Topic: Raised beds or open ground

[Mrs Ava]

I am a non-raised bedder.  I attempt to use almost all of the workable ground of both of my plots, so by the end of the summer, there are no paths as such, more stepping stones.  I am constantly growing more things than I have planting areas for, so I need to fork over paths. 

I also have sprogs (6 and 7), so I can really see the benefit of having proper paths that they can keep to.  Mine don't accompany that often in spring as I go when they are at school, so come summer when harvesting and they are with me, I am not so worried about where they are treading, and for me, it is all part of them learning what is what, where they can walk and not and so on.

I was reading Grow Your Own mag, sub from the inlaws gave me for my birthday, and I read a letter about using tanalised timber for edging raised beds.  The chemicals used are copper, chromium and arsenic.  The arsenic will slowely leach into the soil and in turn, into the veg.  They suggest planting veg at least 1 foot away from any timber.

[Curryandchips]

I would prefer just to use none-tanalised wood. Makes a mockery of supposed organic approaches. Only my point of view of course, I burned the soap box a long time ago !!!

Derek

[moonbells]

We've had some interesting discussions on raised beds in the past so if you hunt through the A4A archives, you'll find many points of view. I'm most definitely in favour, given a) back trouble b) sloping site (you can terrace!) and c) easy to cover in winter.
You needn't lose much space to paths: the books I read said to make them wide, for wheelbarrows etc. I ignored this, and made mine approximately 15" wide. My beds are wider than the usually-quoted 4' (1.2m): I went for 5' instead (1.5m). So I get a very high crop density for not much space lost. Oh, and I can still get a wheelbarrow down to them - the wheel goes in the path, and the rear legs drop into the beds each side!

some previous discussions on them:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,22226.0
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,18312.0
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,20715.0
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,10503.0

and a couple I started:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,19371.0
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,24270.0

moonbells

[Garjan]

The raised beds do look nice and ordered. But none of the arguments can convince me to sway from open ground to raised beds.
- Drainage: I grow on sand. Do need to add compost and other stuff, but flooding?small chance.
- Levelling: In the Netherlands??? Although I grow in an area called (literal translation) Utrecht hill ridge, you Brits would still consider this flat. And rightly so.
- To prevent back from aching: No experience yet, but can imagine that this might one day become a valid argument.
- To prevent kids from trampling the vegs: I'm with EJ. They are not often there when there are seedlings. Come harvest time, they need to learn what is what and to be careful with their potential food.

My main argument against raised beds is the one EJ mentioned: I just want to grow more than I've got space for!
So every year I make a proper lay out with beds and paths. And at the beginning June, when even the tropical stuff goes outdoors, my beds are brimming and I need to broaden my beds. My paths become more narrow and I sometimes lose the path and end up with stepping stones.

[moonbells]

That's the nice thing about lotties - everyone does things to suit themselves.  And one person's argument for would quite easily be another's argument against.

I'd love a flat plot with sandy soil to grow fantastic carrots and parsnips on! But the grass (or brassica!  ;D ) is always greener on the other side. We have what we have, and make it work somehow.

moonbells

[kt.]

My plot is divided into an even 4 quarters for planting at the moment. Paving / patio slabs and sleepers make the paths for this. This is good for working out ground areas for crop rotation. The only beds I have at the moment are for strawberries. May do some for carrots but gonna try out the ground first.