has anyone got pictures or a diagram on how to build a raised bed. I have manged to get about 8 pallets and would like to try my hand at diy.
Thanks
Linda
Hi Linda,
I might like to look at these.
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Deep_bed_building.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBcQfxdpUaA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr20eV7szPg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY6OcCke7qM&feature=related
Good Luck
Here's one:
http://www.ahta.org/AHTA%20Raised%20Bed.pdf
and another:
http://www.thetempos.com/raised_beds.htm
There may be instructions in the Wiki here but I can't get into it at the moment ???
have you tried:
www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/raised-vegetable-garden.html
It looks nice and easy, and we're going to try something like this
I have been very lucky to have got tons of pallets form a ex alloment holder, so I wan to make them into my raise beds, I have never built them before so this is going to be fun
I built mine put of pallets ill take some pics tomorrow and post them,
If your going to strip pallets get yourself a hacksaw and a hammer
you need only enough of a gap to get your hacksaw down to the nails
saw the nails and you have clean piece of wood no splits etc,
My husband has got so many tool so I think he has a hacksaw, I would love to see pics jsut to see basically how they turn out
Casey Lee
There is, a much simpler way to do this I think!
I started my first one with corner posts belted into the ground and then get the sides and tops and bottoms on. But that took ages!
Now I have got quite deep scruffy wood from skips and the like all I do is dig a straight deepish trench and back fill with earth. Some of the pictures on the websites you were given show putting newspaper in the bottom - but I woul make sure that you have dug a good depth down before putting paper in as the idea is that the beds are "deep" and so the roots can go down easily. With the paper in the way that would put a few root vegetables off completely!!
Good luck with yours anyway - they are so much easier to look after! I now have got 80% of my 2 lotties with deep beds and life is much easier!
Old Bird
;D
As promised pics of my raised beds made from pallets
(http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee96/mrf94/Photo_021908_001.jpg)
(http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee96/mrf94/Photo_021908_002.jpg)
(http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee96/mrf94/Photo_021908_003.jpg)
(http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee96/mrf94/Photo_021908_004.jpg)
hope these help
mrf94
The corner posts are left high on purpose so i can add another plank and
deepen the bed
mrf94
that's what we did, mrf..now they're 3 or 4 boards high, depending on where they are on the plot ;D
I'm hoping to get mine higher eventually, but I think it will take a while as I have so many beds and so little compost and manure :(
cj :)
thank you for the picture, they look brilliant that exactly what I want to do, lets hope hubby gets them made soon for me. At least I can show him what I am after.
Thank you for that
Linda
Don't forget to leave enough room between the beds so you can walk (two feet minimum, depending on the size of your OH's feet) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Your welcome,
The beds are a measured 2 ft apart side by side, and 3 ft end to end
to allow for the wheelbarrow they are two spade depths down from the base of the wood with a spade depth of hoss muck on top
mrf94
Quote from: caseylee on February 18, 2008, 09:27:22
has anyone got pictures or a diagram on how to build a raised bed.
Have you not thought about lazy beds? I've got three plots and I'd need a forest full of wood to edge all my beds so I built them the lazy way.
Have a look in my gallery and you'll see what I mean. I now have two plots completed and am working on the third that I've just taken on.
I do it the lazy way as well on my two plots, and if i change the layout of the plots as i sometimes do there on dismantling to do. :)
Hi Plot 69
I think your "lazy beds" aka raised beds look marvellous! Bob Flowerdew does his your way! I think that yours is probably the best way as you have the domed effect which allows more light and air to get to the plants whilst allowing more drainage etc. and also allowing you to plant closer together. I think that originally this was the way forward that John Seymour took (although I haven't checked it out recently).
I have done mine with wood because once they are done I don't have to worry about edges and paths between - but yours are certainly impressive and certainly look very neat!
Well done - I should think you should re-picture yours, start a new thread, and those that can't afford the wood or haven't got the skill (like me!!) should copy yours.
Old Bird
::) ;D
Thanks for posting your plot pics. It has given me new ideas, and might save me a few pounds in nails ::)
What do you use for paths P69,i go for old carpet. :)
Quote from: froglegs on February 20, 2008, 11:16:39
What do you use for paths P69,i go for old carpet. :)
I thought about that but there is no electric at my site so I wouldn't be able to use a vacuum cleaner ::)
Seriously though, I've not had the plots a year yet and when I got them they hadn't been cultivated for over 5 years so they were an absolute wilderness. Again see my gallery for the before and after photo's. I've spent most of the winter working bloody hard to get them like that and the paths are just bare earth at the moment.
Quote from: Old bird on February 20, 2008, 10:58:09
Hi Plot 69
I think your "lazy beds" aka raised beds look marvellous!
Well done - I should think you should re-picture yours, start a new thread, and those that can't afford the wood or haven't got the skill (like me!!) should copy yours.
Why thank you kind lady. Whilst I'm happy to take the credit for all the hard work taken to get them like that I can't take the credit for the idea.
Initially I set out to try to get at least one bed completed per visit, that includes marking out, digging weeding and de-grassing. Each bed is 16'x5' and seeing one small bed actually finished and ready to plant at the end of a session is a great deal less daunting than partly digging a tiny part of a whole 165'x17' plot. Always look at what you've done and not what's left to do.
And like forglegs says, changing the layout, size or anything like that is easy.
I have plenty of photo's (Coming up to 500 since I took the plots on) so if anyone wants to see some more I'll gladly upload them if it'll help.
Hi Plot 69
I would avoid putting anything on the paths and keep them as well compacted earth paths. They will not be hidey holes for slugs and the like and they are easily kept weed free with a hoe or whatever. I am not a fan of carpet - although between my wood borders I have wood chips but with yours I would leave them as they are. The only main problem may be when it is wet and they get a bit sticky - but I am sure that shouldn't be a problem!
Your plot is HUGE - I doubt that I would have tackled anything that size. How much do you have to pay for that?
Quote from: Old bird on February 21, 2008, 12:18:37
I would avoid putting anything on the paths and keep them as well compacted earth paths.
I think I am going to keep them as they are. They do get a bit sticky but they soon dry out.
Quote from: Old bird on February 21, 2008, 12:18:37Your plot is HUGE - I doubt that I would have tackled anything that size. How much do you have to pay for that?
Initially I started last March with two standard sized 10 rod plots, each one 165'x17'. The old boy next to me had to give up his two plots a few weeks ago because of health problems so I took on another one... It seemed a good idea at the time. ???
I almost have that one cleared now, it only been uncultivated for 6 months so it's not as hard work as my first two. I know I won't be able to eat all I grow but I'm a foster carer with 5 kids, I have a large group of friends and my Daughters In-Laws were fighting over my surplus last summer so there shouldn't be any waste.
The couple that have taken the other vacant plot next to me are in their 50's and are
total novices. Novices to the point of thinking all the raspberry canes they inherited were weeds and digging up everything except the dandelions because they thought they were parsnips. Needless to say I spend more time tutoring than I do digging when they are there.
For me it's not about the harvesting, it's the growing that I enjoy and for some reason, masochistically maybe, I find digging very therapeutic and the exercise is good for me apparently :-\
I pay about £26 per plot plus £3 a year to some allotment affiliation. That's a great deal cheaper than my Son pays for his gym. It's bloody good soil and worth every penny.
I've been over there every day this week, in frost, snow and thick fog and I've been totally alone every time even though the ground is very easy to dig the way it is at the moment... Can't understand why they're all waiting until summer to do their winter digging ???
You've got a point there; Namissa pays hundreds per year for gym membership, while I pay a little, get it back in veg, and get exercise which is at least as good!
Over in wilthsire we have a swindon card, now this enables any to get discounts dependant on what you earn. Between me and my husband and our wages combined we can only get a little discount. however for my full size plot I only pay 14.90 per year. Now that cheaper than the lettuce and vegetables I buy on a weekly basis. IfI didden't have a swindoncard it would be 28.50 per year. Is that about the right price around the country.
I am selling my excess veggies to pay for seeds/rent etc. I sold a load of Jerusalem Artichokes to a local greengrocer, which otherwise would have been left in the ground and got £22.50 for my trouble. They are also going to take my spare rhuabarb and strawberries and anything else that I care to let them have!
I always grow too much - but it is the fun of it, and my friends and workmates do all right also!
I can't imagine the size of yours though. On our allotments there aren't any that are that big at all!
Good luck with it!
Old Bird
Quote from: Old bird on February 21, 2008, 12:18:37
Hi Plot 69
I would avoid putting anything on the paths and keep them as well compacted earth paths. They will not be hidey holes for slugs and the like and they are easily kept weed free with a hoe or whatever. I am not a fan of carpet - although between my wood borders I have wood chips but with yours I would leave them as they are. The only main problem may be when it is wet and they get a bit sticky - but I am sure that shouldn't be a problem!
I have never had a problem with Slugs and the like under my paths the only problem i have is(apart from what colour curtans to put up in me shed to match ;) ) weeds sometimes sprout up thought it so every 2-3 weeks i turn them over, no sticky paths for me i can garden in me slippers. ;D
Hi Froglegs
I am sure the slugs know your name and keep well away from you and you would probably scoff them!!!
Hopefully you wear your carpet slippers and not your sittingroom or kitchen slippers on the lottie!
The trouble you must have co-ordinating the curtains with your carpets - I really think you deserve a medal!
;D
I do lazy beds as well. I find they are easier to dig, than those with wooden sides. I also only leave 12 to 16" as paths as I have only size 3 feet, and my OH only comes to the allotments to remind me I need to go back home ::)
Over the years I've tried: grass paths, wood chip paths, gravel paths, stone paths, brick and poured concrete to look like brick paths. they've all had a variety of problems. My daughter in law gave me a roll of brown woven plastic path fabric which has ended wasted hours of weeding paths. Has held up two years so far with no problems, no slugs probably because it retains heat. It doesn't look as nice as brick but so much easier to install. It is tough enough to run a wheel barrow down, water runs through it and it does not get slippery.