[HilaryG]

I have 2 recently constructed raised beds and they are great. My plot is very clay and stoney and I found lettuce, spinach and carrots impossible to grow. The small one is only for salad stuff and is about 4' by 4' and 3 planks high. There was lettuce growing in this all Winter, under net curtains! We used some old floorboards left on an abandoned plot and filled them up with turves (green to green)taken off the plot the previous season, and then leaf mould and my own compost, finally a few bought bags of compost. The big bed is for spinach, perpetual and ord. and some beetroot. It is about 8' by 3'.  So far they've been really successful and the next lot of free wood I  get will be a carrot/parsnip bed.

[Grubbypaws]

I am sorry ICE, my husband bought them for me from T&M as a present. I havent peeked at their brochure but I guess they were a bit pricey.

[digalotty]

im about to try   sqr ft  gardening in my back yard and im in the process of building my raised box or bed if you prefer,   im using untreated 7by2 timber and i have coated the wood with 2 coats of pva glue to seal it this should help it last without any preservatives leaking into the soil.  i will then fill with compost and vermiculite to help retain moisture
this will be my first attempt soany advice appreciated.

love the thread and will keep a close eye for any tips

[The Norfolk Turkey]

Our raised beds (our first foray into gyo) were built at easter.

Made of decking planks (on offer at well known diy store - bargain) screwed into timber posts to make boxes 8 and 5 ft long, both two ft deep and two ft wide - we went for extra depth because our soil is actually clay and rock and also so our boys could reach in easy; 2 ft width as they run up against the fence and any wider would be too far to stretch! Both were lined with a breathable liner.

Only after construction did we realise quite how much soil we'd need, (2 sq metres = 2 tonnes!!) so we bought sterile top soil and compost from a local company - a bit pricey, but good quality, delivered quick and no nasty surprises lurking (clubroot etc).

Weve been quite generous with spacings, but having been to RHS Harlow Carr recently and seen their kitchen garden - theyve got everything well packed in and made the most of the space!

Our most recent addition is kids hula hoops, cut in half to make a frame for netting to go over!!

Would include pics, but have been scared to go into the garden after the torrential rain - I might get battered to death (just like the spuds  !!)

[peapod]

I have one raised bed..ridiculously raised TBH, its at least 20", and far away from my lotty specifically for my carrots and snips. Its in my garden and costs total about £140 for a 4ftx8ft (I think - old sleepers plus good topsoil) Sounds expensive and it was, but it needed to look pretty and we get through so many snips/carrots that it will pay for itself eventually

Although my carrots arent ready yet I checked a couple this weekend, and Im massively impressed by the size they are now, and they are 4 weeks behind even baby carrots...I wouldnt do raised beds on my lotty as I dont feel the need (yet), but this garden one has been a treat for me. I can go out and check something every day (its the best weeded raised bed currently in the world  ) I would always consider raised beds in the future

[poultrygeist]

I've made 3 raised beds in the lawn. Old pallet wood approx 3' x 8' x 4" high so far. We have good soil so I didn't go higher but hope to raise a bit more. I just stripped the turf off in late winter, forked over the topsoil and left it for the birds to pick at for wrigglies and the frost to break down a bit. In spring, I dug in a bit of old compost, topsoil from elsewhere in the garden and a bit of rotted manure.

We've had a good crop of peas, got some onions in another which had already grown a bit of chinese veg and a mixed bag in the 3rd.

Spacing is very close and they don't seem to be suffering. I'll dig in lots of compost in autumn and some more in spring. Obviously, I don't know what I'm doing but will be following the wisdom of the forum as and when.

Rob

[Nasca]

I have 4 10x4 raised beds and 1 traingular one to fit space.  They are made from pressure treated 2"  timber and 8" deep. Originally a lawn I removed the turf and dug a spit deep placing upturned turves at the bottom.  My  husnband made the frames adn then the beds were filled with bought top soil and then my own compost added at regular intervals.  the first year the soil drained too fast as there was not enough humus but now the soil looks good and everything is thriving.

Planting is closer than normal with good results but I wish I had more space as there is always more I want to grow!  As the plot is North the tomatoes, cucumbers etc have to go the other side of the house on the full sun but the North side has surprised me as to how well things flourish as long as we have fairlly good weather!

Because the beds are effectively 16" deep I am getting good carrots, but have not had much luck with parsnips so far, they never even germinated this year.
this is my first year growing corn too.

My gardening is very much " what feels right after reading lots of books!"

[sunshineband]

Ours are 2m by 1m so I can reach all round easily ( and so can most children except very short ones  )

Stripped off the turf from the field and stacked to rot down, and filled beds with top soil bought from Dandy. Sides are decking boards with corner pegs. Rows run across short sideways so can fit a lot in and there is no problem with tall stuff on the outside and short stuff in the middle 

Paths are grass 1m wide as can barrow through easily when crops overhang.

Brilliant crops so far - first earlies, beetroot, french beans, all sorts of saladings, purple carrots, and summer broccoli. Onions look good, runners, pumpkins, sweetcorn and cabbages are awesome.

Can't recommend highyl enough.

[Ice]

Any chance of some photos?

At the risk of boring everyone here are mine once again.  First photo is of construction, second is of netting with blue water pipe.

[sunshineband]

This one was taken in March. You can see the construction Ok but the pipes to hold what became the minpolytunnel are a bit wonky --- one of the hazards of working with children 

Yours look great, Ice. We did the sdame as you and built the whole thing, peglegs and all before siting it and burying the legs. Hleped keep it squared up.

[Roughlee Handled]

sunshineband is your constructed from decking boards?

[Biddy]

We got our allotment in February and decided to do the whole plot in raised beds with pathways in between them.  We bought scaffolding planks at £2 each and made them 8 ft x 4ft (only because the majority of the planks were in 8ft lengths and there would be no waste).  We have got some larger ones 12ft x 4ft and a couple of smaller ones 4ft x 4ft.  When it is finished we will have 4 x large ones, 10 x medium ones and 2 x small ones.

We lined each one with plastic to try and save the wood from rotting but it also had another effect which we weren't banking on - it made the soil warmer as it seemed to insulate it.

We are total novices on growing but everything that we have put in is growing great and all the other people seem to be commenting on how much further on our veg is than there's.  Since then more and more people seem to be buying the planks!

We also managed to make a pirate ship with some of the planks - the kids think it's great!

[mark.carline]

.....We bought scaffolding planks at £2 each...

Just curious - Where did you get yours from ??

[Biddy]

A bloke in Liverpool.  I found him on ebay.  I can give you his number if you like.  Depending on how many you want and how far you live away he sometimes charges £10 for delivery.

[mark.carline]

A bloke in Liverpool.  I found him on ebay.  I can give you his number if you like.  Depending on how many you want and how far you live away he sometimes charges £10 for delivery.

Nice one - its the same guy I got mine from (mad friendly scoucer bloke!)

I thought I regognised the wood