How do you make a raised veg bed

Mark b,
I wouldnt dig down into the clay at all. Leave it well alone.

 

I've been following this post closely , As i too intend to put raised beds in. I've got the gist but a couple of further questions:
1. Should I put down any membrane before filling the raised beds ? ( The plot Im clearing to use has some well established weeds in heavy clay soil).
2. What mix should I use for soil ? I've envisaged buying some bulk general potting compost, mixing in some sharp sand for drainage, and maybe some good quality topsoil to finish off ?

I plan to grow peas, carrots, runners and broad beans, toms etc as a first effort.

Up till now I've only been growing in pots on patio ( runners & toms ).

Pic of plot as of yesterday:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y56/oktarine/28122006005.jpg

I look forward to your replies. I'm off to light a fire !!!

 

Olwinegum,

looking good mate! I see your garden has been invaded by darleks too!
How effective do you think they are? I have 3 and I never seem to get any compost. They are all full and had the first one nearly a year, though havent looked for a while.

 

Hi Crowley (Val).
The Darleks of which I have a few,are not briliant, I think mainly because when you start to remove compost via the door provided, you undermine the thing and it tips over,, making it difficult to remove small amounts. The Main one I use is a large hexagonal, with, in effect twelve doors each one indapendantly openable.Its larger size means it composts quickly, so I tend to use the Darleks to store compleated compost, which I tend to mix with bark chippings to use as a mulch.
If you use a sprinkling of lime they work quicker (cheaper than the Garotta and the Like) and in my view just as good and also keep the inards moist.
I am sure the experts on this site will soon correct me if they disagree.
ttfn

 

Re the clay. It actually depends on which clay you have got. If it is blue clay then do as Dave W says and leave it alone but if it is red clay then turn it over, red clay has more nutrients than any other soil, including good loam. Do not, however, mix it with your topsoil. David.

 

Dai, Is that reply for me ?

I've re dug the beds and am worried about the clay like structure. this is the third digging / turning over , and each fork full still holds in one piece as i turn it. I thought maybe add some sand ? Any ideas useful with the growing season looking. Thanks

 

Could anyone tell me what kind of soil/compost to use to bulk up a raised bed. I am lucky to have a good loam soil already but I'm not sure what to put in the raised bed to fill it up? Thanks all help welcome. I'm qite chuffed to be discibed as being a 'junior' member at 37 you can't say that very often!!!
Just another thought aren't tannelised planks and pressure treated wood going to contain harmful chemicals?

 

Clay will break up with both frost and roots, but for a raised bed, I'd break it up with as much organic matter as you can (garden compost) and fine grit.

Too fill a raised bed - if you can use your own soil - perfect opportunity to creat a pond :D if not, then for choice I would use top soil

 

PLOT UPDATE:

Having read all the comments regarding raised beds and weeding / weed supression, i decided the way forward was digging and lots of it , to prepare my small plot. Yesterday I managed a 3 hour period of 2nd digging and weeding. Pic of plot afterwards:



The resultant weeds pulled out filled this old washing up bowl twice:

Im hoping now for some rain / frost to further break down the soil. It looks a whole lot better than a few weeks ago (see earlier post), and will hopefully now form a good base for my raised beds. Soil contains loads of worms which i think is a good sign ?

If only I had a pound for every shard of glass I found / removed !

Watch this space for further updates.

[ 15. January 2007, 03:30 PM: Message edited by: michaelmasdaisy ]

 

Well done Oktarine! You've worked hard, that's for sure!

Yes, worms are good news - so long as they're the natives, and not those horrible New Zealand flatworms :eek:

I could go into competition with you about shards of glass removed - and old cans, choc bar wrappers, rusty old wire, vast bits of concrete, unidentified bits of cast iron, cuddly toys, ........ (well, maybe not cuddly toys, but there was a small rubber squeaky toy, but the squeak didn't work any more....)

 

I (well my Dad and me!) have just made some raised beds from some ply wood I had lying around, is this ok for an organic garden. Its looking really good, its been a lot of hard work getting to this stage I dont want to go wrong now?

 

My, did those old tyres come out as well octarine? :D
looking good, well done.

 

Hi old winegum, what soil did you fill your beds with?

 

Hi Sash.
I filled mine with 30 barrow loads of well rotted manure and the remains of three darlek type composters. But remember I have sandy soil and the ground needs it. If your soil is good then all you need is compost and manure added as and when the soil needs improving. You do not have to fill the bed all at once. Its just so you can add each year as it biulds up. The boards are great for pinning down agro-fleese or carrot fly mesh.
ttfn

 

Been reading up a lot on creating your bed and what soil and organic matters you put in. So i was suprised to find out that not all vegtables like manure, Are we ok to use a mixture of good quality topsoil and compost from the garden centres?