What to plant

Just about finished my raised beds and filled to about a foot from top, I want to grow veg in them so I've got 2 questions. What is best to go on top, general vegatable mix (manure compost and soil), compost or soil and what is best to plant in the next couple of weeks.
I've just seen some mushroom compost/organic manure, would this be be any good (somebody I work with says you can't beat good horse s**t)

 

I'd suggest a mix of compost and soil. I wouldn't add manure at this stage of the year but some people do put it under their beans so it's an option. Definitely don't add manure now if you want to grow root crops. If this is your first year with a raised bed, start off with easy stuff like beans, lettuce and cabbage (provided you like to eat them of course!).

Raised beds don't need to have much depth. I've grown good veg in two small raised beds which have only one spade's depth of half-decent soil on top of the worst subsoil you could imagine. You'll find that raised beds dry out faster than you can water them!

 

We don't like cabbage or lettuce much, what about beetroot, brocoli and my wife mentioned sweetcorn.

 

Yup, beetroot would be good, I sowed some Boltardy only about 10 days ago and they're coming up strongly. I soaked the seed first and it seems to help. It's more fiddly sowing wet seed, though.

You've still got time for broccoli and sweetcorn if that's what you fancy. You may find that big plants like those need staking. The soil in a raised bed tends to be quite loose because you never walk on it and so a strong wind could blow them sideways.

 

For my 'pennuth'....... you could also still have time for radish. How about dwarf french beans or dwarf broad beans? Courgettes too

 

The raised bed is about 3.5feet high, as my wife and I both have back probems and a dalmation with a liking for vegitation, so I think beans will grow to be a bit tall. But everything else I will consider, thanks for the ideas.
Oh and what about onions and carrots, can they be sown now.

 

I meant dwarf beans kakys2 I am growing both dwarf broad beans and dwarf french beans, and also a dwarf growing pea.... all in containers and they are doing well.Yes you could sow carrots now, but onions might be a bit late, unless you try Spring onions? Good luck and enjoy!

 

My wife plant Beetroot, Brocoli and sweetcorn, before I had a chance. Thanks for the advice, I may be able to squeeze some dwarf beans in, how tall do they grow.

 

If dwarf French beans are in rich soil, they'll grow to at least 2ft (60cms) high and will need support.