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New Raised Bed
NewBoy2
Posts: 1,813
I have built a raised bed 6 foot by 6 foot by 18 inches to grow carrots
1. What else is suitable to grow in an RB
2.What apart from soil should I add to the bed
3.What experiences have you had from a RB
Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
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I use 50% topsoil 50% well rotted farmyard manure in raised beds.
I find that Swiss chard, Pak choi, Little Gem lettuce and broad beans are all successful - I'm also going to try some autumn-sown peas.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've got a dry stone wall raised bed. In my case it's used as a flower border on the garden perimeter.
I've used all well rotted horse manure in sawdust. It helps that we have an equestrian centre and so have tonnes of it readily available. My friend down the valley has raised bed fruit and veg borders and when they were made earlier this year we took her a couple of tractor bucket loads to fill them. The produce has been amazing.
In addition to what's suggested: beetroot, fennel, asparagus
Dove
Do you mix it all together or manure at bottom and soil on top and if I want to sow carrots would I then have to wait a few months for the manure big bits to break down
Hello, this is my first time of giving advice. Just joined the site.
I moved from a huge garden to my present one, which is only 1/3 of the size. I have always grown some kind of veg and so had three raised beds , which my husband made using Decking boards. Very strong still 8 years later! I have grown with great success, Tomatoes, beetroot, salad leaves, runner beans, courgettes, onion sets, and the odd herbs. I use home made compost (anything and everything from the house) and just mix it in around this time of year. This has always worked well for me. Try all sorts, you have nothing to loose, and the satisfaction is second to none.
I have 4 raised beds for all my veg. crops and you need to be aware that some things like plenty of manure but many don't. Root vegetables in particular i.e. carrots, parsnips, etc will not do well in freshly manured ground as the roots will tend to fork. Legumes (Peas, beans etc) will need plenty of moisture holding compost/manure, as will courgettes, marrows, cauliflower and leafy salad crops. Potatoes will need plenty of organic matter to help against scab. Runner Beans like to have a good base of water retaining compost to a good depth (I dig a double deep trench for my R/Beans every year and fill it with well rotted manure, compost from my previous year's compost bin, shredded paper, straw etc (anything that will hold water) to about 4-6" below where the soil level will be after treading it all down, then backfilling with soil and level off. I then put the bean poles in at this stage to avoid disturbing the plants as they grow, then runner beans are sown/planted in this and they always do very well.
I mix it all together. Make sure you use well-rotted manure rather than fresh, and if you make the bed now it'll be fine to sow carrots in the spring. I find Chantenay carrots grow very well in containers/raised beds and they have a great flavour. http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/vegetable-seeds/carrot-and-parsnip-seeds/carrot-royal-chantenay-heritage/4849TM
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Newboy2,
I have grown veg in raised beds for a number of years, once you use this method you'll never turn back!
Do you just have the one bed? Ideally split the beds 50/50 those mainly topsoil and those with a good deal of manure/compost etc.
This time of year I would use the topsoil bed(s) for winter cabbage/spring cabbage. They need a firm base and good topsoil will do the trick. Space the plants well apart and net for a few weeks and watch out for slugs. After October you can remove the nets if they are well established but watch those slugs..
With the manure richr beds I would look at not planting anything now and cover them up to enable the beds to retain warmth and reduce weeds. Cover with black aerated plastic or if looks aren't important an old woven carpet. Come early March you'll have a weed free warm bed for the young plants.
You can grow anything in beds but I avoid potatoes simply because they take up too much room.
A good bed size is 4ft by 8ft so you never have to stand in them to reach.
If you just have the one bed I would apply a good layer of topsoil and cover for the winter.
Good luck!
Pento
Sorry for delay in replying.....skittles and digging and other frivalous stuff !!
Just have the one bed 6" by 6" and i have just realised I should have done it 4" by whatever for ease of weeding
I have sown 10 " Early Wonder " beetroot for my elderly neighbours who love them...I hate beetroot as its 'orrible stuff.
Also sown 3 garlic cloves to over winter
I put in 2 " of pebbles from my garden then a 2" layer of mulch and then 10" of compost from our Lottie site at £4.00 a barrow which cost in total £52.00
I have allocated the normal beds for all other vegs to a total of 22 types so I will give some thought to possibley a few unusual veg
? Any suggestion for this small bed
The local fox seems to like the smell of the new compst and has tried to bury a garden glove and a hazel nut was placed right inthe centre of the raised bed
Strange things happen on allotments
Unfortunately we found a dead fox last week