Topic: Another raised bed question.....

[fozzylozzy]

We're currently having a loft conversion and I have asked the builders to keep all decent sized bits of my roof for raised beds. After only 2 days on the job they have *given* me 2 thick 4m lengths of 122 year old roof beams.... ;D 8)

I have looked at the Wiki about raised beds, so am a bit more clued up. But how many raised beds should I be aiming at, at what size bearing in mind I have a smallish plot? Do I do a raised bed for each vegetable group, or do I have a couple for each?

Thanks.

Louisa xx

[MikeB]

Your raised bed shouldn't be more than 4 foot wide, the length is a personal choice on how far you are willing to walk to get around it.  If you venture into square foot gardening, there the beds are worked out in multiples of 4 foot(s). e.g. the beds are 4 foot, 8 foot, 12 foot or 16 foot long. 16 being pretty much the maximum. Even if you don't sfg, you will be block planting (since this is one of the main reasons for using raised beds) and hence the lengths given help with this.  The number of beds you end up with and therefore how many you devote to each veg group depends on the size of your plot.

[John_H]

I found that I started off making the beds too wide and the paths too narrow.

The exact size of bed width is a personal preference based on how easy you find it to reach over and work in the middle of the bed without needing to stand on other parts of the growing area.

I have no idea how many raised beds you should be aiming at though Fozzy, though I have turned all my plot over to beds including the soft fruit section.

because you don't need any space to stand on the beds, you will be aiming to plant as close together as possible and blocking out any room which weeds would otherwise grow in (though not planting so close together  that the plants become cramped and can't reach the size you want them too.

By the way, I'm in the process of taking the wood off some of my raised beds  and just marking the boundaries out with string and pegs. This is just a trial but I want to see if it helps reduce slug numbers and gives the rove beetles and slow worms a bit more of a free run of the plot.

[fbgrifter]

lean across and measure how far you can reach.  your beds width should be no more than double this.  i find 4 ft too far to reach comfortably.  my new beds are 1mx5m.  2 beds for each food grp, 8 beds in all.  my sons are only 50cm wide.  best to get them running north to south too.

[supersprout]

Hey fozzy, have you done a plan of your plot?
I just marked it all out into beds (had to be east-west, but if you can do it north-south, that's best!) My compost bins are 1m wide and sit on the ends of the beds, and I will move them around to nourish different bits of the beds.
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If you lay out the beds string and stakes, you'll see how your whole plot looks and whether you're happy with it. The only restricting factor is the length of your arms and the size of you squatting on the paths ;D If you standardise your beds, you can have standard crop protection hoops and netting so you can save money and move them around where you want them.

You can crop rotate whole beds (good for estimating yield) or grow patches of stuff on one bed for prettiness, or to fill gaps. Best to grow tall stuff on the north side of the plot where it won't create shade. Beds are very flexible and manageable.

Like John H, I reduced my bed width from 1.25m recommended by Joy Larkcomb, where they started in May, to 1m wide which my arms are happier with. This means wider paths, but no problem e.g. squash can always crawl down them and save space on the beds. I don't edge my beds once made (or dig), but just tidy up by scraping the weeds off paths when they show, and smugly believe this is why I don't have many slugs (no hotel).

This year I'm going to experiment with newspaper plus mulch (straw) on the paths, and planting annuals around the edges for more fun ;D No end to the fun you can have with beds, enjoy!

[katynewbie]

:D

Great explanation Sprout, and lots of useful info. Thanks for the idea about bin at the end of a row, will be doing that myself!!

 ;D

[supersprout]

thank you katy, I used to be embarrassed that my bins were not home made from a few splintery pallets, but Not Any More  8)  ;)
If you like the compost bins in the pic, (they are now £30 each, used to be £25 :'() they are at
http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=&products_id=9

[fozzylozzy]

Thankyou all.

I have taken the wood up to the lottie today and have constructed 2 wonky raised beds!!  ;D

It was blimmin hard work, but we'll give them a go and see what happens!

Louisa x