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Raised beds over concrete?
I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about
making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/ |
Raised beds over concrete?
|
Raised beds over concrete?
|
Raised beds over concrete?
|
Raised beds over concrete?
"Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! As long as you incorporate drainage at the base of your raised bed then it will be much the same as a large patio planter. Alternatively you could deliberately not drain, and have a bog garden. This sounds a good use of a redundant area of concrete, and also a way to get better/different soil conditions. You say the concrete is in the shade - that will limit what will grow well, but that would be the same if you removed the concrete and planted directly in the underlying soil. You will obviously have to water the beds, and generally treat as a large patio planter, but it sounds worth doing :-) HTH Dave R |
Raised beds over concrete?
"Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! As long as you incorporate drainage at the base of your raised bed then it will be much the same as a large patio planter. Alternatively you could deliberately not drain, and have a bog garden. This sounds a good use of a redundant area of concrete, and also a way to get better/different soil conditions. You say the concrete is in the shade - that will limit what will grow well, but that would be the same if you removed the concrete and planted directly in the underlying soil. You will obviously have to water the beds, and generally treat as a large patio planter, but it sounds worth doing :-) HTH Dave R |
Raised beds over concrete?
"Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! As long as you incorporate drainage at the base of your raised bed then it will be much the same as a large patio planter. Alternatively you could deliberately not drain, and have a bog garden. This sounds a good use of a redundant area of concrete, and also a way to get better/different soil conditions. You say the concrete is in the shade - that will limit what will grow well, but that would be the same if you removed the concrete and planted directly in the underlying soil. You will obviously have to water the beds, and generally treat as a large patio planter, but it sounds worth doing :-) HTH Dave R |
Raised beds over concrete?
"Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/ Drainage should not be too much of a problem. You should make sure that any excess water can escape by leaving sufficient gaps here and there. And you could fill the bottom of the beds with rubble. There are LOADS of plants that like moist shade........."~) Jenny |
Raised beds over concrete?
"Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/ Drainage should not be too much of a problem. You should make sure that any excess water can escape by leaving sufficient gaps here and there. And you could fill the bottom of the beds with rubble. There are LOADS of plants that like moist shade........."~) Jenny |
Raised beds over concrete?
"Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/ Drainage should not be too much of a problem. You should make sure that any excess water can escape by leaving sufficient gaps here and there. And you could fill the bottom of the beds with rubble. There are LOADS of plants that like moist shade........."~) Jenny |
Raised beds over concrete?
"JennyC" wrote in message ... "Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/ Drainage should not be too much of a problem. You should make sure that any excess water can escape by leaving sufficient gaps here and there. And you could fill the bottom of the beds with rubble. There are LOADS of plants that like moist shade........."~) Jenny I forgot to add that all the beds in my town garden are raised beds placed directly on concrete tiles.........:http://members.rott.chello.nl/ldejag...ex.welcome.htm Jenny |
Raised beds over concrete?
"JennyC" wrote in message ... "Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/ Drainage should not be too much of a problem. You should make sure that any excess water can escape by leaving sufficient gaps here and there. And you could fill the bottom of the beds with rubble. There are LOADS of plants that like moist shade........."~) Jenny I forgot to add that all the beds in my town garden are raised beds placed directly on concrete tiles.........:http://members.rott.chello.nl/ldejag...ex.welcome.htm Jenny |
Raised beds over concrete?
"JennyC" wrote in message ... "Steve Harris" wrote in message ... I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/ Drainage should not be too much of a problem. You should make sure that any excess water can escape by leaving sufficient gaps here and there. And you could fill the bottom of the beds with rubble. There are LOADS of plants that like moist shade........."~) Jenny I forgot to add that all the beds in my town garden are raised beds placed directly on concrete tiles.........:http://members.rott.chello.nl/ldejag...ex.welcome.htm Jenny |
Raised beds over concrete?
Steve Harris wrote:
I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. provided you put a 15cm ?? shigle drainage layer at the bottom amd adequate drainage gaps at the bottom of the bed walls and have min 18" soil, there should be no problem. pk |
Raised beds over concrete?
Steve Harris wrote:
I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. provided you put a 15cm ?? shigle drainage layer at the bottom amd adequate drainage gaps at the bottom of the bed walls and have min 18" soil, there should be no problem. pk |
Raised beds over concrete?
Steve Harris wrote:
I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. provided you put a 15cm ?? shigle drainage layer at the bottom amd adequate drainage gaps at the bottom of the bed walls and have min 18" soil, there should be no problem. pk |
Raised beds over concrete?
In article , Steve
Harris writes I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage No - unless you waterproofed the bed sides and the join with the concrete, your drainage would be good and you would hav a lot of problems with the bed drying out. but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Line your beds with pond liner with just enough drainage holes to prevent complete waterlogging (perhaps with drainage holes in the sides rather than the bottom so you keep a reservoir)? Fill with a coir based compost. Then you should be able to get damp shade which will widen your choices a lot. You'd probably still need to water at intervals in the summer so think about incorporating an automatic system or a drip feed from a water butt, or at the very least some vertical pieces of pipe so you can get water to the bottom rather than the top. Oh, and you might want to experiment with water retaining granules like you can use in hanging baskets. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
Raised beds over concrete?
In article , Steve
Harris writes I have some shady redundant concrete areas and I was wondering about making raised beds directly on them? These, I realise might have poor drainage No - unless you waterproofed the bed sides and the join with the concrete, your drainage would be good and you would hav a lot of problems with the bed drying out. but the main problem I have here is extremely well drained sandy soil. So, could I then grow plants that love damp and shady places? Or would I just have dry but poorly drained soil which I've never seen specified as what any plant wants! Line your beds with pond liner with just enough drainage holes to prevent complete waterlogging (perhaps with drainage holes in the sides rather than the bottom so you keep a reservoir)? Fill with a coir based compost. Then you should be able to get damp shade which will widen your choices a lot. You'd probably still need to water at intervals in the summer so think about incorporating an automatic system or a drip feed from a water butt, or at the very least some vertical pieces of pipe so you can get water to the bottom rather than the top. Oh, and you might want to experiment with water retaining granules like you can use in hanging baskets. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
Raised beds over concrete?
you would hav a lot of
problems with the bed drying out. And also the lime in the concrete? ------------------------------------------ The Hemyock, Devon, UK branch of The Residents Appreciation Society. http://english.aljazeera.net |
Raised beds over concrete?
you would hav a lot of
problems with the bed drying out. And also the lime in the concrete? ------------------------------------------ The Hemyock, Devon, UK branch of The Residents Appreciation Society. http://english.aljazeera.net |
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