Raised beds

[Shelle]

Snadger, thank you for just the kind of answer I was after! Nice bullet points! Makes sense too!

Alice, thats a good point actually as my Mam cant bend down very far now and is struggling to weed etc.

[oneflewover]

I would re-jiggle the beds to make them the length of your boards rather than join them! 12' is a good working size for beds!

It was a bit of extra work but now my beds are 13' x 4' (the boards where actually 13' long) and I also took the opportunity to make them north - south rather than the original east - west. The idea of which should means equal sun when coming to ripening tomatoes etc.

[Jaxom]

If you use the term "square foot" in the search box there are a lot of posts by grapes that will help you find heaps of info on raised beds.

[blackcatlois]

Don't want to sound thick but where would I get scaffolder's boards - scrounge some off a building site or would I get them from somewhere like Wickes or B&Q?

[carlseawolf]

my beds are 12 by 4 ' and alined N-S and made of treated wood , but trying a new type of just a 6" board with a plastic liner to stop the mares tail and it will be 8m long and mounded up to a depth of about 18" and 4' wide.

[moggssue]

If growing overwintering veg, do you still manure the beds in the autumn? How does this affect any standing crops (parsnip, cauli and so on)?

[oneflewover]

Don't want to sound thick but where would I get scaffolder's boards - scrounge some off a building site or would I get them from somewhere like Wickes or B&Q?

In the Yellow Pages, but look for sales & hire, rather than erectors. The ones I got where off-hire and a "pound notes" sale.

[Jaxom]

Don't want to sound thick but where would I get scaffolder's boards - scrounge some off a building site or would I get them from somewhere like Wickes or B&Q?

A lot of people use pallets found in builders skips to make the beds. Pallets are 4' long so lend themselves to 4'X4' beds. Corner blocks also come from the pallets, which allows you to build the beds up to whatever size you wish them to be.

[blackcatlois]

Thanks both for your replies, much appreciated

[littleweed]

I have found scaffold planks for about £12 each new. I also can get hold of pallets, I didn't think they would be of use in raised beds as they would rot quickly? Is this right if not I can save myself some money.

[Snadger]

Roofing contractors are a good source of scaffold boards!

[oneflewover]

I have found scaffold planks for about £12 each new. I also can get hold of pallets, I didn't think they would be of use in raised beds as they would rot quickly? Is this right if not I can save myself some money.

That seems an awful lot of money, a 13 x 6ft bed would be £36. Old scaffold planks will be just as long lasting but may have saw cuts or chips out of them which makes them unusable at full length. Ask for ex rental boards.

[CarolineW]

where is the search box?

If you use the term "square foot" in the search box there are a lot of posts by grapes that will help you find heaps of info on raised beds.

I'm sure that I'm going to feel very embarassed when I get the answer to this question, but I have searched all over and am clearly blind. I can't find the search box! Could some kind soul please put me out of my misery and tell me where I can find it?

Thanks!

[seasprout]

try this

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