The base is concrete, but on a slight slope which will obviously help the
drainage. Also, the walls are 'dry stone walls' with no cement in between
the bricks, which should help the drainage too.

In which case you might suffer from over-drainage!

I s'pose I could always put some cement in the gaps if there's too much
drainage. Have to see how it goes.



I'd be inclined to treat a walled bed much like a giant pot - so if
you placed the spent compost at the very bottom you might end up
clogging the drainage. Some light hardcore might be appropriate?

I'll have a think - I've got a few broken bricks in there, but not many.
The
above factors might make drainage OK. Also, I over-estimated the depth of
the beds in my first post - they are only just over a foot or so deep. So
the 'large pot' scenario is probably the most appropriate here!

I guess you'll have to play it by ear, but with such a shallow bed you
might find it pays to install a seep hose halfway down the bed, or at
least give some consideration to a semi-automatic watering
system...which could be something as simple as a strategically
punctured hose fitted round the rim of the bed.

I have a water-butt, and the company which makes it also make a
trickle-watering hose type system to go with it. I might invest in one of
those for next year.

I have today also coincidentally located a source for topsoil and manure -
I've recently bought a wood-burning stove, and the place I found locally
which supplies logs and kindling (went there today to stock up for the
winter) also do the topsoil and manure. A one-stop shop! I'm planning on
using the ash from the stove for the garden, too.




Sounds like a fascinating project though - and if you designed the
walls with some slots in, you could knock up some cloches/fleece
frames to fit - which would help to extend the season.

Now there's an idea . . . mini-polytunnels . . . I could plant some spuds
in
the autumn after the main veg are over, and have them fresh at Christmas!
And use them in the spring too, to get nice big strong plants early in
the
year. Thanks for that one!!!

I'm jealous already!

And if you knock up an enviromesh frame you're never going to have to
worry about a late frost knocking back your seedlings, nor the early
blackfly season.

Just done a Google search for enviromesh - first time I've heard of it.
Looks like top stuff - I get lots of slugs and snails which hopefully it
would keep off too. Had horrendous problems with them this year, what with
the monsoon weather. Might have to be a beer moat otherwise!

Thanks for all the help Stephen!

Andy
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net