seed beds and raised beds...

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Sadgit

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seed beds and raised beds...
« on: May 21, 2008, 12:25 »
.. whats the point?

I don't see the point of either, but my new plot neighbour but one says that they are the only way to go and thinks I am mad for having no real structure to my plot (he has a plot of weeds and has spent the last 2 months putting a fence up and not getting stuff in the ground  :roll:  :roll:  )

Also just been reading about seed beds and I think it looks like a right clart on and would rather start stuff off where they are to grow.

With raised beds surely you cannot get out Mr Rotorvator in the autumn and run riot? :D

pointless rambling post? oh yes

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RuthG

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2008, 12:29 »
I'm going to put raised beds in my plot (1/4 of an acre) just so that it's easier to manage. I only got it at the weekend, so I will be sorting it out over the next few months, and start planting and growing next year.

I think it's a case of personal taste isn't it?

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franmeerkat

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« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2008, 12:32 »
Sadgit - I think it's entirely up to you...and I really like the variety of styles at my allotments. There's one plot with the most immaculate set of raised beds and paths - I love looking at it but in the end it's a bit clinical for me. My own plot is going to have several long thin raised beds, just so that I can really cut down on digging in future seasons.

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Sadgit

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2008, 12:52 »
I guess this is what makes us, us  :) and I am waaaay too lazy to sort out raised beds and make a seed bed. The woman on the other side of me has her plot all lovely and neat and tidy with all raised beds, but sooo much of her plot is paths, so she has very little growing space. I just don't get that like..

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woodburner

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« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2008, 15:32 »
Lol Sadgit, I've been wanting to ask the same question, too, but for slightly different reasons. I have 4 ft wide beds so that I won't have to dig every year (or rotavate) but they are 'lazy beds' no wood involved, partly because I'm too much of a cheapskate (although I have now - a bit too late - found a good source of pallets) and partly because, what the heck do you do with the weeds that grow right by the sides? Then there's the drying out problem at the corners and either nasty treated wood or eventually rotten wood to deal with, not to mention the fuss of cutting bits of wood to the right sizes, banging stakes in and screwing or nailing everything together too. :lol:

I could preach the advantages of 4ft lazy beds to you all day long but I don't really see the point of putting wood around them. I will admit that they do look good, really good, but unless there's some significant advantage that I have completely overlooked, I don't see the point. :?

Don't get me wrong here though, I wouldn't criticise anyone that made them, I admire them for having the time and energy to do them, same thing goes for those that dig their entire plot every year; it's just not for me. A well tended plot is a pleasant thing to look at whatever the method used. :)

Seed beds, though, I completely understand, at least for brassicas. The mature plants need a lot of space, but for the first few months they don't need that much space, so by keeping them to a small bed to start with you have a whole lot of space for lettuces, spring onions, radishes and so on. ;)

In my case it means I can get them started before I've cleared all the ground they will eventually need  :o  :lol:
I demand the right to buy seed of varieties that are not "distinct, uniform and stable".

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purplebean

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2008, 17:14 »
Quote from: "Sadgit"
I guess this is what makes us, us  :) and I am waaaay too lazy to sort out raised beds and make a seed bed. The woman on the other side of me has her plot all lovely and neat and tidy with all raised beds, but sooo much of her plot is paths, so she has very little growing space. I just don't get that like..


But if I walk round my raised beds they never get stood on and I don't have to dig them (and I don't have to build them hubby does  :wink: ). I'd much rather walk a bit further than dig  :D  Also my garden has three contour lines running through it so at least raised beds help keep the soil where I want it  :D  I also plant much closer together than you can if you need to walk between rows to weed so although it looks as if there is a lot of unused space the space that is used is very productive in fact there can be so much growth that weeds just don't germinate.

It really is down to personal opinion, I hate digging so I love raised beds  :D

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jazzbyrd

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2008, 18:06 »
Do androids dream of electric sheep?

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jazzbyrd

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2008, 18:07 »
I love the raised beds my husband is building for me too! I am a person that loves structure! I am a neatness freak  :D so it figures that my vegetable plot would be the same! I am also new to gardening there are only two of at home we both work and we both felt that raised beds would suit us. I agree its not the best use of space but I will not be growing huge amounts of vegetables. Everyone has an allotment for different reasons~for some its to save money ~for others its for stress relief etc. My husband is very handy and has really enjoyed making the beds for me. Once all the hard structural work has finished I will be taking over and in charge of all the growing! I have a bad back and will be grateful for the minimal amount of digging I will need to do in the future! I have seen a mantis rotivator being used in raised beds however I dont own one :)
As they say VIVE LA DIFFERENCE!! :)
jazzbyrd

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gobs

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2008, 19:06 »
I think a seed bed or cold frame or both are a god sent necessity, unless one has an over-sized greenhouse and even then, some plants just don't need or like the heat of a green house. Also provides for easier protection of seedlings, than in situ sowing as well as saves space and time in the garden, as said before.

Raised beds, usually turn out uglier than intended, I know where you are coming from there, the plot that looks a a building site more like than a garden, but saying that, I could not grow many a carrot other than in raised beds and some are well done and look good.
"Words... I know exactly what words I'm wanting to say, but somehow or other they is always getting squiff-squiddled around." R Dahl

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Gwiz

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2008, 19:31 »
I first grew veg on an "ordinary allotment, and it worked very well, you could charge up and down with a rotovator all day if you liked.
very satisfying.
BUT, I do suffer from chronic back pain, which, the specialist joyfully tells me, Isn't going to get any better.
SO, for the last few years, I've gone over to all raised beds. Less growing ground for sure, but the pathways are all even ( less strain on the back ) are easy to wheel a barrow of muck down, and you can get right up to where you are going to spread it about ( less strain on the back ), you don't have to bend over quite so far ( less strain on the back ) easy to hand weed, you don't HAVE to dig them if you keep your clod hopping feet of them ( less strain on the back ), and if you DO want to turn them over, you can use a small light weight mantis type tiller ( yes, you guessed right, less strain on the back! )
The other benifit as has been said allready, is that they do look very tidy if done correctly, but then I'm sortta funny about that sort of thing!

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sclarke624

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2008, 20:23 »
I have a raised bed in my garden with veg just because it is higher than the dog can wee on.  The family are aquemish about eating veg he has watered. :D  :D
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penance

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« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2008, 21:54 »
I don't have a lotty, grow in our back garden. If you see our clay soil you would realise why raised beds are sometimes required.

People go on about heavy clay, TV gardening presenters, but whenever they show what they consider to be heavy clay it makes me giggle.

Last year i gave some of our so called top soil from the rear garden to a guy at work who is an ameteur potter, he made me a mug from it. Yep, our garden clay is the real thing, you could make a dinner service set from the dam stuff!

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peggyprice

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2008, 23:28 »
The main benefit of a raised bed isn't so much the looks (or even the convenience) - from a gardening point of view it's the fact that because you don't walk on them the soil doesn't get compacted, and that you can have more control over the type of soil you are planting into.  

As a result you can be much more productive from a small space - hence their popularity with those of us who can't get an allotment and have to make do with what we can get into our back gardens!

The other practical matter is that for a lot of us keeping a small, defined area weed free and cultivated is a much more realistic prospect than being face with one huge never ending space that can be overwhelming, especially if you haven't got the time/energy/experience to know how best to tackle that.

Each to his own, I say ...
Nobody said this was going to be easy ... but some days are better than others!

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Trillium

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2008, 03:23 »
I started out with very poor soil in my veg beds, with a heavy clay/gravel layer a spade's depth below. Every year I add loads of manure and shredded leaves and rotovate the works. Come spring, after rotovating again, I mound it up into beds so that the 'good stuff' isn't wasted on paths. I don't walk at all on the raised parts, which stay soft and are intensively planted for maximum yield. Come fall, I heap more manure and leaves everywhere and aim the rotovator at it. It all levels out by itself and come spring, I can easily reform the beds into however many and widths I want. It also looks pretty good, impressing the heck out of visitors.

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woodburner

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seed beds and raised beds...
« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2008, 08:26 »
Quote from: "peggyprice"
The main benefit of a raised bed isn't so much the looks (or even the convenience) - from a gardening point of view it's the fact that because you don't walk on them the soil doesn't get compacted, and that you can have more control over the type of soil you are planting into.  

As a result you can be much more productive from a small space - hence their popularity with those of us who can't get an allotment and have to make do with what we can get into our back gardens!

The other practical matter is that for a lot of us keeping a small, defined area weed free and cultivated is a much more realistic prospect than being face with one huge never ending space that can be overwhelming, especially if you haven't got the time/energy/experience to know how best to tackle that.

Each to his own, I say ...


But you get those same benefits with lazy beds, just with a lot less effort. :? :?

Woohooo another advocate of lazy beds, :lol: I thought I was all alone  :cry: /me hugs Trillium  :lol:



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