nearing planting time

[grahama]

Hi all,

well don't know who said it but yes I did have enough soil from digging around and from the paths, mixed in with plenty of rotted horse manure in layers, mixed a bit, my beds are nearly full. Will buy a little compost to top off the beds whilst the worms break down any clumps that I have in the beds.

Paths started too, many hours of breaking up flags to small pieces so the paths are nice to walk on. So nearly there

Regards,

Graham

[Snadger]

Why the polythene? Are the boards not treated? Or is there another reason?

Sometimes lining raised beds with plastic can just harbour nasties inbetween it and the woodwork.

[grahama]

The idea was to stop, or slow down the rotting process. They are treated with a water based preservative and lining stapled on quite tightly. Not heard that one before Snadger, but done now and I've spent hours filling, moving and mixing soil it will stay

What can it harbour do you think?? I intend to net the whole plot before planting with butterfly netting to keep flying things out!

Graham

[zazen999]

Because it will never dry out, it rots quicker [strange but true].....that wood looks thick enough to handle the soil next to it for a fair few years.

[Creemteez]

The plastic doesn't go all the way across the bottom of your beds, does it? Snadger will tell you off if it does!

[grahama]

No purely around the wood. The beds are open to the full loveliness of my heavy clay !!

Graham