Raised beds!

[VWCamper74]

I am about to purchase some raised beds as want to start growing my own veg on a slightly bigger scale than just a few pots here and there. I have no idea of what size to buy, how deep I should make them or what can be put together in each bed. I have a south facing slightly boggy/wet plot. any help gratefully received! many thanks

[alldigging]

How high do you want them?

I got pallet collars from a pallet yard for £6 each (I know someone who got some from work for nothing though!) and they make instant raised beds
I've got raised beds! They're made from Pallet Collars » Garden And Gardener

[Harrod Horticultural]

Hi VWCamper

Coincidentally, I have been putting together new raised beds in the Kitchen Garden this morning.
The type of rasied bed that you decide to buy will depend upon your budget and the size of site that you are going to fill. We have a variety of raised beds on our website to suit all budgets.
If you have the space, I would recommend four similar sized raised beds so that you can rotate your crops each year to prevent soil borne diseases. It's a good idea to measure your site and allow space to access your beds from all sides.
Given your slightly boggy plot, I think raised beds are the perfect solution for your veg growing needs. Most vegetables will not like boggy soil. I would make sure they are at least 18 inches deep to stop the moisture from your soil affecting your veg. Also put a good layer of gravel and the bottom of the bed before filling it with good quality top soil and compost.

Good luck with your new project. Keep us updated with your progress.

[zazen999]

I'm getting rid of mine and just mounding the soil up.

[chris]

On that same note, I've just moved 6 large raised beds... loads of slugs napping in all the nooks and crannies (esp corners)...

My new lot are just mounds of soil, as with zaz's...

A totally tidy plot leaves less places for slugs/snails to hide!

[Verinda]

My raised borders are only about six inches deep, one plank depth. I know it's too shallow but it seems to work perfectly well for everything.

[rustylady]

My raised borders are only about six inches deep, one plank depth. I know it's too shallow but it seems to work perfectly well for everything.

It's not necessarily too shallow, a lot depends on the quality of the soil below the beds.

[Bren In Pots]

I've never seen the fascination with having raised beds unless you need them wheelchair height.

[Bigmallly]

Welcome to the vine VWC, some grapes will be tired of seeing these but I lerve my scaffold board raised beds..........

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...++40+days.html

[Newton]

You can make them from many materials. Bricks, wood, plastic etc. any budget as
HH says but from zero to lots......

Just raised soil is great but I think for a beginner it is nice to have borders to keep the soil from straying.....I hope to graduate to mounds in future but I use decking boards and scaffold boards for now.....

Good luck with yours..........

[out in the cold]

Hi VWC.

I made ours newest ones out of wood taken from pallets.

Ours are about 6 to 8 inches deep, and range from 2.5m long x 60cm wide to 6ft x 4ft wide.

We have also boxed in some sections which are used to grow veg and we stopped at around the 3 ft from the edge mark, as you have to be able to access the veg you have grown without trampling the beds

[Two_Sheds]

I have no idea of what size to buy, how deep

You can have a look at mine, if that helps: French bean bed | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

They're about £7- £25. Aldi and Lidl have them in from time to time, plus all the usual stockists of garden stuff

**update: Aldi have some for £7 **

[LillyRoseGarden]

Raised beds

I made mine from 5 garden treated timber planks (6 foot long, 6'' wide) and 1 square plank, B&Q, so final result is 6 foot long, 20'' wide and 1 foot high, cost about £ 20 in materials and got me addicted to drilling. My garden is south facing, but heavy clay soil and gets waterlogged, so a raised bed is a must.

[Bigmallly]

I like the extended corner posts Lilly, great if you want to raise the bed higher or incorporate some trellising.

[Scarlet]

I used scaffolding planks, 4ft wide ( so I can reach into the middle) and 13ft long ( the length they came). My plot is boggy and it really helps with drainage - although im not sure that i would be putting gravel in the bottom, my parsnips come out around 2ft long and im sure the gravel would stop this and end up all through your top soil.
I also love mine! As an added bonus it stops my dog walking on them - he knows that he has to stick to the path, the half that isn't raised beds get walked on by dogs and kids!