THE RAISED BED GARDEN |
    |
GROWING VEGETABLES IN RAISED BED GARDENS |
 |
|
|||||
Potatoes will grow in raised beds but you may loose some of the potatoes growing near the surface. Normally you would earth up potatoes to protect the top ones from the light. However, in a raised bed the ridges may get blown away or simply crumble away because of the light structure of the soil.
Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and turnips are ideal for raised beds, just make sure the bed is deep enough for the roots. Growing carrots in raised beds will banish forked roots forever. That, combined with easy protection from carrot fly, makes growing carrots much easier.
Other ideal vegetables which are ideal for raised beds include:
Beetroot
Celeriac and Celery
Chicory
Lettuce
Radish
Swede
Spring Onions
Most vegetables will do very well if you fill the raised bed with two thirds potting compost and a third garden soil. If you can't get hold of garden soil then John Innes will do just as well. This may sound a bit expensive but the soil will last for ever only needing the occasional top up. Add as much well-rotted garden compost as you can spare.
General purpose potting compost can also be used by itself. The advantage of adding garden soil to a raised bed garden is that it adds some "body" to the soil, allowing you to grow taller vegetables which require some support.
Raised beds drain very well and this can be a double-edged sword. The good side is that they will not get water-logged but the downside is that they loose water quickly and need frequent watering. If you are growing vegetables in raised beds then keep a watch on them in warm weather and water as required.
A mulch over the top of the soil will significantly reduce the need for watering. Chipped bark makes an ideal and attractive mulch when spread about 3cm (1žin) thick over the surface. Spread it so that it's near growing plants but not touching them.
Black plastic is a cheaper alternative. It doesn't look as attractive as chipped bark but reduces the need for watering just as well. Simply cut it into appropriately sized strips and place it between rows of plants. Hold it in place with a thin layer of soil.
All the normal rules for pest control apply when raising vegetables in raised beds. However, protecting vegetables in raised beds from flying insect pests is especially easy. Drive a wooden post into each corer of the bed and drape protective insect fabric over them to cover the bed. If the corner posts of the raised beds are already higher than the bed then it's even easier.
PLANTING DENSITY
Vegetables grown in raised beds can be grown much closer together
compared to those in the open ground. Make sure that they are well
fed with a general purpose fertiliser to support the dense, quicker
growth.
Because the soil in a raised bed is higher than the surrounding soil it will heat up quicker in the spring. Combining this with good soil and a protective fleece will enable you to sow seed a good two to three weeks earlier than normal.
At the end of the season, cover the raised bed again with either clear plastic, corrugated plastic or even protective insect fabric. All of these will help to retain heat and extend the growing season by a few weeks.
END OF ARTICLE
(see top of page tabs for more
related articles)
|
Privacy Policy |