Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: jambop on April 11, 2017, 20:21
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Well I have decided I need to make some provision for growing winter vegs. My veg garden flood very easily and of course in the winter is very wet. I am going to make some above soil beds. My plan is to use 140mm boards to make a bed about 4m x 1m . My soil is really not too bad but I thought I would incorporate some manure into the soil then make the bed up and make paths around it by taking out about 150mm depth all around and putting that into the bed and again adding some nice manure to build it up. I would then use these beds to grow cabbage, sprouts, broccoli and other winter veg. In the spring after these vegs were taken off I would use the beds for salad crops and herbs. I could also use water pipe to create plastic cloches in the early spring to get early salad stuff and netting to keep the pests off. I am not converting my entire garden just a section where I think I could make probably four such beds. I have never made this sort of bedding before does this sound like it could be a goer ?
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Sounds like a good project to me. Need to be mindful of the ph if incorporating a lot of manure but that is no different to adding it to any other bed. My only other thought would be to make sure the beds get good light and also are convenient for watering. Raised beds warm up more quickly but can need more watering than normal beds perhaps not an issue though given the fact that your garden floods.
Good luck
HH
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Raised beds are a good idea, but - If you are making the paths lower, won't you just be digging moats to fill with water around the beds?
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Sounds like a good project to me. Need to be mindful of the ph if incorporating a lot of manure but that is no different to adding it to any other bed. My only other thought would be to make sure the beds get good light and also are convenient for watering. Raised beds warm up more quickly but can need more watering than normal beds perhaps not an issue though given the fact that your garden floods.
Good luck
HH
Yes there are one or two things to keep in mind but even though I am a traditionalist I can see many plus side to the slightly raised bed. For example being able to even cover it with a bit of plastic sheeting could save a destroyed crop due to the massive hail we get from time to time. The light situation is not really a problem I have a fairy open garden and can cover and uncover the beds when required. I am not a lazy B but I am going to construct them so I can run my rotavator through them. I know that these thing sometimes get bad press but I do not know what I would do without my one it really takes the strain out of clearing the soil of weeds and is great for turning a bit of muck into the soil.
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Raised beds are a good idea, but - If you are making the paths lower, won't you just be digging moats to fill with water around the beds?
I can see what you are thinking mum but my garden is on a slight slope so I will ensure that there is drainage to channel water away from the paths.