[teflon]

What are the advantages of using raised beds?Is it simply easier than trying to incorporate "good" soil into heavy clay or chalk?.The reason i ask is that on my plot there seems to be what i would call good dark soil for about 8 inches,then you hit heavy clay.Is this  deep enough for  potatoes,carrots etc?

[peapod]

Ice is our very own expert in this and she swears by them. Some love them and they do have advantages, especially for poor soil/bad drainage. I was going to go for them but managed to get my drainage problems sorted (for now) but will definately look at them in future if needs be. Your soil sounds good for what you want to plant, but only you know the quality and the drainage issues

[Ice]

Raised beds are not to everyones liking but I love mine.  I have heavy clay soil on a layer of yellow clay that is like concrete.

There are many advantages to raised beds.  Drainage is improved and you obviously have a greater depth of soil to work with.  You can also plant closer together and use equal spacings all round.  What you lose on the paths you make up with greater productivity.

The downside is that you might have to buy materials to make them unless you are lucky enough to know where to get them free.

[Bombers]

Not for roots Teflon, but Tatties you earth up.
Raised beds are great if you suffer with poor drainage, or lack of topsoil. Your yield is higher per sq ft in RB's as well. Plus, as you don't walk on or compact the soil, there's no need to dig (although I like to give mine a fluff' when I add my manure)
 They are great for certain crops, but for things like potatoes/sweetcorn/sprouts, then perhaps not ideal. So I have adopted a mix 'n' match approach.

[MoreWhisky]

IVe made one  small raised bed and in the process of making another, my question is what works best in raised beds as still not decided what to put in em?

Cheers 

[teflon]

  Right,thanks for all the  advice. Unfortunately this raises another question for me.
  I've had some conflicting advice from a couple of people on the allotment ie: simply build a frame &fill it with soil,as above but use cardboard or straw first and also use sand/shingle for drainage.What do you think?
  Thanks in advance
  

[Ice]

If you have 8" of good soil why waste it buy putting down cardboard first.  Build your bed and dig over the good soil you have.  Sharp sand is what I use for improving drainage and I built up the level with layers of topsoil, compost, sand and manure.  (Manure depends on what you plan to grow).  Some spare topsoil can be found by digging out paths between beds and using that.

[teflon]

Thanks again to everyone.

[woodburner]

Have you heard of lazy beds? Arguably not as neat as raised beds but more flexible, easier to set up, and does not involve the purchase (or scavenging ) of wood or topsoil.

[Bombers]

Have you heard of lazy beds? Arguably not as neat as raised beds but more flexible, easier to set up, and does not involve the purchase (or scavenging ) of wood or topsoil.

Any pictures Woodburner! 

[Ice]

Lazy beds are good, but only 8" of topsoil restricts what you can grow.

[senrab_nhoj]

Lazy beds are good, but only 8" of topsoil restricts what you can grow.

But if you go this route you can soon build up the level.. especially if you dig the 8" out from the paths and put on the beds

[woodburner]

Lazy beds are good, but only 8" of topsoil restricts what you can grow.

Teflon is starting off with 8" when it's level, so scooping out the paths onto the beds should give around 12" on the beds which is fine for most things, except prize winning 'snips ofc

The best pic I have seen is in Bob Flowerdew's book "The no work garden" He has 40 of them!
On the net I can only seem to find ancient disused ones like this  
I guess I'm going to have to borrow Mum's camera again  

[Ice]

Lazy beds are good, but only 8" of topsoil restricts what you can grow.

But if you go this route you can soon build up the level.. especially if you dig the 8" out from the paths and put on the beds

Isn't that exactly what I said in my previous post.

[Ice]

Teflon is starting off with 8" when it's level, so scooping out the paths onto the beds should give around 12" on the beds which is fine for most things, except prize winning 'snips ofc

[/quote]
Look at my previous post.  Think I already said to do that.