raised beds should we or should'nt we

[mememe72]

Hi all have been to the allotment today to finish shed and have been talking to a couple of the other people down there about what they do and dont do and was wondering on peoples thoughts on raised beds.  I was thinking they might be a good idea as sean still being only 10 is not keen on digging and if we put some raised beds in for him to look after it might keep his interest a while longer than if we dont.  Not sure if the added expense would be worth it in the end.  Would just like to know what other people thought on the idea and would you have to treat the way you kept these veg differently to how you keep ground grown ones.
Thanks

[mememe72]

[kt.]

If you do a search on this forum there are loads of threads on this topic.  I only have 2 raised beds and they are for my strawberries.  My allotment itself is divided into 8 other equal sized beds but not raised beds - just divided boundaries by paths.  If you suffer from flooding then they are certainly a good idea. It is personal preference. This is how my lottie beds are laid out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11143767@N08/sets/72157601277970277/

[asbean]

Six years ago when we first got our plot I planned on having one raised bed.  We double dug the whole plot and planted in traditional rows, the trodden down bits between the rows had to be dug up at the end of the season, and the weeds didn't understand where they weren't supposed to grow. Then I found a source of plenty of scaffold boards, and over the course of a year I managed to build 15 raised beds.  Since then we've been mulching with manure (MORE THAN SIX YEARS OLD LOL) and regularly weeding, and now we have no digging to do.  We have three beds which are not raised and I HATE them.

We have grass between most of the beds (stones between the others) and it can be a drag strimming, but only if it gets out of hand. I've managed to train my family into taking a strimmer at each visit during the summer, a lot can be done on one charge of the battery.

Good luck with whatever you choose, I know a lot of people don't go for raised beds, and my family were a bit sceptical at first, but now love 'em.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

[BAK]

Raised beds do not necessarily have to cost you anything.

We have three plot holders with raised beds on our site (including myself) who do not use wooden surrounds or bark or weed suppressant material for the paths.

A bit of soil gradually falls off the sides of the beds over the season but only enough to disguise the fact that the paths are covered with old carpet! Twice a year (late autumn and end of winter) we simply lift the carpet and shake it so that the soil goes back onto the bed.

[taurus]

I'm on clay which the last 2 years have been flooded.  The only things that survived where grown in raised beds.  This year we're putting in more of these. 
leaving one plot for spuds/brasica's ect, but still raising the level a little by putting well rotted compost on top. The new raised beds will have a thick layer of cardboard before putting in well rotted compost, as the weeds still appear no matter how deep the beds.
There may be firms that will be glad to give you pallets.  I'm a bit of a womble, always looking for what others may chuck out.  If you've got a scaffolding firm in town it may be worth calling in to and asking.  Or a reclamation yard. Building sites are good for the one ton bags, they make great raised beds for carrots/parsnips as they have the depth for roots.  What ever you do good luck.

[Lauren S]

My plot is on quite a slope and I wanted to retify this by using raised beds. Once I put in the hard work of clearing the plot I was determined not to have any of the hard digging to do in future seasons.
My new half plot has been marked out. As soon as the ground unfreezes it too will have raised beds made out of scaffold boards.

Lauren  :)

[manicscousers]

our site was under water 3 months of the year so we had no choice, pics in our gallery if you fancy a look  :)