RAISED BEDS - What do I need to know?

hkwdesign

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Hello -

We're putting in 2 raised beds 5x8 ft each.
We'd welcome any suggestions for successful gardening!

We are buying organic plants from a local nursery.
We live in MA (zone 5?)

A bit concerned about the wild life munching on our plants - any suggestions for keeping them out?

Thanks a bunch - I came over from BYC, which I'm obsessed with!
We have just started up with chickens too!

Thanks a bunch -
 

Grow 4 Food

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Welcome and come on in. Most of us here are chicken -a -holics too. For no larger than your bed is you I would just build a hoop cover out of 1/2 pvc pipe and cover it with chicken wire. Drive some 1 in pipes in the corners and maybe the middle on the edge and then leave 6-8 inches of the half inch sticking out the bottom. Then all you have to do is stick the smaller in the larger to hold it in. You will have to tie or run a peice of pipe and a T across the bottom to hold the U shape but 1 person should be able to lift it on and off without a problem.
 

Wildsky

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Mine are slightly narrower - 6x3 so I can reach from one side and get to the other (across the 3ft part)

First one we made I used hoops over the top and plastic fencing. its a little flimsy and the sides will have to have very short plants.

The second one we built we made the side 4x4's higher - and I've since attached hardware cloth.

Our third just went in, its 2x6 and the back posts are 6ft tall - I'm going to put up a trellis on the back and fence the whole thing in.

I might just fence between the beds so I can move around between them and not have to open and close the fence.

gardenbeds.jpg
 

ducks4you

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I'll tell you what I LEARNED--the dirt in the raised bed stays "fluffed up" and gives you plant's roots LOTS OF ROOM. I have the best lettuce ever this season in my "Salad Bed" because of this. I've been reading everybody's links and I've seen many of them--especially Hattie's links--where the beds are ONLY 3 inches deep, but they still work well.
I am experimenting with raised beds this year--only ONE of my 7 raised beds is a permanent one. My mission has been to eliminate weeds.
 

wsmoak

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hkwdesign said:
Hello -

We're putting in 2 raised beds 5x8 ft each.
We'd welcome any suggestions for successful gardening!
I would reconsider making them so wide... unless they are very tall, it will be hard to reach into the middle.

Mine are 4x8 and that's about as far as I can reach. I may make them taller (deeper) next year.
 

obsessed

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I agree on the wide part. Mine are also 4x8 and that is a little deep for my short arms. I also recommend maybe 3 to 4 feet between beds. I only put like 2 feet and it is just not enough to work comfortably in them.

Soil in important. Don't just go buy bags of top soil from HD or Lowes. I have found them to be mostly sand. If you spend a bit more and get a couple of yards of soil/compost whatever from the nursury you will have way better results and you wont have to work so hard amending your soil. consider it a head start. And add as much compost humus type stuff as you can.
 

gone 2 seed

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I hate to jump in with a question but I am planting a raised bed this year and the plants around the edges are yellow. Any idea why?
 

Wildsky

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gone 2 seed said:
I hate to jump in with a question but I am planting a raised bed this year and the plants around the edges are yellow. Any idea why?
Are they shaded by the sides of the bed? I'm not a pro at raised beds, but what wood or side material did you use?
 

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