On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 10:09:30 +0100, Janet Tweedy
wrote:
Where can I get specifically on raised beds for growing vegetables?
There's a couple of things I can't find details on.
For instance
1. When the sleepers are down and nailed, how full do they have to be
with soil? Up to the top or about three inches down?
you can mound the soil in the beds as it will settle anyway, just
don't mound all the way to the garden edge. eg.,. my gardens are
generally 10"s high but the medium can be up to around 14"s or so
high.
2. Should the beds be west to east or north to South?
i find north/south works well that way it doesn't matter waht you
plant where they all get a fare shke of the sun as it passes over, but
in the end you do what you need to do for your setup.
3. Can you use the individual beds for crop rotation, i.e. one bed for
legumes, one for root crops etc or does there need to be more distance
between?
yes, but not totally necessary, i plant 1 of this and 1 of that here,
there and everywhere makes it harder for the bugs to find it all that
way (i grow organically). rotation will work but usually they
recommend at least a 4 year cycle some say 6 year cycle can be a bit
hard to manage in the backyard garden. i find because i am adding more
material to the beds between seasons and crops i don't get any soil
bound problems with my plants. my beds generally are about 1 meter
apart, and they are app' 1meter wide and around 6 meters long as a
maximum, that way i don't tend to want to walk on them so no tools for
digging are needed.
4. Can I grow potatoes in them or do you still grow them on the flat and
is it possible to plant them say 5 inches down and then gradually fill
up the sleeper beds as the potatoes grow, rather as they do with
barrels?
yes you can still grow potatoes in them usually all i do is push the
seed spud into the ground just a little and then cover with mulch and
keep mulching them as the plant grows, this replicates the tedious job
of growing in a trench and hilling, i get very good results and i
harvest using my hands no tools needed. plus the mulch is there early
to conserve moisture and minimise watering needs. also acts as a
thermal blanket keeping the soil cool or warm whatever the season.
Well I've looked at loads of book but even the RHS just doesn't give
enough advice about it all.
enjoy
len
Janet
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'
"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/