Author Topic: Raised beds (Read 2070 times)

Lesley Silvester · « **on:** June 21, 2013, 09:12:54 pm »

My new raised beds are built and filled with rotted goat manure, with a little top soil for the last few inches. Today I put my French beans in and they are a great height for me to work. The only thing I am going to have to watch is that I don't go mad and overdo things. Oops, too late. I did that this morning. And this afternoon.

I love my new raised beds.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2013, 11:38:53 pm »

Some piccies wouldn't go amiss...

Fanackapan · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2013, 03:25:21 pm »

You sound a very happy Goat Lady today . How many raised beds are you planning ? What are your must have produce (beans obviously as they were the 1st in)?

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2013, 11:04:16 pm »

I will take photos when I have a minute coinciding with no rain but we go on holiday on Monday so it might be afterwards.

Fanackapan I had two nine inch high raised beds removed and replaced with two 30 inch ones. they are not as big but, now I am disabled, I need to allow space to (a) have a chair between so I can sit down frequently and (b) to be able to get a barrow between as I can't carry bucket loads on manure, etc any more. I also have three beds about a foot high which I can just about get down to and two flat beds which I can't. Not if I hope to be able to get up again anyway.

The second new bed is half full of beans as I couldn't get as many in the new bed as I could in the old and I have three squash plants growing indoors which will be ready to go out when we get back from holiday, one in with the beans and the other two in a foot high bed. I have strawberries on one of the foot high beds and will sow chard in another. The last one will probably be turned into a raspberry cane bed as that won't involve too much bending to pick them. I'm also having foot high raised beds in the greenhouse - sadly not in time for this year but my tomatoes will grow happily outside in buckets.

Also have apple, pear, plum and cherry trees.

Fanackapan · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2013, 12:13:53 pm »

I have 3 raised beds Goat Lady, but more to keep the soil in as 2 are on a wee slope than to be easily accessible, I am fortunate that still reasonably able to bend and dig , so for now they are ok. One has Desiree potatoes in - actually I am finding decent spuds quite expensive in the supermarkets so not so silly growing a few tasty ones for myself. Another is being used as a compost heap as not much sun gets on it but that still puts it to good use and the 3rd and biggest has a couple of rhubarb crowns (new this year and growing well , its so hard not to pick any but I know its supposed to be for the best) a gooseberry bush , 12 strawberry plants, 2 tayberries and a few broad beans with leeks popped in between. Nothing I grow will provide for the freezer but so long as I get a few tasty servings that will be satisfaction enough.
The little greenhouse has 6 tomato plants and a cucumber going well and dotted about the place in varying sized tubs
are salad leaves,courgette,peas ,carrots and runner beans .
My fruit trees will produce nothing this year, I neglected them when it was dry, thinking it must rain soon but it never did so the blossom didn't set , so no pear, apple or gage for me , serves me right for being lazy.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #5 on:** June 24, 2013, 12:14:45 am »

You'll plenty of fruit though.

I left a key with a neighbour so he could pop in and water while we are away and he said he has some spare tomato plants which he will pop in our greenhouse while we are away. by the time I left their house, he was talking aobut cucumber and pepper plants as well. I didn't have anything in the greenhouse as I want raised beds in there as well but if he does the planting so I don't need to bend too much, I'm sure I can manage the harvesting.