Raised beds and things !

[tixy]

Hi
im newto the mag and site and think its wonderful just what I need !

I gingerly attemtpted to grow a little fruit and veg this year in my garden (its fairly large ) and have caught the bug and want to do more !

I need some advice on raised beds, l like the idea of not having to bend so much but not sure whether it just sits on the exsiting soil and you top it up or do you have to fill it with other compost, which could be expensive.

I am also intending to plant some broad beans and cauli in the the next month or so and I believe they need covering with cloches, what is the best type and the cheapest way to do this ? Best wishes:

[Two_Sheds]

Hi!
Whereabouts are you? Can you put your location into your profile? It helps when giving advice you see

[Two_Sheds]

I am also intending to plant some broad beans and cauli in the the next month or so and I believe they need covering with cloches, what is the best type and the cheapest way to do this ?

I don't grow Cauli, but I can tell you about my broadies.
Not all varieties are suitable for over-wintering. The best, by far, is Aquedulce.
A lot of gardeners don't bother with autumn sowings, because they lose a lot to the weather, and anyhow they only crop about a fortnight before spring sowings. It's a lot of work for little return, to be honest.

I love having them in the ground over winter though, I like a challenge! I start mine off in pots (else the slugs eat the seedlings as they emerge from the soil), and plant them out in late Oct/Nov when they are about 4 inches tall. You don't want lots of long floppy growth which will only be damaged by wind & cold ~ don't sow them too soon. Wait.

As for cloches ~ don't bother unless you really suffer from gales, frost, snow. We don't get a frost here on the East Coast until February, so I don't bother with cloches at all. I just support the beans with canes & string so the wind doesn't knock them over.

Sutton is a dwarf winter broadie, but I've never had good results from it. Aquedulce is the one to pick.

[andrewo]

I've tried raised beds, with board edging and be wary, make sure you treat the wood well before edging with a good preservative and/or line with plastic. I didn't and ended up with terrible fungus (I tells you, it gets under the nails). However, last year, I ditched the raised beds in favour of mounding up the edges and digging trenches around the raised beds, tossing the soil onto the raised beds. I then used these trenches as irrigation - even with all this rain, it helps. This means I can change my beds anytime without having to breakdown wood, also, its cheaper and means you can get more into an awkward space.

[zazen999]

I use raised beds in the main garden and in our courtyard; but our lottie is just open beds. As the soil breaks down [it was hard clay when we were first let loose on it in April], and as you add more organic material [compost etc], the level does rise.

I'm just going to use trenches or raise the sides - I find the slugs hide around the wood and it is much cheaper when you have 100 ft of allotment.

[Kristen]

My raised beds are just the soil from the paths dug out, and put on the beds.

You should make you own compost - you council will probably subsidise the cost of up to two Dalek-style compost bins