crops for raised beds

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Frecks

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crops for raised beds
« on: January 29, 2009, 19:20 »
I garden on a heavy clay/chalk soil so this year I am constucting raised beds.  Runner and French beans are quite successful so I will continue to grow these in open ground.  However, I would appreciate advice on the best varieties of veg to grow in a raised bed system.
Frecks

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penance

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Re: crops for raised beds
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2009, 19:23 »
I have heavy clay and have raised beds on top.
I double dig every other year. Bed depth is 10inch. I dont choose any specific veg type apart from brassicas suitable for close spacing.
If the soil in the bed is in good heart and there is no pan underneath you should be fine with most types of veg.

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Ice

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Re: crops for raised beds
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2009, 19:28 »
Can't think of anything that would not be suitable except for butternut squash, they grow like triffids. :ohmy:

You can plant much closer together and equidistant to each other.
Cheese makes everything better.

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Frecks

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Re: crops for raised beds
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2009, 19:31 »
Thanks.  Should I dig over the beds before placing the raised beds and then top up with compost etc?  I wouldn't say the soil was in great heart - I've only been working it for a couple of years.

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Ice

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Re: crops for raised beds
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2009, 19:34 »
I topped up with topsoil, compost, old compost from pots, manure and sharp sand.  If you have the energy then dig it over first.

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penance

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Re: crops for raised beds
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2009, 20:09 »
I'd dig over first. I didn't with mine and had a hard pan after about 18 months.

Apart from that i did the same as Ice, compost topsoil etc. Dont fill to the top, it will get there anyway after a couple of years of compost/much adding.

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Bombers

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Re: crops for raised beds
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2009, 21:01 »
when i started to dig my garden up for beds, I realised I was in for a bit of pot throwing!
So I dug out 1 spade depth of the slimy stuff, and back filled with good quality top soil, then constructed my raised beds above this, and incorporated plenty of compost/leaf mould and sand.Pretty much anything grows there! including some lovely caulis.
Life begins... On the kitchen windowsill.

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Frecks

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Re: crops for raised beds
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2009, 21:09 »
Many thanks to you all.  I'll get the younger generation digging as soon as the swamp dries out a bit!



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