Gardening - Raised Beds

Wills

Well-Known Member
Hi All,

I have taken to clearing out 6 raised beds, that are full of solid soil and weeds in Amazonian quantities. So, after commencing operation slash and burn, I have finally got a seed bed in one of them. So 5 more to go.

The problem I face now is that as I know naff all about gardening, not sure what veg to put in and at what time of the year. Have I missed the boat for this years crop? As I eat a far bit of game, the usual carrots, kale and cabbage and potatoes might be an idea.

I have a green house too so I can bring shoots on if need be.

I have also thought of wild flowers and herbs, with an idea of transplanting the grown articles to various banks around the caravan site and fishing lake. Either something that looks nice, smells nice or attracts bees and the what not.

Not expecting wonders, but a little guidance would be nice.

Wills
 
If it were me i would forget this year and get some manure/feed into the soil and reep the benefits next year but that`s only my opinion.
basil.
 
I have shed loads of compost from the endless grass cutting this time of year brings..might work..
 
Winter veg plants can go in now, probably too late for growing from seed, but you should get small plants of cabbage, cauliflower, leeks etc from a garden centre. Quick growing stuff like lettuces can go in from seed for later in the year. If not planting cover the beds with matting or plastic or you will have to start weeding again next year!
 
Hello Wills,
'Probably take the above advice and forget this year. According to availability - cover the raised beds with 4" of manure or seaweed then cover with strong black polythene of the sort use to cover silage pits. Pin it down firmly by digging the sides of the polythene in to a spade's depth and refilling with soil and leave it covered until next spring.

By that time the weeds should be dead - apart from the dockens which can be forked out - making sure you get ALL the root out. The manure or seaweed wil be rotted in and all it requires is a good digging over.

Brassicas - cabbage family - like firmly stamped soil. Carrots do not like fertiliser or they will produce forked roots. Tatties like as much well-rotted manure as you can give them. Beans like masses of rotted compost and lots of water.

There's lots of excellent gardening books out there - and you can google up pages of relevant advice on the vegetables of your choice.

The highlands were well known for raised beds. Lines around fifty to a hundred yards of 'lazy beds' where the available soil was dug up and heaped in lines a few yards wide so that the inert peat and soil would mix and become fertile. This was treated with seaweed and where possible - manure.

Goopd luck on your project. There's nothing so tasty as a home grown tattie.
 
Thanks for you advice, I have dug one over and put in peas, cabbage, broccoli, leaks and beans. Also put some tomatoes in a growbag in the green house, so we will see.

It is becoming quite a feature for those that come fishing at my lake (OK, buisness plug time..brace yourselves).

We two holiday apartments, available for weeks or short brakes which include fishing, or you can come for a day ticket, or if you have a caravan or motor home, can bring that.

Either PM on here or email enquiries@visitbrooklands.co.uk for details. We are open all year round and get people who either shoot in the area or just want a apartment in Yorkshire near the East Coast.

Wills
 
I take it that it`s not free to stay in your caravans so what are your prices for a week or two please.
basil.
 
Hi basil,

Caravans are £10.50 per night all in (water, awning and electricity), we dont have statics. This is based on two persons sharing, additional bodies are £1 per night.

Fishing is £7 per day.
We allow pets but not kids as this is an adults only site, but we allow under 12s to fish, as long as they are supervised by a responsible adult.

Regards

William
 
Last edited:
A tip for you, when you are growing tatties in raised beds push in tall chimney pots into the soil then plant your tattie in there, as the shaw grows you add a bit more soil until you are out the top of the pot. once Autumn time comes you lift up the pot and hey presto, 2 ft of tatties.

I used a 30cm x 1m clay calvert pipe last year, I got 3ft of baked tatties out of it.
 
Dan, did you get the pipe from a builders merchant (Jewsons)? I might have a bash at that.

Wills
 
I'd forget this year, let the weeds come up ad spray with round up well before seed stage, then after 2 weeks or so do as above, carpet works really well as it encourages all weeds to grow by letting in water and the they run out of energy and die. The old saying goes a year of weeds = 7 years of seeds

Kill them this year and don't worry about them next year, weeding round plants is horrid
 
Kill them this year and don't worry about them next year, weeding round plants is horrid[/QUOTE]


Tell me about it...ball ache. I have five other beds and some pretty potented weed killer. I think thats what is going to happen.

wills
 
Back
Top