benefit of raised beds

[bud]

After finding most of my plot under water after the mega wet summer of 2007,I changed over to raised beds.have been down to the allotment today to find most people under water ,but thanks to my raised beds no such problem.It was hard work at the time but well worth it now.

[dotcommon]

i think that raised beds turn allotmenteering from farming to gardening. i never looked back - they enable you to keep weeds at bay, tackle small areas at a time, and not to get overwhelmed by the whole thing. i cultivate less land than before putting in raised beds but get lots more from them.

[Teen76]

I have to agree with you dotcommon. I've only had my plot for a year and my first year was a bit of a disaster when it came to the weeds. I've divided my plot up into separate beds now and already feel more on top of things. I'm hoping it stays that way throughout the year.

[jlottie]

I don't have "raised" beds but my large plot is spit into 12 beds of different sizes, all edged with wood. It is so much easier to plan and look after. I've used mypex inbetween the beds which keeps down the weeds. I suppose eventually the beds will fill up as I add manure and compost over the years. Its just about ready for planting

[dotcommon]

wow what a fab looking plot! there is something so pleasingly neat about raised beds. it is worth checking with your local council what they do with shredded branches and stuff that they cut off of trees in the district. we did that and now we get free bark chippings and shreddings left each week at the gates of our allotments which are great to spread over paths or supress weeds around hedges. its fab!

[inishindie]

Fantastic looking beds jlottie



The benefits of raised beds are:
They drain more freely if the ground is wet.
They warm up faster in spring, allowing for a longer growing season.
They are more accessible to people with disabilities.
It’s easy to modify the soil in a raised bed to suit the plants you are growing.
They are perfect for small plots.
They prevent soil compaction, as you don’t have to walk on the soil.


I would recommend anyone to have raised beds and they don't need to be a lot of work either. If you have a space free in the garden you can make a simple rectangle bed from any planks of fencing panels. Place newspaper over the are of ground then place the rectangle over it (you might have to strim if the weeds or grass is very long. Then get some weed free soil, fill up the bed and there you have it... An instant veggie patch and not a weed in sight.

Alternatively you could use the plastic sheeting shown in the photo's and put it down for a year to kill off the weeds (docs still might have to be dug out, but that's it.)

Gardening made easy......

Cheers

Ian