Raised beds

[graybag]

Hi,

After growing some tomatoes and peppers last year, I've dived in at the deep end and built a raised bed. I will be growing some herbs as well as rocket, lettuce (various), dwarf beans, beetroot, and courgettes. I've separated an area of the bed and filled with more soil to do carrots.

Questions:-
I keep reading about enviromesh, cloches etc. Once germinated, will they be ok to plant out and leave, or should I cover them with something? If I'm planting directly into the bed, should I cover with clear plastic to raise the termperature? Should I leave gaps for air flow?

For the carrots, I was thinking of bamboo canes in the corners with polythene around the outside - about two foot to prevent carrot fly - does that sound sufficient?

Sorry for the list of questions, it's just I've seen some people use loads of tunnels/cloches and others don't bother!

Thanks in advance,
Graham

[TEB]

Carrots tend to need fleece or enviromesh as do Brassicas (cabbage white butterfly), for the others I would only net if Pigeons were a problem. As long as all risk of frost has passed then you shouldn't have any problems, but you could have some fleece handy to chuck over them just in case

[graybag]

Thanks TFB. I guess with area for carrots I could just fix enviromesh over top directly onto the wood?


Thanks
Graham

[TEB]

I use fleece because like Maureen I am cheap.

apologies to any Maureen's

[toastie]

Grew carrots in a raised bed last year and plan to do the same last year. Covered the bed with a fine mesh, putting small canes in the corners of the bed, tying the mesh to the canes and putting over plastic bottles - to stop you getting a cane in the eye. One of the important thing is that you need to be careful when pulling up carrots so the flies don't get into the roots etc. My garlic/spring onions aren't planted too far away as smell puts various things off.