On Wed, 02 Jul 2014 08:12:48 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Wed, 02 Jul 2014 07:49:43 +0100, Judith in England wrote:

I think i'd turn down the watering and keep an eye on the plants
in
the raised beds.

We have the watering coming on twice during the night - for 15 mins each
time - six hours apart.
I did this last year - and the raised beds did not get "soggy" at all.

Thought you said the beds drained "very very well". Or are you really
referring to the ground around? The fact that there is excess water
some where shows that there is excess watering.

I have said that the raised beds did not get "soggy" at all: and:
The grass at the side of the beds has become very, very wet - and really never
dries out: it is particularly noticeable in the morning after the night
watering session. The raised beds drain very, very well.




All the produce from them was fantastic. So I don't think the watering
is the problem

Meh, I and several others seem to think it is on the information
provided.

Which information do you and others think was a problem?
I cannot see anything conflicting.

"Judith in England" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:20:14 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 19:58:06 +0100, Judith in England wrote:

The grass at the side of the beds has become very, very wet - and
really never dries out: it is particularly noticeable in the morning
after the night watering session. The raised beds drain very, very
well.

I think i'd turn down the watering and keep an eye on the plants in
the raised beds.

We have the watering coming on twice during the night - for 15 mins each
time -
six hours apart.
I did this last year - and the raised beds did not get "soggy" at all.
All the
produce from them was fantastic. So I don't think the watering is the
problem

It is in the sense that it is wasted on the plants you value.

If its making the grass outside the raised beds into a bog,
that excess water is not being used by the plants you value.

- it is the getting rid of that water once it has left the raised beds.

You wouldn't have to get rid of it if it wasn't more than the plants you
value use.

Is aggregate the correct thing to fill the trench with - or do I use
course gravel - or something else?

Take a look at http://www.pavingexpert.com/drain03.htm and possibly
other parts of that site.

Good site: thanks

"Judith in England" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

snip


Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?


I think the amount of water the plants get is "good for them".

You're wrong. What comes out of the bottom of the raised beds
is wasted and doesn't do anything for the plants you value.

I'd rather just make sure it soaks away.

More fool you.

"Judith in England" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:29:57 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

Judith in England wrote:



We have some raised beds which border on to a lawn. The raised beds
are
watered each night through an automatic irrigation system.

The grass at the side of the beds has become very, very wet - and
really never
dries out: it is particularly noticeable in the morning after the night
watering session. The raised beds drain very, very well.

We have removed a strip of the lawn adjacent to the raised beds -
about a foot
wide (and thrown the sods away: not particularly good quality grass) -
we have
dug a trench - about a foot deep today - and going to deepen it
another foot
tomorrow to make a soakaway.

It is our intention to fill the trench with aggregate(?) - put a
permeable
membrane over the top and then top with a mix suitable for growing a
fresh
strip of lawn.

Questions:

Is aggregate the correct thing to fill the trench with - or do I use
course
gravel - or something else?

What mix (peat/sand/topsoil/???) should I top the trench off with prior
to
sowing lawn seed?

How deep the "soil" layer?


Any other pointers please.

Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?

+1

Sounds like a waste of a lot of water. Why do the beds need so much?
what have you got growing in them?


Why a waste?

Because what comes out of the bottom of the
raised beds isnt being used by the plants you value.

- the plants thrived last year: I have onions, courgettes,
leeks, radishes,lettuces, parsley, strawberries

I don't water those anything like that and we can get
10 days in a row over 40C and mine thrive with just
a daily watering with one of those soaker hoses that
put no water on anything except the soil. Very well
drained soil and no raised beds at all.

"Judith in England" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:46:19 +0100, David Hill

wrote:

snip


Sorry but like everyone else I also say cut down on the water, why every
evening?
Once every 2 or 3 days should be enough, though the plants probably have
a poor root system as they haven't had to develop in order to find water.


Yes - I agree that it is not necessary to water every night: BUT my
electronic
timer does not have the option for selecting specific days of the week.

But you said you have it come on twice a day.

I would rather water a little and often: two fifteen minutes during the
night.

Clearly it is too much water when the grass around it is turning into a bog.

The plants did well last year.

They would have done just as well with less water
so the surrounding grass doesn't turn into a bog.

I am pretty confident that the soak-away trench is the answer.

You're wrong. The real answer is to reduce the amount of
water so the surrounding grass doesn't turn into a bog.

"Rod Speed" wrote in message ...



"Judith in England" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

snip


Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?


I think the amount of water the plants get is "good for them".

You're wrong. What comes out of the bottom of the raised beds
is wasted and doesn't do anything for the plants you value.

I'd rather just make sure it soaks away.

More fool you.
===============================================


Can I ask the original poster, when you pour out a cup of tea, when the cup
is full, do you carry on pouring? No you stop otherwise you would have a
saucer full then a table covered in tea.

Just a thought.

Are you on a water meter as we are?

Mike

..................................................

On Wed, 2 Jul 2014 21:39:55 +1000, "Rod Speed" wrote:



"Judith in England" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:46:19 +0100, David Hill

wrote:

snip


Sorry but like everyone else I also say cut down on the water, why every
evening?
Once every 2 or 3 days should be enough, though the plants probably have
a poor root system as they haven't had to develop in order to find water.


Yes - I agree that it is not necessary to water every night: BUT my
electronic
timer does not have the option for selecting specific days of the week.

But you said you have it come on twice a day.




It comes on twice a day, every day, at the same times - not at different times
on specific days

On Wed, 2 Jul 2014 12:41:26 +0100, "'Mike'" wrote:

"Rod Speed" wrote in message ...



"Judith in England" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

snip


Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?


I think the amount of water the plants get is "good for them".

You're wrong. What comes out of the bottom of the raised beds
is wasted and doesn't do anything for the plants you value.

I'd rather just make sure it soaks away.

More fool you.
===============================================


Can I ask the original poster, when you pour out a cup of tea, when the cup
is full, do you carry on pouring? No you stop otherwise you would have a
saucer full then a table covered in tea.

Just a thought.

Are you on a water meter as we are?

Mike

............................................... ..


No

"Judith" wrote in message
...

On Wed, 2 Jul 2014 12:41:26 +0100, "'Mike'"
wrote:

"Rod Speed" wrote in message ...



"Judith in England" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

snip


Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?


I think the amount of water the plants get is "good for them".

You're wrong. What comes out of the bottom of the raised beds
is wasted and doesn't do anything for the plants you value.

I'd rather just make sure it soaks away.

More fool you.
===============================================


Can I ask the original poster, when you pour out a cup of tea, when the cup
is full, do you carry on pouring? No you stop otherwise you would have a
saucer full then a table covered in tea.

Just a thought.

Are you on a water meter as we are?

Mike

............................................... ..


No
==========================================


You wouldn't waste water like you are doing if you were on a meter.

Mike

..................................................

On 01/07/2014 19:58, Judith in England wrote:



We have some raised beds which border on to a lawn. The raised beds are
watered each night through an automatic irrigation system.

The grass at the side of the beds has become very, very wet - and really never
dries out: it is particularly noticeable in the morning after the night
watering session. The raised beds drain very, very well.

We have removed a strip of the lawn adjacent to the raised beds - about a foot
wide (and thrown the sods away: not particularly good quality grass) - we have
dug a trench - about a foot deep today - and going to deepen it another foot
tomorrow to make a soakaway.

It is our intention to fill the trench with aggregate(?) - put a permeable
membrane over the top and then top with a mix suitable for growing a fresh
strip of lawn.

Questions:

Is aggregate the correct thing to fill the trench with - or do I use course
gravel - or something else?

What mix (peat/sand/topsoil/???) should I top the trench off with prior to
sowing lawn seed?

How deep the "soil" layer?


Any other pointers please.




Hi Judith,
Just looked at this thread (but not read all the responses yet), but I
was wondering if the weight of the raised bed might have damaged
water/sewerage pipes below. I don't know how old the raised bed is, or
if it's made of brick or timber, but if newish and built without a
survey, it could be fracturing some underground plumbing. It's a long
shot, but worth checking.

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 2014-07-02 06:53:25 +0000, Judith in England said:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:29:57 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

Judith in England wrote:



We have some raised beds which border on to a lawn. The raised beds are
watered each night through an automatic irrigation system.

The grass at the side of the beds has become very, very wet - and really never
dries out: it is particularly noticeable in the morning after the night
watering session. The raised beds drain very, very well.

We have removed a strip of the lawn adjacent to the raised beds - about a foot
wide (and thrown the sods away: not particularly good quality grass) - we have
dug a trench - about a foot deep today - and going to deepen it another foot
tomorrow to make a soakaway.

It is our intention to fill the trench with aggregate(?) - put a permeable
membrane over the top and then top with a mix suitable for growing a fresh
strip of lawn.

Questions:

Is aggregate the correct thing to fill the trench with - or do I use course
gravel - or something else?

What mix (peat/sand/topsoil/???) should I top the trench off with prior to
sowing lawn seed?

How deep the "soil" layer?


Any other pointers please.

Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?

+1

Sounds like a waste of a lot of water. Why do the beds need so much?
what have you got growing in them?


Why a waste? - the plants thrived last year: I have onions, courgettes, leeks,
radishes,lettuces, parsley, strawberries

Because your plants aren't using it and it isn't evaporating, either.
It's running to waste, literally. Why can't you hand water either early
morning or early evening, once a day in hot weather and two or three
times a week in cooler or dryer weather? Does the water come on
automatically when it's raining?
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 2014-07-02 11:32:34 +0000, Rod Speed said:

"Judith in England" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

snip


Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?


I think the amount of water the plants get is "good for them".

You're wrong. What comes out of the bottom of the raised beds
is wasted and doesn't do anything for the plants you value.

I'd rather just make sure it soaks away.

More fool you.

Presumably she's not a meter, or if she is, she's extremely rich. This
over-watering is actually very bad practice. Despite the last appalling
winter, water is not a limitless resource.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 2014-07-02 06:59:32 +0000, Judith in England said:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 21:24:55 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

On 01/07/14 19:58, Judith in England wrote:



We have some raised beds which border on to a lawn. The raised beds are
watered each night through an automatic irrigation system.

Would a soaker hose be more appropriate?



Possible: but I have now have installed half-inch pipes in the raised beds and
have various drippers and sprays running off them. I can vary the amount of
water that each bed (and each different veg.) gets.

Are you growing vegetables professionally, as in a huge quantity of
them for sale? If not, I don't understand why you can't water using a
hosepipe and then turn it off.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On Wed, 02 Jul 2014 07:53:25 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:29:57 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

Judith in England wrote:



We have some raised beds which border on to a lawn. The raised beds are
watered each night through an automatic irrigation system.

The grass at the side of the beds has become very, very wet - and really never
dries out: it is particularly noticeable in the morning after the night
watering session. The raised beds drain very, very well.

We have removed a strip of the lawn adjacent to the raised beds - about a foot
wide (and thrown the sods away: not particularly good quality grass) - we have
dug a trench - about a foot deep today - and going to deepen it another foot
tomorrow to make a soakaway.

It is our intention to fill the trench with aggregate(?) - put a permeable
membrane over the top and then top with a mix suitable for growing a fresh
strip of lawn.

Questions:

Is aggregate the correct thing to fill the trench with - or do I use course
gravel - or something else?

What mix (peat/sand/topsoil/???) should I top the trench off with prior to
sowing lawn seed?

How deep the "soil" layer?


Any other pointers please.

Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?

+1

Sounds like a waste of a lot of water. Why do the beds need so much?
what have you got growing in them?


Why a waste? - the plants thrived last year: I have onions, courgettes, leeks,
radishes,lettuces, parsley, strawberries

Dear Judith,
With the very greatest of respect, how many people have to tell you
that you are over-watering before you accept what they say?

Soakaways are generally constructed to remove rainfall from areas
where it gathers. I have *never* heard of soakaways being installed to
remove excess garden watering, simply because that is never a
requirement.

PLEASE listen to what everyone is telling you and stop wasting water.

"Fuschia" wrote in message
...

On Wed, 02 Jul 2014 07:53:25 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:29:57 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:21:06 +0100, Bob Minchin
wrote:

Judith in England wrote:



We have some raised beds which border on to a lawn. The raised beds
are
watered each night through an automatic irrigation system.

The grass at the side of the beds has become very, very wet - and
really never
dries out: it is particularly noticeable in the morning after the night
watering session. The raised beds drain very, very well.

We have removed a strip of the lawn adjacent to the raised beds -
about a foot
wide (and thrown the sods away: not particularly good quality grass) -
we have
dug a trench - about a foot deep today - and going to deepen it
another foot
tomorrow to make a soakaway.

It is our intention to fill the trench with aggregate(?) - put a
permeable
membrane over the top and then top with a mix suitable for growing a
fresh
strip of lawn.

Questions:

Is aggregate the correct thing to fill the trench with - or do I use
course
gravel - or something else?

What mix (peat/sand/topsoil/???) should I top the trench off with prior
to
sowing lawn seed?

How deep the "soil" layer?


Any other pointers please.

Could you not attack the problem at source by reducing the amount of
water dispensed into the beds?

+1

Sounds like a waste of a lot of water. Why do the beds need so much?
what have you got growing in them?


Why a waste? - the plants thrived last year: I have onions, courgettes,
leeks,
radishes,lettuces, parsley, strawberries

Dear Judith,
With the very greatest of respect, how many people have to tell you
that you are over-watering before you accept what they say?

Soakaways are generally constructed to remove rainfall from areas
where it gathers. I have *never* heard of soakaways being installed to
remove excess garden watering, simply because that is never a
requirement.

PLEASE listen to what everyone is telling you and stop wasting water.
===========================================

Fuschia it's a wind up can't you see it?

Mike
(Shouldn't have pointed that out should I?)
..................................................