[RichardC]

Hi all. Not been on for a long time, but have been busy getting my allotment ready for new season and have also been very busy removing a very large hedge at the front of house.

Removing the hedge has opened up a large area which is not really usable as 'garden' so am giving serious consideration to putting some raised beds in place, which will possibly allow me to give up the allotment and grow 'at home'. I am hoping this will make things easier for me (as I do not have lots of spare time with a full time job and two young children. It should also mean that the whole family can get involved, rather than me toiling alone on the plot (it's a bit basic and no facilities down there so kids don't really like coming).

What I really want to know is would four 8 foot x 5 foot raised beds give enough yield to feed a family of two adults and two small (6 & 4) children. I would not need potatoe beds as they would go into sacks / barrels. Last season I grew quite a large variety of veg, in relatively small amounts and did pretty well and would like to repeat that at home.

What do you all think, would my 'home allotment' be sufficient?

Cheers for any answers and sorry for going on a bit.

Richard

[DavidT]

Believe it or not, Richard, managed properly, a 10ft x 4ft deep bed should produce enough veg to feed a family of 4 for a year. Get yourself a good book on deep bed growing.

[azubah]

Sorry, DavidT, but I can't believe it. I would like to! 10ft x 4ft would only be large enough for 10 sprout plants. I would love to feed just the two of us on a plot that size.

[mumofstig]

10ft x 4ft deep bed should produce enough veg to feed a family of 4 for a year

I would like a book that would show me how to do that David...can you recommend one

Last year I had three 12 x 4 and didn't feed myself all year let alone a family, although everything was quite well packed in. I'd like to see what more I could have done. It would make very interesting reading

[Ice]

Believe it or not, Richard, managed properly, a 10ft x 4ft deep bed should produce enough veg to feed a family of 4 for a year. Get yourself a good book on deep bed growing.

I think you would need all the time in the world.  All the luck in the world. The best soil in the world.  The most organised grower in the world.  The most helpful family in the world and with a bit of luck they don't like a lot of veg.

With the beds you suggest I would think you could provide something home grown the whole year round for your family.   

[DavidT]

I am talking DEEP beds, not RAISED beds. 2 completely different things. With deep beds, you cannot grow brassicas for a start. The likes of onions and beans are planted about 4inches apart rather than 8 inches. carrots would be grown about 2" apart rather than 4", parsnips 4" rather than 8". Potatoes are planted as deep as possible about 9" all round. Then there is crop rotation. Having said all that, I`ve gardened using the deep bed method and had to use more than one. I will try and find the title of the  book I read on the subject.

[DavidT]

We think deep beds are something new, but the Chinese have been using this system for 2000 years.

[Ice]

The OP is asking about raised beds.  With raised beds you also plant closer together at equal distances apart thus getting more veg per square metre.

[DavidT]

With raised beds the soil depth tends to be the depth of the bed to the original soil surface. With deep beds the depth of soil is to the original soil is dug to a spits depth BEFORE the bed is topped up, so you can plant much closer together.

[Ice]

With raised beds the soil depth tends to be the depth of the bed to the original soil surface.

That's a generalisation and definately not true of mine.  All mine have been over ground dug over first and nutrients added.  However, we mustn't hijack this thread debating these things.

[RichardC]

Thanks for replys. So far the consensus seems to be (I think) that the beds would be enough for our needs.

I should have added that the reason for raised beds is that as it would be at the front of the house and in view of our neighbours, we would need to have it looking as neat and tidy as possible. Also, quality of soil is not great, so would be best way of providing some good growing environment.

I would be rotivating ground before building and filling beds on top.

Richard

[DavidT]

With raised beds the soil depth tends to be the depth of the bed to the original soil surface.

That's a generalisation and definately not true of mine.  All mine have been over ground dug over first and nutrients added.  However, we mustn't hijack this thread debating these things.

Then you are growing with DEEP BEDS as opposed to raised beds.

[Ice]

Then you are growing with DEEP BEDS as opposed to raised beds.

[mumofstig]

So far the consensus seems to be (I think) that the beds would be enough for

I think you have that the wrong way round (sorry but disagreements can be confusing)

We all agree that you could provide something for the family all year round but we disagree  on whether it would be

enough yield to feed a family of two adults and two small (6 & 4) children.

[RichardC]

mumofstig - it can get confusing can't it, with so many differant opinons 

I may have worded my original post badly  I am not seeking to become self sufficient, just ensure that I am not going to be wasting my effort (and money!) doing this if I am only likely to get a few meals worth of each crop.

So I will ask the question slightly differantly .... will four raised beds measuring 8 foot by 5 foot be big enought to yield a worthwhile crop?

Richard