Raised beds in greenhouse

Hello,

I'm building a greenhouse this spring (8x16ft) on a 600mm dwarf wall. I am going to build raised beds along each side but need to make decision as to whether these will be sealed with a concrete base or open to the ground below. Does anyone have any advice? I'd be growing annual veg down two sides and possibly a vine or peach tree at the back gable end.

Thanks!

Tim

I ve a 12 x 8ft down the sides ive made 2 beds 3ft x 12ft with a path right down middle I had great crops in there last year growing in beds straight in the ground ,I did an experiment with tomatoes did two plants in large buckets in the ghouse and the toms in the beds were far better than those in tubs

Rotating your crops in the same way as you would in open ground will help reduce the possibility of soil borne diseases continuing.

You can also dig out and exchange soil from time to time, as well the usual feeding with manure and compost of course

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm erring on the side of beds open to the ground; my concerns are to do with build up disease in the soil, damp and having to change the soil a lot. Although bigger crops and less watering would make changing the soil worth it I think!

Disease build up in the soil would just be limited to club root and other similar soil disease problems. If your beds are raised up enough, you have dug deep enough to ensure good drainage by adding sharp sand and/or grit into the bottom spit, then damp shouldn't be a problem, though you might get some mossy stuff on top in winter. I would only change your soil if you intensively grow only one type of plant and only then if it seems a bit "tired."

My GH has paving slabs where I stand by the shelving - i.e. not down the middle, and is far nicer to stand on. They are on top of shingle which has a weed membrane underneath (note - weed seeds brought by your cats will still grow there). On the other side is my raised bed. I think if you use the ground you will get wormies and other things to supplement your growing rather than on relying on what you have used as a growing medium in your pots. As to digging in your space, you should only have to do any major stuff once, then just top up as neccessary.

Open beds do drain quite well as the deep beds surrounded with scaff boards  warm up so they never get to wet but can dry out quicker so always water well in really hot weather

Quote from: 3 allotments on January 30, 2014, 22:57

Open beds do drain quite well as the deep beds surrounded with scaff boards  warm up so they never get to wet but can dry out quicker so always water well in really hot weather

Am going to build a brick retaining wall to the raised beds (well it will be one bed that goes round sides) and line soil side of wall with plastic membrane - that should stop absorption and then evaporation through stone.

Good thinking Batman!