I'm thinking of going down the route of having rasied beds as my lottie was covered with weeds and nettles over 3ft high and after strimming them down the plot holder at the side of me decided to rotavate with a tractor thinking he was doing me a favour he decided to rotavate mine at the same time (was not happy) if I go down the rasied bed route what is the best thing to put in the bottom so the 1000,s of little weeds I have now won't grow through into my raised beds these are old allotments which have not been touched for at least 10yrs as I know of which then came up in the village and I got one any help or advice would be helpfull
a layer of cardboard and a thick layer of wet news paper
http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/raised-vegetable-garden.html
hope this helps
windy
I think you still need to dig the area over before you start creating your raised beds.You need to get rid of all the roots.However much you dig the soil will have loads of seeds in it,ready to pop up next spring.I know some people put stuff in the bottam,I never did on mine.I want good drainage.Then filled up with manure and top soil.I am lucky,one of my customers owns several horses so I have a good supply.At the end of the season I gave them a good forking as I was concerned that the ground at the base would create a kind of pan.
I am really pleased with my raised beds,I have heavy clay,very wet plot.Good luck.
we did the same as windy, but we loosened the soil and took out the pernicious weeds, covered with thick cardboard..filled over the top with well rotted manure and soil, our beds are between 8 and 18" high now, as we keep topping up with manure or spent compost from the carrot/parsnip beds every year, and we mulch all year ;D
we needed this as the beds flooded, the paths are flooded now :o
Can I ask you manics,do you think the cardboard has stopped the beds draining.This is why I opted to go the way I did or do you think I was being over cautious?
there was none left the summer after, we planted spuds in them and there wasn't a trace, I now cover the tops of the beds with card, then weed control,in winter, it's amazing how much the worms eat , any left just goes on the compost heap ;D
you do get some slugs under the cover but we just take it off a few days before we plant into it, the soil is warmer , no weed and ready to plant into..the birds eat any slugs or eggs as they are on the surface, hope that makes sense ???
Yes ,surprised it disappeared that quick.I do cover at the end of the season.
i had a very weed and grass infested garden. i built my beds put them in place then i only dug out the weed roots that were growing in the allocated bed space.
i also second Manics on the cardboard layer. what i did when i was digging over the bed space was to sift the soil into a barrow (saving any worms and removing any nasties such as wireworm which lived off of the grass roots) then i put a layer of thick cardboard in the bottom of the bed and replaced the soil and compost/ mushroom compost which ever one i had at the time of bed construction. and yes the cardboard does rot down quickly to nothing the only thing i come across from time to time is the sellotape that might have been used on the original box which is easily lifted out and thrown away.
i also attempt to cover my empty beds with cardboard over the winter (i say attempt because the neighbourhood foxes think it put it there for them to put great big hole into it ::) >:()
again on your foot paths just cover with a weed suppressing fabric and bark chippings (don't forget you could also use some of the soil from the paths to help full the beds.
hope this makes sense and helps :-\ :).
Some good ideas thankyou
My raised beds are in the attempt to go down the shall we say "minimum" dig route.
I top my beds with a thick layer of well rotted (aiming at 2yrs) manure covered with cardboard which I soak well with water then cover with black polythene. When I remove polythene most of the cardboard and the manure has miraculously disappeared, I know this will happen but it amazes me every time! I remove whats left to the compost bin. The soil that's left is lovely friable stuff, I will get weeds through out the season but I am getting it under control , I'm in my third year :) :)
Johno
Although the rotovating has chopped up the weed roots, it has also loosened the soil, making it easier for you to dig, and remove the smaller root pieces. As the soil is loose, you can then dig out the path areas and use the soil to raise up your beds.