RAISED VEG BEDS

[caroline1Participant]

I have spent the last 8 months raising vegetables in the ground.  Where I live the Atlantic blows straight across the land, and then the rain comes (no water shortage here!)  So, my idea is now to build raised beds, about 2ft high either block or concrete.  At the end of each bed I would put in another bed for vertical potato growing, this bed would have a hinged door, so that I could simply open it up, let out all the soil, grab my pots , close the door, put the soil back in and possibly then plant beans, (summer time here I can go from bean seed to green beans to pick in 4 weeks!).  Has anyone else done this? if so what are your thoughts and findings.  With the raised bed I can put covers over them when it is seriously windy (90mph+ regularly), also I can control the amount of rainfall by having good drainage….  any advise please…

[Marc_ukParticipant]

Sounds a great idea if you can build them. I love raised beds anyway, particularly when it’s wet. Not sure about the wind as plants will be more exposed, but if you can give them enough protection then it should work well. Good luck  :-)

[caroline1Participant]

Hi Marc uk

Where we live we have more rain than the uk,yes, I know that that sounds impossible at the moment!  So, drainage is one thing that is important, I have looked in amazement at how much standing water I have on the garden at times, even though I have dug drainage ditches and filled them with rocks.  The soil in the raised bed would come up to about 12 inches from the top, hopefully this will keep a lot of the wind out, and for the winter I intend upon putting glass or perspex covers on them, (assuming I can find sufficient old windows etc).  Well, we shall have to wait and see.  The idea is also to future proof the garden, as my husband and I get older we envisage difficulties in kneeling down etc, so putting in raised beds with good access now seems like a good idea.  It is our final house so the investment will be worth while (I hope!).  Any ideas you have, please let me know…  Caroline

[camoninjaParticipant]

It sounds like you need to add more Texture to your landscape there is this concept out there called TEFA it stands for Textured Earth Food All year.  I think that you should add some hugelkutur beds to your property and maybe some large swales if you do it right you can provide tons of blockage from the wind!

[caroline1Participant]

Thanks for all the input and ideas…  Just getting over a traumatic flight from one island to another so will pop back later!

[caroline1Participant]

That’s after I’ve changed my trousers!!

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