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Last weekend, we demolished the veg patch (bar my fruit bushes) and started again....
When we designed the patch the first time round, we just edged our bed areas with bricks, and pretty much planted straight into the soil. We are on heavy clay soil, with sandy stuff underneath. Because we are at sea level (and right on the coast), we are prone to standing water and flooding, meaning that usually, the first few months of the year are a complete no-go, as everything is waterlogged (no early potatoes etc). If you dig a foot down in our soil, you start to get water seepage from the water table....
We've stripped the (weed infested) soil off - mostly mare's tail and couch, with a side helping of nettles and dock, and tried to level it out as best we can.
The plan is to use timber to build raised up beds which we will fill with a mix of decent topsoil and manure (if required).
I have decided that we will only make the beds 6inches high - partly due to cost (making them a foot high means double the timber cost, double the topsoil cost etc), but also because I think 6inches will be enough height to give the beds some 'draining room' in the hope that I won't have to consider planting rice and watercress....
Beds are tanalised timber, with small posts at each corner, and along the side of the bed as necessary....
When we designed the patch the first time round, we just edged our bed areas with bricks, and pretty much planted straight into the soil. We are on heavy clay soil, with sandy stuff underneath. Because we are at sea level (and right on the coast), we are prone to standing water and flooding, meaning that usually, the first few months of the year are a complete no-go, as everything is waterlogged (no early potatoes etc). If you dig a foot down in our soil, you start to get water seepage from the water table....
We've stripped the (weed infested) soil off - mostly mare's tail and couch, with a side helping of nettles and dock, and tried to level it out as best we can.
The plan is to use timber to build raised up beds which we will fill with a mix of decent topsoil and manure (if required).
I have decided that we will only make the beds 6inches high - partly due to cost (making them a foot high means double the timber cost, double the topsoil cost etc), but also because I think 6inches will be enough height to give the beds some 'draining room' in the hope that I won't have to consider planting rice and watercress....
Beds are tanalised timber, with small posts at each corner, and along the side of the bed as necessary....
I did change my plan already so no edges was a bonus for me. I have clay too and did have waterlogging in the lowest beds and some panning(?) on higher ones, but it's early days (first year of these beds) so they aren't particularly moundy yet. A few seasons of mulch and dalek contents should help them start to rise up.
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