Topic: Finished raised beds - at last!!

[moonbells]

Title says it all - I started edging my second half plot in winter 2004/5 and managed to get all the possible beds done by last autumn; they worked so well I then started on proper edging of my first half, which had been just bits of recycled timber to try and stop the water run-off down the slope. Been at this since January and though it's cost a fair bit for rough-cut non-treated timber, I'm hopeful I won't have to replace any for a few years.

Reasons I have raised beds: duff back, diagonally sloping plot so water runs off quickly, and very free draining soil. They work for me!
Plot 1:


This isn't me, that's my mate who helped with the last push to get it done!
Plot 2:


I wasn't as careful to level the beds when I started it all, as is obvious in the second photo's right hand side where I began, but I'll get it sorted when I eventually have to start replacing them. But you can see how bad the slope is!

moonbells

[supersprout]

Wow and wow again moonbells  :o :o :o you must feel so proud! It looks immaculate, well worth the hard work. You got your beans in already? :P Love the sitting area too, glad you haven't forgotten the essentials ;) ;D

[marjrie]

Looks really good and so very tidy  :)

[tim]

Just love raised beds.

[moonbells]

Wow and wow again moonbells  :o :o :o you must feel so proud! It looks immaculate, well worth the hard work. You got your beans in already? :P Love the sitting area too, glad you haven't forgotten the essentials ;) ;D

No beans yet! Just poles on plot 1 as they were tripping me up... and sweet peas in the foreground of plot 2.  The seeds are still contemplating the infinite in their packet...  I won't sow them until I get back from my travels. Plenty of time! The one thing I've learned since I got my lottie is not to plant too early... hence the origins of the diary.  Tells me if I needed to sow earlier or later.

Sitting area is loads of the flint I dug out... plus an old galvanised water tank with several non-intended holes in it, that makes a nice seat! Good park for the butane stove too!

There's two more raised beds (the ones I did last autumn) behind the shed, and the last bit of ground spare up there is possibly going to get a pond. I rather fancy the idea of my own slug hunter hotel :)

Only things out there so far are spuds, alliums and roots with a few lettuces in case they want to grow! Oops sorry and red cabbages which went out only yesterday after some weeks in the cold frame. 

RIGHT, back to pricking out all the cosmos... today's an indoor gardening day.

moonbells

[lorna]

Moonbells, you have certainly been working hard , the proof is in the look of your allotment. Wish you real good results, you certainly deserve it.
Lorna

[Hyacinth]

It all looks wonderful. Many congrats. Your compost bin looks the bizz as well. Now how can you NOT grow wondrous stuff with brill raised beds like those.

All the best, Lishka

[Anne Robertson]

Looks fab, so organised, well done. ;D

[katynewbie]

;D

Overused word, but appropriate here...

AWESOME!!

You have done so much work, you must be really proud of it.

 ;D

[tabbycat]

Moonbells,

That looks amazing! Thank you for posting the photos - I have been in despair this weekend of ever getting anything done. They're really inspirational. :)

Tabbycat xx

[moonbells]

It all looks wonderful. Many congrats. Your compost bin looks the bizz as well. Now how can you NOT grow wondrous stuff with brill raised beds like those.

All the best, Lishka

All too flipping easily, sadly! Best laid plans of mice and men. There's always something which won't grow! 

The chickenwire bin's leaf mould - have several sycamores overlooking the house which rain leaves to at least ankle deep in autumn, so after years of keeping them in bin liners in the garage (!) I decided they were going to get a proper home.

They ought to come in handy for mulching this summer. As long as I don't end up with too many sycamore seedlings...  :o

Anyway, just wanted to show the folk who are struggling with beds that it may take a year or few but it's worth it in the end. Even if I do trip over the carpets a lot...

moonbells (with her fingers crossed!)

[vee]

That's just fabulous!!!
Well done , you must have worked so hard to get it done. It looks idyllic with the tree in blossom.

[Alimo]

Moonbells - it looks lovely, well done you.  What a sense of achievement you must have!!

Alison

[moonbells]

Thanks - the only problem now is what next?

Though I expect that when I get back in a couple of weeks, that will be finding a machete and going after the weeds! Just hope this year we don't get the dreadful frosts we had last May, which flattened a lot of my poor spuds. Mind you. planted them so late I don't expect them to show for a week or two yet.

moonbells