Newbie, lots of advice welcomed

[davegore2005]

Hi, i am looking for as much advice as I can gain for next summer, I know, next, but bear with me please.
We have had a pet rabbit for years which recently went to the rabbit hutch in the sky, so after 8 years the back garden is mine, and I have already built 1 raised planter on the lawn with 12sq feet of space and they are approx 8 inches deep and I am planning to build 3 more of the same diameter.
We are lucky that we are south facing and the garden gets pretty much full sun all day, so apart from the obvious suspects like tomatoes and strawberries, what have any of you had good results with in beds like these?, I am pretty much open to planting anything as we have a 13yo who loves her fruit and veg, as I do to.
Currently the new bed only has a big bag of compost in it, and I assume that it will have to be mixed with something else to give decent results, again, any advice will be gratefully received.

Dave

[Guest]

Hi and welcome to the vine

What are your raised beds sat on and what is the reason for having raised beds?

I just have edged beds which were initially dug over. They are forked over once a year, then covered with card/ paper and topped with organic matter.

As for filling them topsoil, compost (preferable homemade), poo (horse or cow), spent mushroom compost or you could look into lasagne beds or hugelkulture.

[davegore2005]

it was a compromise, the Mrs wanted the borders for plants after the rabbit destroyed everything, so i got the garden, and to be honest, we really liked the look of raised beds, so we went for it

Dave

[burnie]

Welcome Dave, I grow around half my fruit and veg in raised beds, make sure you can reach the middle without walking on them, that way no digging so low maintenance.

[nickdub]

Quickest return with fruit is things like raspberries and loganberries, even so they still take longer to produce much, compared with veg. Probably best to concentrate on things you like the most fresh and things which crop over a long period - say salad stuff and runner beans as examples.

If space is tight don't forget that growing things up fences and walls can help make the most of it.

[Kirk]

Most raised beds can be filled, or added to, with almost anything that makes even half sense. My last one about 4 months back is the garden soil, couple bags of cheap multipurpose, some tree shreddings and recently one of the blocks of compressed coco fibre from £land. Intend to get a couple more blocks of that.

The tree shredding were not a great idea, but they will compost down in time.

I would go get a couple bags of cheap compost, and a bag of manure. Lob those in and dig it all in with the soil that is there. If you fancy a couple blocks of the coco fibre stuff then you need a £Land that has some in. To expand mine I dropped one block in a large tub and added 5 litre of water.

Plants try a blackcurrant, half the reason I say is that they grow fairly easily from a small 4 to 6 inch cutting put into a glass jar full of water. So easy to make a few more for yourself. Gooseberries are another that you can grow. Be aware the they may not fruit next year unless the purchased bush is reasonable in size (age actually)

Veg options are a bit late but turnip and swede may produce something at this time. Not sure about broccolli at this time, or even the dreaded brussel sprouts. Maybe look around a garden centre or two for what they may have at this time.

Have fun, enjoy the raised beds. Remember that you will need to add additional manure over time as the plants much their way through the nutrients present.

[Dynamite]

Welcome Dave, I grow around half my fruit and veg in raised beds, make sure you can reach the middle without walking on them, that way no digging so low maintenance.

Totally agree with Burnie. I made mine just so it's a really big stretch across thinking it would be better the bigger they are but still able to reach to the middle. You can on mine but you are just over stretching slightly. I wish I had made the middle point about a foot closer to the edge. Basically, reach the middle but not on an over stretch.

Kind Regards......Rob

[davegore2005]

thanks for the advice so far, they are L shaped, and only 2 feet wide at the widest point, so no bother reaching across, I was asking about for next year but it didn't occur to me that I might be able to plant now for winter, that's got me thinking now

would grass cuttings BTW have to be mulched down before they can go in the beds??

Dave

[noviceveggrower]

I haven't got any advice to add just a hello and welcome to the vine

[nickdub]

thanks for the advice so far, they are L shaped, and only 2 feet wide at the widest point, so no bother reaching across, I was asking about for next year but it didn't occur to me that I might be able to plant now for winter, that's got me thinking now

would grass cuttings BTW have to be mulched down before they can go in the beds??

Dave

grass mowings are good for spreading on the surface where you have planted some soft fruit like raspberries or blackcurrants - if you are thinking of digging them in generally though I'd advise composting them down first, preferably by putting them in a container with kitchen waste and other organic matter (add a bit of soil and the worms will help) - I use a plastic barrel with a couple of horizontal bars through the middle mounted on a stand to make sure it doesn't attract rats.
Another good free source of organic compost is leaves in the Autumn - I use one of those 1 ton builders bags to keep them in and just leave it under the hedge, takes about 12 months to break down to the stage where I can use it mixed with other composts for containers.

[Dynamite]

thanks for the advice so far, they are L shaped, and only 2 feet wide at the widest point, so no bother reaching across, I was asking about for next year but it didn't occur to me that I might be able to plant now for winter, that's got me thinking now

would grass cuttings BTW have to be mulched down before they can go in the beds??

Dave

I didn't, I just put anything organic in mixed up or layered. Best to have soil and compost near the top though. It will drop down as it rots so you have to keep topping up but that's the idea. No digging.

Regards......Rob

[Sylvismum]

Weed seeds in grass clippings?

I didn't, I just put anything organic in mixed up or layered. Best to have soil and compost near the top though. It will drop down as it rots so you have to keep topping up but that's the idea. No digging.

Regards......Rob

Our grass needs cutting and I was at first thinking of adding the clippings to my new raised beds. However, there are lots of weeds in my lawn. Wouldn't we be asking for weedy trouble putting those clippings in there from the lawn mower?

[nickdub]

No the mowings won't change the weed situstion really - you are bound to get air born weed seeds whatever you do - its how nature works.

Couple of problems for most people with using grass mowings as you plan - one is that most existing veg in a plot won't stand up to having rotting leaves mounded round them, and the second is that in the initial stages the breakdown of leaves will take nitrogen from the soil, thus making it temporarily poorer - this fertility will gradually be returned plus a little interest as the leaves breakdown, but the timing may be significant if it impacts on another plants growing time.

[Potstubsdustbins]

And DON'T use grass cuttings if you have treated you lawn there is every chance you'll poison your beds.