what size to make my beds?

[Crystalmoon]

Hiya, me again with another newbie question  ;)
In one area of my plot I cant decide whether to make 10 or 12 small beds of about 3 metres by 1m or to go for 4 very long beds of about 6metres by 1.5metres. I cant reach across more than about 1.5 metres comfortably so cant really make them any wider than this.

I plan to grow small amounts of alot of different things as this is my first year & everything is an experiment  ;D

What do you think would be the better layout?

[Crystalmoon]

[grawrc]

probably better with shorter beds as, if you have to keep walking the full length of the long ones to get to the other side/ next bed, it can become very tedious.

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks thats a really good point. I hadnt even considered the walking around the large beds aspect of things....see im such a newbie  ::)

 

[AndrewB]

I agree its really irritating having to walk round.  Also make sure you can kneel down between them, space between them should be about the length between your knee and foot

[real food]

I would always go with the bigger size, so much easier to work. Have a look around allotments and you will see that the experienced plotters go for really big beds. The new plotters go for tiny beds and waste so much space on paths.

[Crystalmoon]

AndrewB thanks for the advice about path width I would never have thought to measure it using my own legs yet it makes such perfect sense....I am such a muppet I only left about 15 inches between each bed on my sketch  :-[      Ha!Ha! would probably be more like 8 small beds rather than the 10 or 12 I originally imagined.

[posie]

Mine are 20ft long and at most 6ft wide, with a 2ft wide path between each bed. However I've discovered that 6ft is just a little bit too wide for my reach so next year I may well amend this down to 5ft and slightly reduce the path width.  :D

[Crystalmoon]

Hi there real food, yes I was wondering about all the path wastage if I do short beds. Now Ive realised how wide the paths actually need to be to allow for kneeling between beds I am tempted to go with the long beds & put up with the extra exercise walking around them gives me as I have heaps of weight to lose anyway  :D  

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks posie yes if I go for long beds they will be about the same length as yours but I would also have them no wider than 5ft. Do you use the square foot gardening approach within the large beds? 

[posie]

Do you use the square foot gardening approach within the large beds? 

Nope! I use the "sling it in at approximately where I think it should be and preferably in a straight line" approach!!!! rofl - to say it's unscientific would be an understatement  ;D ;D ;D

[sazhig]

I did long beds on my plot with a stepping stone in the middle for when I am feeling lazy & ca't be bothered to walk round ;D