On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 21:41:29 +0100, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

In article , Stephen Howard
writes


The sleepers are really only to prevent the soil from falling out of
the bed - so it follows that any soil raised above the height of the
sleepers may fall out. In practice, such beds are humped - rising
about a foot at the bed's centre from the top of the sleeper.


Actually I have scaffolding planks because they are marginally easier to
carry 200 foot up the garden.

Sound ideal - you don't really need the width of a sleeper.
I've nabbed four such boards for a strawberry bed.


The rotation system is more about the prevention of disease build-up -
and whilst it works in a huge multi-field system, its use is a bit
moot in a veg plot where you'll be throwing soil all over the place as
you walk between the beds.

But you aren't if you have raised beds, are you?

Yeah, you do. Doesn't matter how clean and tidy you are, there's
always the odd clod of soil that drops onto the paths between the beds
- not to mention any soil on your tools.
It's strictly an exercise in neatness - and will do nothing to prevent
contamination between beds.

At the moment I have four large 14 x 14 foot squares with a pathway
between, I thought raised beds would organise the plot more.

It does. I have four 30ft x 4ft beds in my plot - just helps to keep
things orderly, and it looks nice
Mine aren't lined. I had to dig so much flint out that by the time I
infilled with manure, the beds just about came back up to ground
level.
I guess I have sunken raised beds!

Another reason for its use is the provision of ideal soil conditions
for specific crops ( i.e. very rich soil for hungry feeders such as
courgettes, and undisturbed soil for cabbages ).

Yes I got that, I'm filling the first beds I make with stuff from the
compost heap.

The deep bed system works well with trench composting over the winter.
Simply dig a small trench, shove your kitchen waste into it and cover
with soil as you dig the next trench. But the time May comes around
you'll have a spot that just perfect for deep, gross feeders.


ne of the plus points of a
deep bed system is a wide variety of crops growing in close
proximity...which can help to confuse pests such as carrot and onion
root fly.

Yes but that's what I mean, how close can I plant?

Onions and carrots work very well when 'bunched' - that's to say four
or five plants shoulder to shoulder. You get smaller veg, but the
overall yield of the plot increases.
If going for the traditionally spaced method you can generally halve
the distances printed on the seed packets.
That said, I've found that lettuces do far better with lots of space
between plants, and suffer less from slug attack.


The big drawback to the soil addition method is that you have to get
the soil from somewhere, and it's works out to be a lot of shoveling!

That's okay, I have a very big 12 x 12 foot old four foot high compost
heap that hasn't been dug for about 6 years.

Mixed 50/50 with soil, that would be perfect stuff to use for earthing
up!


And then I saw a Gardener's World programme which featured Geoff
Hamilton ( mayherestinpeace ) standing alongside a set of deep beds
that were practically bursting with crops. He said it didn't matter -
just bung it in wherever there's a space.

Good old Geoff ! I was hoping that someone like him or Geoffrey Smith
would have written something about them but find that even in my first
bed I'm having to find room for stuff such as rocket, sage , raspberries
and do I really want to move three gooseberry bushes.

I've had poor results with 'Mediterranean' type herbs - it's not that
they haven't grown...quite the opposite - more that they've produced a
less intense flavour. I usually confine them to the surrounding
borders, where they seem to thrive in spite of the neglect!

I tried to grow rocket last year...flea beetle ate the lot
I had no idea they'd eat the stuff...so when they come around this
year....I'll be ready!

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk