Raised Beds? Planting times/

We have a small garden, narrow (12 feet)but quite long at 40 feet ish..

The lawn we have covers most of that, but underneath the lawn is more hardcore than junction 33-36 on the M6 has..

My very limited growing is done in troughs or hanging baskets, we are fortunate that the garden faces South East, so we do get a bit of sun, and having fences all around is quite sheltered. All the growing is done on the North side of the garden as to maximise sun

Next year, we would like to go a little deeper into the growing, with a few peas, more tomatoes, maybe some courgette and definitely some strawberries and a.n.other berry. I had been thinking about making/scrounging some boxes and filling these with the various veggies. Am I totally mad or thinking along the right track. Wendy won't spring for tyres yet to grow spuds in, but I'm sure if I make a nice job of some boxes out of decking ( or if you guys would please advise of a more cost effective way?) material it may go a long way..

The veggies I describe, when should I be sowing, or as a newbie with no cover, should I be buying the plants etc??

Thanks so much for trawling through my drivel.

Kev

 

Your on the right track with your thinking, if you use good soil with additives you should have no trouble, I have kept my beds covered with polythene this year and am having bumper crops, totaly beating the weather. http://www.paddocks-allotments.org.uk/month-by-month/april/sow.htm plenty of sites to guide your planting and the guys on here to back you up.

 

Sounds like a plan Kev Theres a few threads about raised beds on here, i'll have a look in a minute.

Theres also some posts, I think they were by Kristen or Steve R, about using Alkathene pipe to make mini tunnels over the beds.

 

Have a look here,

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/blue-mdpe-pipe-and-mesh-tunnels.43639/#post-551522

 

And here,

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/the-£8-raised-onion-bed.43751/#post-552736

 

Now excuse me for being dim , but just what is "Good" soil? We have very black, peaty soil in the fields close by, but we have just used bagged compost in our troughs and hangers, is this good enough for next year?

 

Sounds like good stuff to me, but why not grow some raddish or late potatoes in some trials to make sure. Could save some tears next year.

 

Sick of Rads Mr. Smith I used to deliver fresh veg to Smithfields in Manchester and could literally walk into a field, pick them out and eat them

It's that last job that has encouraged me to grow, and hopefully understand what makes veg taste better..

I haven't got any space available to me at the mo, so that is a limiting factor also


Kev

 

Your compost will run low in nutrient in planters after cropping so will need feeding/re newing eventually.