Raised beds for veg

[Keith Drayton]

Hello

I am looking to put a section of garden over for growing veg, the plan is to put in maybe 3 large(ish) raised beds,
Most raised beds i have looked up are wooden, and most are not that high,
I was thinking of making them around 2 1/2 feet high and building from blocks rather than wood,
I am looking at 2 blocks wide (just under 3 feet) by about 4 metres long.

Is there any advantage to building from wood rather than block, not taking cost in to account?

With it being a few feet tall would it be best to include some drainage holes in the sides if it is to be built on a soil base?

I should be able to fit 3 of these into the space available and leave room to move around them, i think this would give me enough growing room for what i want.

Is there any thing else i should be thinking about / looking at ?

Thanks
Keith

[wellie]

Keith,

I guess it's a personal preference as to what you build raised beds out of. There's no set rules. I have seen raised beds as you describe work extremely well, particularly for wheelchair gardeners, as it's an ideal height.

Provided the drainage is good at the base of the structure, I don't personally see why you would need side drainage too.

Good luck with it all.

[Norm]

Hi Keith, welcome to the vine.
Sounds like you've already got it sussed mate. All you need to do is work out what you're going to fill them with (growing medium that is) and you're away. Good luck!

[Snadger]

Most of the leek growers round here build their beds with corrugated sheeting held in place by scaffold poles pile driven into the soil. The beauty of this method (even though they are far from beautiful!) is that the same scaffold poles can have alkathene pipe stretched over two beds and with polythene sheeting you have a ready made polytunnel with a walkway down the centre and a raised bed at each side!

PS A raised bed for growing leeks is called a 'trench' round here for some reason!