm , they sell split ones for about a £5 , and new from £15. split ones fail safety issues

[WeedDetester]

Cheers for that.

[Gwiz]

you could also try your local fencing supply timber yard for edging boards, they may sell warped or split ones cheaper than normal. i was lucky and got some at a very good price.

[Laura]

that reminds me...
..i was going to put in some raised beds to plant my asparagus in, when it arrives.  
i went to b&q to get materials and ended up in a bit of an face off with a very unhelpful member of staff!!!  he patronisingly, when i asked his advice on which wood would be best for the purpose, pointed to all the wood in the timber yard, and told me it was all made of wood.  it's all cut, 4 coats of wood preservative applied and all still sitting in the spare room - where it has been for 3 weeks now, really need to get it nailed together!!!  those plants will be here soon.

[muntjac]

take one prat of a member of staff . search out general manager .inform him of attitude of prat and that you will be shopping elswhere  stick staff member in the manure  and see him weeded out of the plot , then leave

[Laura]

now normally Muntjac i would have stormed out of the shop or complained but i'd already stropped out of Tesco that morning as i could not get a breakfast 2, yes 2 minutes after they'd stopped serving them - even though all the breakfastables were in serving dishes in front of me.   i was very intent on getting wood and building the raised beds that weekend.  as it happens i didn't need to report the little person to the manager as another customer did that for me, then he came back and told me how disgusted he was.

[muntjac]

nice one .... maybe he wont be working no more .. karl

[BillinPA]

So, some people use a base (or membrane) and some don't. Which is better experienced raised-bedders?

When I make my raised beds, I just mow the grass/weeds close to the ground.  Set the 2 x 10 board frame over the mowed area, then lay flattened cardboard boxes (plain brown ones with no printing, labels, decals, etc) - single layered - inside the frame to smother the grass/weeds.  Fill with soil/compost and Ta Da!!  

The cardboard will rot up in about a year, which is usually long enough to prevent re-growth of the grass - not always the weeds though.  It beats sending the cardboard to the recycler.

[muntjac]

good idea bill mate . have seen styrene used on top of the cardboard .it really warms the beds up

[Smallholder]

A raised bed system is best built if your soil is on badly drained or clay.
It is not worth all the work to install it if you have a decent soil.
Mark out an area no wider than 4ft across and no longer than about 12 ft long  and then dig it over to open the ground up to assist better drainage.
You can use anything to hold the beds together, such as paving slabs,timber.
Depending on how deep you need the bed to be, on top of the ground level newly dug soil you can use anything that will compost down....woollens,leaves.grass cuttings.wet newspaper ect, as you will never dig down that deep again.
Dig out the path next to the bed and put the top soil (if it's any good) on top of your compost layer...it's wasted as a path..and if you can get another layer of compost...not woollies this time..on top of that even better..If your going to have a path the other side the bed use the soil from that side as well.
It's hard work,but you only do it once..
Raised beds can be covered with poly tunnel plastic to make a mini greenhouse and crop earlier..
Never walk on the bed once to have made it...thats why you make them 4ft wide so you can reach across...and 12 ft long because you will get fed up of walking around it and walk across it if it's any longer.
The deeper the bed the more crops you can get out..Needs to be deep for carrots,parsnips and root crops..Firm bed walked once when DRY for brassicas..cabbaged ect..Use black plastic if you want to get a crop of mushrooms out over the top..Endless possibilities..easier to deter pests like cabbage white, as you can cover with fleece.
Get as many earthworms into the bed as you can find, as they will do all the work

[milkman]

Ahhhh smallholder I couldn't have put it better myself!

[Jeanieblue]

you've just solved a huge problem for me.  My pal and I have taken on a neglected allotment, and I am making small inroads into it - but like cricket, rain stops play most days !!  But I'll do as suggested, and get raised beds up on the rest of the ground - we'll be able to get cracking planting up in the spring and will be able to clean the plots properly over the year.  Thannks again for sharing your ideas, you are a STAR.  Jean