Raised beds

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sandygreen

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Raised beds
« on: March 30, 2010, 13:58 »
I have a new raised bed and have never grown anything in them before.  It is only six inches deep, will this be deep enough for dwarf/runner beans and beetroot.  Any suggestions for what I won't be able to grow in them at that depth?


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mumofstig

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Re: Raised beds
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2010, 14:01 »
Are the beds on top of soil or concrete sandy? it makes a huge difference to the answer  :D

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sandygreen

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Re: Raised beds
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2010, 15:58 »
They are on top of soil, albeit not very good soil

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Jamie Butterworth

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Re: Raised beds
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2010, 16:29 »
Could you possibly fertilize it with maunre or growmore to enrich the soil?
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Goosegirl

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Re: Raised beds
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2010, 16:32 »
At 6" depth you should be able to grow beetroot and lettuce and any other shallow-rooted veg but, if I were you, I'd double-dig - a spade's depth - and fork over the bottom trench adding compost, manure etc, then back-fill. Then you will be able to grow beans and owt else you want as their roots will be able to grow into the full depth required of deep-rooters.
I work very hard so don't expect me to think as well.

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mumofstig

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Re: Raised beds
« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2010, 16:41 »
Even if you can only get your fork into that bottom layer and wiggle it about a bit, it will loosen it up and really increase the depth that your plants can use :)
If you can do this you could grow anything with some feeding (unless you already have manured the top bit of your bed)


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sandygreen

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Re: Raised beds
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2010, 17:23 »
The soil isn't brilliant as it's under a tree but I did grow leeks there over the winter and the majority didn't turn out too bad.  I will do as you suggest and work the soil, it has already had a fair bit of compost put in when I grew the leeks so if I add some more before I put the raised bed in I think it should be OK.  Thanks for the advice


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