Help with Raised Beds please

[HazelT]

Good morning all. I'm just starting to get our garden prepared for growing veg and have a quick question on raised beds. Can I put weed control fabric underneath them to stop roots from the trees in the garden coming up. I emptied my compost bin recently and although it had composted quite nicely, a lot of roots from the trees had come up into the bin and i'm worried that they'll do the same with the raised beds?

Any advice you can give a newcomer would be greatly appreciated.

[Two_Sheds]

Weed control fabric won't stop tree roots ... even tarmac doesn't

[snuffer]

Hi there HT123. I don't think weed control fabric would stop tree roots coming through. The fabric robs weeds of the light they need and so either kills them off or stops the seeds germinating. Tree roots on the other hand live permenantly in the dark and so won't see the fabric as a problem. Would it be possible, to when constucting your raised bed to make the side of the bed nearest the trees deeper so that it goes down into the ground and makes a barrier between the roots and your bed? You'd have to dig well down on that side and remove any roots that you come across. Then sink that side of the bed below soil level. If you get my meaning. I had a similar problem with the roots of an old walnut tree when I was consructing a bed for my asparagus. Seems to be working so far. Hope that made sense.

[HazelT]

Thank you for the replies. The barrier idea sounds like a good plan - thank you Snuffer. Although i've got to work round 2 big horse chestnuts, a beech, a sycamore and about 10 laurels. And I thought raised beds was going to be less work - I'd best get digging :-)

I'm sure i'll find lots more questions to ask as I go along :-)