First time being green :)

[1tonne]

Hi all, hope you have had a good day and not had the hail shower we experienced today

My partner and I recently purchased our first house. Have never been a garden person, altho my mother is. Could never see the interest myself...

Yet I can't stay out of the garden now. Been in our home for 4 months. Approx 2 months ago I ripped everything out as I want our garden to be how we envisage it being.

So today I built our first raised veg bed. Should have got it done soon we but money is always an issue isn't it! Was originally going to use sleepers but the cost wasn't justifiable. As it stands, have built it out of decking. Took an afternoon , is a touch bigger than expected. Easy to plan but in the flesh its a beast. Its not in place yet but I can't wait to have it filled and growing so beautiful veg!

I officially understand why my mother takes so much joy in your growing. Can't wait to have it finished. Hopefully I'm planting by the weekend.

Expect I'll be here often now. Sorry for long rant, just being a 30yr old male, most of my friends just wouldn't understand my excitement

1tonne

[Bigmallly]

Hello & welcome to the vine. It sounds like you have got the GYO bug............a greenhouse will be next on your list, you mark my words............

[1tonne]

And here are two pictures of the bed finished. Its big lol. Have 2 1T bags full of topsoil with more available if I need it.

I'm quite pleased with it especially when I consider I have never built anything in my life

Roll on tomorrow!

[1tonne]

Hello & welcome to the vine. It sounds like you have got the GYO bug............a greenhouse will be next on your list, you mark my words............

Sadly we just don't have the space. I might try to convince my partner the conservatory needs conversion tho

[Bigmallly]

Sadly we just don't have the space. I might try to convince my partner the conservatory needs conversion tho

Excellent idea.................does she like the smell of fresh tomatoes hanging from their vines.........

[1tonne]

She's slowly catching up with me. Now she has seen it built , I think she's getting a little buzz about it.

[AllInContainers]

Welcome aboard. Ignore BM's greenhouse temptation, my seedlings wither and wilt perfectly well without one

[Chris172]

Hi looks like a good project in the making and good luck the quicker you get the produce in the quicker your eating the fresh returns.

one thing i have observed about your raised bed and have had experience before you need to fix some bracing inside of the bed to stop the decking planks from bellying out once the bed is filed with the soil as they will expand out with the volume.

good job and good luck

happy gardening


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[Martin H]

Hi and welcome to the vine. Nice looking raised bed, what are you going to grow?

Sadly we just don't have the space. I might try to convince my partner the conservatory needs conversion tho

How about growing a single tomato plant in there to see if the idea takes root? A vigorous, maybe grafted one in a nice ornamental pot in a tray to protect the floor... lovely.

Then next year a tomato plant plus a chilli pepper...

[Bigmallly]

Don' forget the cucumber Martin & the Melon..................

[1tonne]

Hi looks like a good project in the making and good luck the quicker you get the produce in the quicker your eating the fresh returns.

one thing i have observed about your raised bed and have had experience before you need to fix some bracing inside of the bed to stop the decking planks from bellying out once the bed is filed with the soil as they will expand out with the volume.

good job and good luck

happy gardening


Sent from my iPad using Grow Your Own Forum mobile app

Hi Chris ,

Thanks for confirming my thoughts on this. I suspected I would need additional support, especially down the 2m side. Its 2000 x 1600 x 600mm and expected the extra supports would be needed. It started raining just as I finished the last part so opted to call it a day.

Going to have a little hunt around the forum and get used to the surroundings

[1tonne]

Hi and welcome to the vine. Nice looking raised bed, what are you going to grow?



How about growing a single tomato plant in there to see if the idea takes root? A vigorous, maybe grafted one in a nice ornamental pot in a tray to protect the floor... lovely.

Then next year a tomato plant plus a chilli pepper...

Lol you read my mind I have two chilli plants already on the go. Just need to pot them up and they will be living in the conservatory. My only concern is it can get cold in there as I use it as an exercise room mostly. Just have to see how they go.

[Bigmallly]

1.6mts is about the limit for a raised bed. Are you able to reach the middle without over stretching?

[1tonne]

Oh and sorry Martin, missed your first question.

Umm, chilli plants, tomatoes, spinach, spring onion, carrots and maybe courgette and sweet potato.

Tempted to make a potato habitat out of old tyres but that's like a project for next year.

Another project to come is grapes. Been told by a work colleague that grapes are a possibility due to having a south facing garden? My garden has sun (when its out) all day, and one fence side has it continually with little/no shade.

[Bigmallly]

You've deffo got scope for a greenhouse.