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making raised beds

• Message 1. 

  Posted by sweetpea (U2967913) on Saturday, 21st January 2006

  I have a large veg plot but this year the digging over is defeating me, it's heavy clay and full of weeds, dock, stingers etc. I am thinking about turning it into raised beds. What do I fill the beds with? Is it just manure? I am lucky enough to be able to get hold of it by the ton. Do I need to line the beds with newspaper? Also, what could I make paths from ? I tried using planks last year but they are treacherous when wet. Any suggestions, would bark chip be good?
  
  Thanks in advance for any tips.
  Sweetpea.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by hayleybug (U2354723) on Saturday, 21st January 2006

  Hey there, from what i know, and that isnt much (!), chipped bark is good but you will get weeds through it unless you put some sort of weed supressing material down first eg thick plastic. also i think if you just put manure in the beds in pure form it might not work that well- having a mix of your original soil with the manure would probably be best (dont forget some veggies arent overly fond of the old horsey poop!). hope that helps a bit!

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  Posted by Chocosmos (U2994614) on Saturday, 21st January 2006

  We made raised beds last year... but we hired a mini-digger. We had a few other jobs for it lined up so the veg beds were the final job before they came to collect it. I found best way was to nail out the planking sides of the beds then turn the turf inside these over, grass side down, then fill in topsoil and compost mix with the mini digger. Paths between were made by scooping out soil putting down black plastic sheeting and covering with hardcore and gravel from the drive (also using the digger).
  
  I managed to grow quite a lot last year and the perennial weed regrowth wasn't too much of a problem and isn't so terrible as you can weed one little bed properly and feel some achievement instead of having a great expanse to do which puts you off doing anything.

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• Message 4

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  Posted by greenknowe2001 (U3029744) on Monday, 23rd January 2006

  You will need soil and a good helping of manure for your beds (dependent upon what you intend to grow: manure will cause Parsnips and Carrots to fork).

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