New Raised Beds

[Sanjo]

Nope Stacey Steve, I agree with Kristen - if a jobs worth doing it's worth doing well. Ahem!! I WOULD have done it your way but I am still nursing my (healing) fractured wrist so heavy digging was out and I was impatient. OH NOT keen on double digging as he suffers with his knees. Since he was buying the Link a Bord, I wasn't going to look the proverbial gift horse etc so went with the advice from the Grapes. I have just been down there doing a bit of weeding and it really looks good. OH also treated me to the canopy for springtime so that I can cover it with plastic or fleece. It fits into the Link a Bord but I have to say I'm not too sure about the stability of it as it is only thin plastic rods - we shall see. Jodipodi, there was another company doing the raised beds in plastic (the name escapes me) but I just googled "raised beds" and followed all the threads. Theirs do look chunkier than the Link a Bord, and also I did see on one of those threads a canopy for the Link a Bord raised bed that WASN'T plastic and came with it's own cover. Anyway. I am pleased with what I have but would possibly investigate the other company further if I was buying more. Link a Bord was extremely easy to erect, but the connectors aren't that strong. In fact one arrived broken and the company replaced it promptly but I was a bit concerned that it wasn't strong enough to survive the post. Hope these comments help. Sanjo

[Kristen]

Having said all that, just putting some good soil / compost on top of the lawn will mean that when the turf rots down there will be good water retention etc. Its probably going to rob some Nitrogen, in the short term, while it rots.

Digging will improve drainage, let the worms work faster, but don't throw the turf away, bury it at the bottom of the digging process.

[jodipodi]

I have an official bit of garden now without turf!! So am going to put a bed there, and possibly try the "quick" route for another bed. We are lucky enough to back on to a field, and I have just been told I can possibly use a section for a chicken run and a larger plot if we want!! wooo!

Sanjo, will do some googling about the other beds you mentioned. Thank you x