Raised Beds

[glallotments]

Must admit to being a but sceptical about raised beds. Our allotment is divided into beds separated by grass paths which I know need cutting but I have watched people on our site with raised beds struggle to weed round the edges of planks and also to have to renew rotten wood fairly regularly. It also seems that most still want to dig which can prove difficult.

I always understood that raised beds were to facilitate deep beds and also to bring the beds up to those who had difficulty bending but the 'new' idea of raised beds just seems to be beds just a plank high.

In the January issue of GYO is a list of advantages of raised beds but most seem to apply to any method of dividing a plot into beds.

The only two that seem exclusive are that ground will drain freely which isn't always an advantage as this year my neighbours plot struggled when we had an extended rainfree period. The other is an additional root length in stony or chalky soil which I don't have on my plot anyway.

We have to cut our grass but in so doing it also removes the weeds. Paths between raised beds still have weeds even when weed suppressant is laid. Each year plot neighbours have to replenish their paths by barrowing loads of wood chippings. Grass paths also provide hiding places for beneficial insects like ground beetles and are more comfy to sit on whilst weeding.

So am I missing something about raised beds?

[Nicos]

My raised beds have grass paths wide enough to use a small petrol mower once a fortnight. Initial cost of a second hand one was about £70.
Dead easy- you just need a 'safe' shed to hide it in.
A petrol strimmer would be fine too.
My first lottie was on clay- and so the raised beds lifted the roots out of the cold wet , heavy soil in the Spring ( about a month behind other lotties cos the soil took for ever to warm up -even with fleece/black plaastic over it)
The present lottie is waterlogged peat in winter- so again- the raised beds were less boggy.

During the hot, dry summers, the grass seemed to hold the moisture underneath it- much more so than in the exposed soil raised beds- so the roots of the larger plants still had access to water from the paths at the side.

My ideal is 2/3 raised beds and 1/3 turned soil ( the 'old fashioned' way)

[glallotments]

So do you top up with compost etc as we garden on clay and this becomes rock hard if it dries out in the growing season which is what happens to some of those using raised bed systems. Yes it is very wet at this time of year but the stuff growing isn't seeming to suffer.

[zazen999]

My main reason for raised beds - is that I like to grow on beds and not to keep digging the same ground over and over; and I like solid ground beneath my feet so I stick to beds and paths - the wood just contains the soil so it doesn't spill over on the path.

Plus I plant closer and interplant and it feels less painful when clearing one bed and replanting one at a time.

And I grow my squashes along the paths to keep the fruit clean. And I put flowers on corners/along edges to attract bees.

And, I am also on clay so I can mulch a whole bed and it keeps the moisture in through the summer - I very rarely get cracked clay on my beds.

It just suits me that way!

[Shadylane]

Yeah I don't get it either. I use long beds (unraised) - don't bother with the path down the centre cutting them in half, I just walk around (or jump over if I can't be bothered). At the mo the paths are straw, which seemed to puzzle some of the neighbours. Might have to rethink in future years though if it becomes a pain to keep replenishing it. I like the idea of grass paths - we have a manual mower to do the main paths - it wouldn't take long I reckon. Quicker than weeding and less faff than laying down straw or woodchips. But no matter how I look at it I still can't see the point in 1 plank high raised beds.

[SarzWix]

If a bed only has one plank high sides, I wouldn't call it a raised bed, I'd call it an edged bed

[Nicos]

Oh yes- I'd forgotten- but you should never need to dig raised beds- cos the intention is that you never need to stand on them.( that's why it's 4ft max front to back) The compacted soil is in the path.
Also- you just need to chuck the manure on the top of the soil( which is nice and light) for the worms to drag it down.
Much , much easier.

My first loads of raised beds had no boards and just needed banking up from time to time- but being clay, it was pretty secure and held together well.

On my second lottie , being peat, the raised edges easily collapsed- so we needed to put up boards in the end.

[zazen999]

But, do you have to get it? Why not just do what you want to do and be done with it?

[Bigmallly]

I have watched people on our site with raised beds struggle to weed round the edges of planks and also to have to renew rotten wood fairly regularly. It also seems that most still want to dig which can prove difficult.

Digging?.......What's that?.....My raised beds are about 18" deep filled with manure & compost. This sits on top of clay soil. I don't need to use a spade, the hoe goes through it like butter as deep as I wish to go.

[glallotments]

Not meant to be trying to tell other people what they should do. I am a great believer in the if it works for you then go for it.

But on our site all the newcomers seem to initially go for the 'edged beds' method - then call them raised beds and many plotters a year or so later remove the planks that they have spent loads on that have rotted and revert to just beds with paths between.

It just seems a shame that in many quarters this way of setting out an allotment is pushed as the only way to do it that makes sense.

[northepaul]

I did have a question about raised beds actually while we're on the subject here.
I plan to put a raied bed on the "patio" (actually concrete slabs put down by previous owner) but would need to put something under them to keep out the perennial weeds that have come through in the gaps. However I would worry about water retention, if it rains the way it has been lately. Is there a membrane that keeps out weeds but allows water to pass through, or do I need to but some sort of drain in it, do you think?
Thanks, and sorry to hijack the thread.

[zazen999]

Not meant to be trying to tell other people what they should do. I am a great believer in the if it works for you then go for it.

But on our site all the newcomers seem to initially go for the 'edged beds' method - then call them raised beds and many plotters a year or so later remove the planks that they have spent loads on that have rotted and revert to just beds with paths between.

It just seems a shame that in many quarters this way of setting out an allotment is pushed as the only way to do it that makes sense.

Who is pushing it?

[Bigmallly]

It just seems a shame that in many quarters this way of setting out an allotment is pushed as the only way to do it that makes sense.

Do what is best for you and so long as you are happy with the results then why worry about what others are doing. I don't think there are any rules to suggest that raised beds are the only way to raise veg.

[glallotments]

No-one in particular. It just appears that TV and media etc are full of information extolling its benefits which is what new allotment holders look to when seeking advice.

Don't get the wrong idea - I'm not pointing fingers or criticising - I just think it is a good idea to discuss the alternatives which was my intention in posting this thread.

[Nicos]

Tis a good idea- I also think that soil types/ your health/how much £ you can spare to give it a try/what you want to grow etc etc has a big say in which method you go for.
As I said- I do both here- and did on my lottie in the UK.

I can see that it's expensive to be buying boards, cloches to fit over them etc etc- but most of don't GYO like our grandparents did- so it's good to experiment.