Raised Beds

[JOHN BISHOP]

Would like to make part of my allotment into raised beds, can get scaffold boards 13' long for a pound each, would 8' x 5' beds be ok, with 2' paths?
Can you really plant close together, have read to drop the space between the rows, plant the distants between each plant, does this work?

[Snadger]

Raided beds are better if they are 4 foot wide or less! I learned this to my detriment when I originally made some raised beds 4 foot wide then surrounded them with breeze blocks making the external size 5 foot. I couldn't reach to the centre from the edge without stepping on the bed ........
2 foot wide paths work well for me though!

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine John. Snadger is right. Don't make your beds 5 feet wide. You won't be able to reach into the middle and will have to stand on the beds. Defeats the whole purpose.

In my last garden I made them 4 feet wide and could JUST manage that. I've made some in my new garden and reduced the width to 3 feet 9 inches. Much easier to manage.

Yes you will be able to put the rows much closer together as you don't need to be able to walk up and down between them to weed. You just need a space to put your hand in. And if the ground is really well fed you can put the plants closer together. If they're too tight just remove some and eat the thinnings.

Good luck, hope it goes well for you.

[SarzWix]

Welcome to the 'Vine John
Good advice from Snadger & Alice, which I'd agree with - my first bed was too wide and I couldn't reach the middle when kneeling down, so I had to reduce it. Mine are now 3m x1.2m (about 10ft x 3.9ft) with 3ft wide paths.

[chuffa]

Hi John, mine are the same size as Sarah's, if you are making them from scaffolding boards you can even sit on the sides. They are also great to add cloches or netting to them.

[JOHN BISHOP]

Raised Beds

Thanks for all the replies, looks like 10'x4' beds, just did a quick measure today I can get 12 beds in one side of the site, next ? brassicas like hard ground, which would mean you would have to dig that hard ground for the following crops, any suggestions?

[Alice]

John, I know the conventional wisdom says brassicas like firm ground, but I grew brassicas in a new raised bed with complete success. I just knuckled them in hard when I planted them and they hearted up fine.