[anti]

So I've been reading all the pros and cons and how tos about Raised Beds, they seem to the the easy manageable answer, but the two how tos I've seen suggest just plonking what is essentially an open bottomed box on the law and filling with compost and manure, is this really all there is to it?

I am curious as to whether I will need to dig underneath the box, or if not will doing so be any benefit at all?  If no digging is done where lawn was, will it not affect roots if the sides of raised beds are only 30cm or so high as most guides suggest?

Apologies again for the onslaught of newbie questions, they seem so simple but find it so hard to find answers.  :-s

[richyrich7]

If it was me I would dig over the bottom of the bed, remove the turfs and stack them up side down to rot down, if you don't have any room for that put the turves back into the bottom of the bed again upside down they will rot down and provide nutrients.

[mumofstig]

I would definately take turf off. In April i did one bed taking turf off digging and one just filling up with compost. (Because by the time i'd done the first me back had given up and i thought i'd be lazy )
BUT the bed i didn't do wasnt as productive and had a lot of problems with pests (wireworms i think) and to be honest i'm having to dig it really deeply now and the turfs still not rotted properly its like claggy lumps.

You've got lots of time if you start now to dig your beds just go slowly so you look after your back.

Good luck

[anti]

That's the kind of information I was hoping for!    Would it aid stuff at all if I dug over and pulled weeds and rocks etc from the soil where beds will be even if they are raised?

[richyrich7]

Yes IMHO esp' if your planting deep rooted veg like parsnip etc.