raised-bed

 

• beds 1metre wide can be tended from each side

• soil does not have to be trodden on – allowing a perfectly structured soil

• beds at least 1 m high keep pests away – carrot flies cannot fly higher than 0.7metres

• beds are easy to cover with plastic to warm up the soil before planting

• beds are easy to cover with enviromesh to keep the bugs, butterflies & other pests off

• beds are easy to cover with netting to keep birds off

• vegetables are planted close together, and so cover the ground, which means that less weeds will grow.  This reduces competition for veg and means less weeding

• raised beds are easier to water thoroughly

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    * because the soil remains warmer than that in the ground, so the
      growing period is extended
    * by covering plants when frost threatens.
    * by carrying containers indoors when frost is forecast

Click this link for information on how to make raised beds

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1. Mark out the position of the bed. Any size will do – but they should
be no more than 4 foot wide – so that you can reach in to the middle of
the bed from either side

wooden raised bed

2. Prepare the foundations, on which the beds will sit. The soil base
must be firm and level.

3. Collect the materials required. Sides could be made from:

    * wood – which will rot unless treated. Walls of 10 ft boards of 8×2
      pressure treated wood would last.

    * concrete building blocks on edge

    * old roof tiles or slates

    * old bricks on end

    * railway sleepers
    * WigglyWigglers   have       a range of purpose built raised beds

3 Make a frame from the materials & lay the frame on the surface of the
ground Use a spirit level to ensure they are level. Check levels in all
directions – top, back to front and side to side – to ensure the wall is
vertical. Leave gaps between the edges to ensure adequate water drainage.
4. Fill the frame with about 3 or 4 inches of a mixture of peat, well
rotted manure and topsoil, which can be purchased in bags, if not
available. Dig this mixture into the soil below.

5. Make pathways of at least 2 ft. between each bed. A clean path, with
no mud, makes life easier. Duckboards are worth considering.

walkway-components

Read how Sara at Farming Friends has been using her raised beds.

A related article on Extending the Growing Season with raised beds & Containers indicates the advantages of using raised beds.

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