Ah -jedmc571":351ksvzb said:
that would be the case Fair play - I'm starting to get that feeling
The only concern is now around the bowing bit - which seems to need a post of some sort within the bed to screw the joists to.Miles
Raised beds (now with pics)
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that would be the case Fair play - I'm starting to get that feeling
The only concern is now around the bowing bit - which seems to need a post of some sort within the bed to screw the joists to.Miles
BMac
Established Member
Miles,
Those books don't specifically deal with raised beds but, rather, vegetable growing techniques. If I were you I'd investigate the raised bed techniques online because there are so many theories but, essentially, they all boil down to standard procedures but putting plants closer together.
I did consider the square foot method but, like another poster here, didn't like the regimentation involved because gardening is supposed to be fun and I'm not growing for commercial reasons where I need maximum return. The only aspect of growing that I do adhere to is crop rotation which is easy with the loads of beds I have. However, I am a bit sceptical about the square foot crop rotation theory because it implies that there are vertical barrier between each section where certain soil constituents are used up and others not. You have 3 beds so I would rotate on that basis rather than trying to remember which square foot had brassicas and which had roots.
Now, having bashed the square foot method a bit I have to say it is very productive if you are well organised and keep good records. I would suggest using general fertilisers and soil improvers to keep nutrient levels high because of the demand on the beds. Gardeners' World did a slot on the method and there was an amazing amount of veg produced but that was done by students, under controlled conditions, in an agricultural college or similar institution. The same results are possible in a garden but, from what I saw, a lot of time would need to go into the project. I love veg growing but I don't want to become a slave to the raised beds (bad enough that I'm a slave to a greenhouse).
So, what to do? I would say give the square foot gardening a go if that's what you want to try but be organised and prepared for crop changes. I would also suggest that you don't get too tied up in 'rules' and apply general growing techniques to your beds.
If you look up 'baconsoda' on YouTube you'll be able to see what I am at.
Here ya go: http://www.youtube.com/user/baconsoda#g/u
Brendan
Those books don't specifically deal with raised beds but, rather, vegetable growing techniques. If I were you I'd investigate the raised bed techniques online because there are so many theories but, essentially, they all boil down to standard procedures but putting plants closer together.
I did consider the square foot method but, like another poster here, didn't like the regimentation involved because gardening is supposed to be fun and I'm not growing for commercial reasons where I need maximum return. The only aspect of growing that I do adhere to is crop rotation which is easy with the loads of beds I have. However, I am a bit sceptical about the square foot crop rotation theory because it implies that there are vertical barrier between each section where certain soil constituents are used up and others not. You have 3 beds so I would rotate on that basis rather than trying to remember which square foot had brassicas and which had roots.
Now, having bashed the square foot method a bit I have to say it is very productive if you are well organised and keep good records. I would suggest using general fertilisers and soil improvers to keep nutrient levels high because of the demand on the beds. Gardeners' World did a slot on the method and there was an amazing amount of veg produced but that was done by students, under controlled conditions, in an agricultural college or similar institution. The same results are possible in a garden but, from what I saw, a lot of time would need to go into the project. I love veg growing but I don't want to become a slave to the raised beds (bad enough that I'm a slave to a greenhouse).
So, what to do? I would say give the square foot gardening a go if that's what you want to try but be organised and prepared for crop changes. I would also suggest that you don't get too tied up in 'rules' and apply general growing techniques to your beds.
If you look up 'baconsoda' on YouTube you'll be able to see what I am at.
Here ya go: http://www.youtube.com/user/baconsoda#g/u
Brendan
yo_chuci
Established Member
hi all... thought i'd throw in my view as i put in some raised beds last year...
this was july ish of last year (just after i had finished the deck tho there is now a sandpit in that corner)
the garden slopped slightly towards the house so had to take that into account with the bed thats full of potatoes...
i got some 5x2 joists from a reclamation place and used those. so that bed is in effect 10" tall...
the bed with the plastic (covering the grass that was lifted from where the deck now is) is only 1 board high (5") and the bed that the pic is taken from is 2 boards high at the bark path but 1 board high on the other side (due to slope of garden)
both were filled with compost and topsoil and some soil improver. all bought from b and q cos the had offers of buy 2 huge bags get another free etc... and as we needed abit it was cheaper that way...
now i am about to take off the plastic and turn over the soil there and add some compost etc and put the pots in there. should help break it down abit more...
ps gardeners world before alan titch was i think geoff hamilton
this was july ish of last year (just after i had finished the deck tho there is now a sandpit in that corner)
the garden slopped slightly towards the house so had to take that into account with the bed thats full of potatoes...
i got some 5x2 joists from a reclamation place and used those. so that bed is in effect 10" tall...
the bed with the plastic (covering the grass that was lifted from where the deck now is) is only 1 board high (5") and the bed that the pic is taken from is 2 boards high at the bark path but 1 board high on the other side (due to slope of garden)
both were filled with compost and topsoil and some soil improver. all bought from b and q cos the had offers of buy 2 huge bags get another free etc... and as we needed abit it was cheaper that way...
now i am about to take off the plastic and turn over the soil there and add some compost etc and put the pots in there. should help break it down abit more...
ps gardeners world before alan titch was i think geoff hamilton
big soft moose
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miles_hot":8idynh5l said:
no coach screws are like a big screw but with a hex (bolt type) head - you can wind them in to a predrilled hole with a socket but by far the quickest is a socket adaptor mounted in an sds drill
big soft moose
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miles_hot":5ebteku0 said:Fair play - I'm starting to get that feeling
Miles
one option would be to use ecodeck plastic posts for the corners - mbeing recycled plastic they dont rot. (in fact if you hadnt already bought the scafolding planks i'd say use ecodeck for everything)
its quite expensive to get hold of in small quanties (though fairly cheap in bulk) - not a problem in your case as a freindly member of national trails staff not a million miles away has a whole load of bits of 3x3 ecodeck to get rid of in the near future
Crikey !
BSM, that's certainly a definate explanation of "Coach Screw" nice pic
I built a 20 x 10 Workshop 10 years ago, and put it together with them, they really are more substantial than a normal screw.
I like the SDS idea :wink: I did it with a ratchet as if a mans right arm needs all that exercise :lol:
Regarding the timber bowing, cut a point on one of your timbers, and make a stake, hammer it into the ground ( depending on your soil you may have to dig a hole and backfill, but it will need to be longer, to account for soil structure being disturbed) in the midle of your walls, and screw from the inside to the outer timbers, that will prevent bowing in the middle, you can use more if required spread equally, and another tip is to line the inside first with weed suppressing fabric, and then plastic inside that, it prevents weeds germinating through from outside, and helps the plastic from getting ripped / torn inside.
It's a nice project raised planters, I'll keep an eye on this one :wink:
Cheers
Jed
BSM, that's certainly a definate explanation of "Coach Screw" nice pic
I built a 20 x 10 Workshop 10 years ago, and put it together with them, they really are more substantial than a normal screw.
I like the SDS idea :wink: I did it with a ratchet
as if a mans right arm needs all that exercise :lol: Regarding the timber bowing, cut a point on one of your timbers, and make a stake, hammer it into the ground ( depending on your soil you may have to dig a hole and backfill, but it will need to be longer, to account for soil structure being disturbed) in the midle of your walls, and screw from the inside to the outer timbers, that will prevent bowing in the middle, you can use more if required spread equally, and another tip is to line the inside first with weed suppressing fabric, and then plastic inside that, it prevents weeds germinating through from outside, and helps the plastic from getting ripped / torn inside.
It's a nice project raised planters, I'll keep an eye on this one :wink:
Cheers
Jed
dicktimber
Established Member
miles
12" x 1" boards
2" x 2" stakes secured into ground to fasten boards to.
It's important that where you position raised beds you consider the following.
1 The siting to maximize the daily sun.
2. That you dig down before putting raised beds in place incorporating bulky matter ie horse muck on straw, compost, grit.
This is to ensure that when the 12" boards are in place there is enough depths for crops like spuds etc.
3 Drainage. This is very very important because if the place you select for the raised beds does not drain the beds will become waterlogged.
So digging and incorporating grit, sand as in 2 above should be considered to ensure good drainage.
4 Use a good quality top soil or loam to top up the raised beds.
BUT DO NOT FILL TO THE TOP.
You want the raised bed to act like a walled garden, giving reflected heat from the sun back into the raised bed. By leaving about 4"from the top of the boards this will create a micro climate inside the raised beds, keeping plants a bit warmer and helping germination.
It will also stop soil spilling all over the place.
For plants to grow they need, light,water,oxygen and drainage at their roots.
The oxygen is held in pockets in the soil. Soil is made up of minute particles of grit, and holds oxygen. If you fill the raised beds with a media that does not hold enough oxygen the crops will struggle.
That's why John innes mix is formulated the way it is, with grit to aid holding oxygen and help drainage, loam to hold moisture..etc
So, a good top soil and maybe some loam, both available in grab bags is an option to fill the beds with.
I always crop rotate..but that is another subject.
12" x 1" boards
2" x 2" stakes secured into ground to fasten boards to.
It's important that where you position raised beds you consider the following.
1 The siting to maximize the daily sun.
2. That you dig down before putting raised beds in place incorporating bulky matter ie horse muck on straw, compost, grit.
This is to ensure that when the 12" boards are in place there is enough depths for crops like spuds etc.
3 Drainage. This is very very important because if the place you select for the raised beds does not drain the beds will become waterlogged.
So digging and incorporating grit, sand as in 2 above should be considered to ensure good drainage.
4 Use a good quality top soil or loam to top up the raised beds.
BUT DO NOT FILL TO THE TOP.
You want the raised bed to act like a walled garden, giving reflected heat from the sun back into the raised bed. By leaving about 4"from the top of the boards this will create a micro climate inside the raised beds, keeping plants a bit warmer and helping germination.
It will also stop soil spilling all over the place.
For plants to grow they need, light,water,oxygen and drainage at their roots.
The oxygen is held in pockets in the soil. Soil is made up of minute particles of grit, and holds oxygen. If you fill the raised beds with a media that does not hold enough oxygen the crops will struggle.
That's why John innes mix is formulated the way it is, with grit to aid holding oxygen and help drainage, loam to hold moisture..etc
So, a good top soil and maybe some loam, both available in grab bags is an option to fill the beds with.
I always crop rotate..but that is another subject.
I chased up UKOAk for the timber on Tuesday and got a email saying that the wood would be delivered on Thursday. Then I got a call saying that the 30 odd 4m and 3.6m lengths had been damaged and could I cope with 88 3m lengths.
I did some calculations and worked out that I would need around 90 3m lengths which George at UK Oak was able to supply and ignored the minor uplift in cost.
It turns out that just after sending the all clear email to me that a 300x300x5m oak bean was dropped from a lorry crane across my longer timbers and snapped them all in half!
I rushed out and sorted some 3x4" bearers into position - the 3m lengths turned out to be a blessing as I could fit them across the slope rather than down it.
The timber turned up as promised early mid afternoon and was craned into position.
Oh by goodness there's a lot of wood. Now I need to get down to producing a comprehensive cut list and getting this pile into some sort of order. I did notice when the lengths were being craned in that there are one or two fairly ratty lengths on the bottom of the pile so I plan to use those at the back of the L shaped bed and on the bottom...
All in all going to be a busy boy!
Miles
I did some calculations and worked out that I would need around 90 3m lengths which George at UK Oak was able to supply and ignored the minor uplift in cost.
It turns out that just after sending the all clear email to me that a 300x300x5m oak bean was dropped from a lorry crane across my longer timbers and snapped them all in half!
I rushed out and sorted some 3x4" bearers into position - the 3m lengths turned out to be a blessing as I could fit them across the slope rather than down it.
The timber turned up as promised early mid afternoon and was craned into position.
Oh by goodness there's a lot of wood. Now I need to get down to producing a comprehensive cut list and getting this pile into some sort of order. I did notice when the lengths were being craned in that there are one or two fairly ratty lengths on the bottom of the pile so I plan to use those at the back of the L shaped bed and on the bottom...
All in all going to be a busy boy!
Miles
flying haggis
Established Member
chill":39ensehf said:
as for the room required to get the mower in, dont do what I did and measure across the wheels without noticing that the cutting deck was wider! :roll:
Kalimna
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Daft question, but from an earlier reply - where is the best place to acquire scaffolding boards? Do scaffolding companies just tend to sell off/dispose of old boards no longer structurally sound?
I have a couple of raised beds at my allotment, but feel that the wood has seen better days. The strawbs were rooting *through* the wood....
Cheers,
Adam
I have a couple of raised beds at my allotment, but feel that the wood has seen better days. The strawbs were rooting *through* the wood....
Cheers,
Adam
big soft moose
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ebay is quite good for job lots of softwood (better if you have transport as most are pick up only)
such as
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/13ft-Scaffold-Boa ... 1c0979ef57
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/50-Used-11ft-Scaf ... 4a9f471d8b
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Scaffold-boards-1 ... 45f256f14b
apart from ebay itis also worth checking out freecycle for old floorboards etc, looking in skips for pallets etc, and seeing if you have a wood recycling project nearby (our local one sells used scaffie board at 2 quid per linear metre)
such as
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/13ft-Scaffold-Boa ... 1c0979ef57
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/50-Used-11ft-Scaf ... 4a9f471d8b
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Scaffold-boards-1 ... 45f256f14b
apart from ebay itis also worth checking out freecycle for old floorboards etc, looking in skips for pallets etc, and seeing if you have a wood recycling project nearby (our local one sells used scaffie board at 2 quid per linear metre)
OPJ
Established Member
Salvage and Reclamation yards are supposed to be a good source for scaffold planks. That's where Rico "The Salvager" Daniels used to get his, anyway. There's bound to be one locally in your Yellow Pages and, with a bit of bartering, you may be able to get a good deal.
