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Thinking of buying a lined raised bed

• Message 1.听

  Posted by Pounky (U15075060) on Thursday, 8th March 2012

  Hello all,
  
  I have been wanting to grow food for some time and am thinking of buying one or two lined willow raised beds 100cm wide x 40cm high x 40cm deep.
  
  I have a space outside my flat which receives direct sunlight from mid-morning until about 2pm which could accommodate these, plus perhaps a few large pots.
  
  I have been unable to find good advice on the internet (most sites are geared towards selling) and would welcome input regarding how to go about setting these up including:
  
  鈼� Compost - type and quantity required
  鈼� Drainage materials
  鈼� Vegetables - varieties and quantities likely to thrive
  
  If possible, I would like eventually to grow some (or ALL!) of the following (my staples):
  
  鈼� Onions
  鈼� Garlic
  鈼� Celery
  鈼� Beetroot
  鈼� Carrots
  鈼� Spinach/Chard/Kale
  鈼� Tomatoes
  鈼� Courgettes
  鈼� Asparagus
  鈼� Broad beans
  鈼� Peas
  鈼� Cabbage
  鈼� Potatoes
  鈼� Chillis
  鈼� Ginger
  鈼� Mixed herbs
  鈼� Mixed salads
  鈼� Squashes
  
  Best wishes,
  Pounky

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Thursday, 8th March 2012

  Last year I bought one of those lined willow containers in the window box size. It looked good but I was looking at it yesterday and it looks a bit tatty now so they are not a long term solution. This one was great for growing lettuce.
  
  I grow quite a lot of things in containers and use New Horizon peat free multi purpose. The best containers which I have are four old recycling boxes. The council replaced our recycling boxes with wheelie bins a couple of years ago and I asked my neighbours if I could have them. They sit on two bricks each and already had nice big drainage holes. In them I have successfully grown: broad beans, garlic, strawberries, carrots, leeks, carrots and pumpkins. The pumpkins went a bid mad and tried to spread all over the patio so I only grew them once!
  
  I also have a collection of flower buckets which I got free from the local supermarket. In them I grow strawberries, tomatoes and radishes.
  
  I have tried growing peas and runner beans in containers but it was not a great success because I don't think they got enough water.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Thursday, 8th March 2012

  I think you are being very ambitious!
  
  Work out the vegetables you cannot live without and that are never very good when bought from the supermarket. Salads, herbs, beans and sweetcorn are best fresh-picked.
  
  Forget ginger unless you are in the tropics. Asparagus is very long-term and your willow beds will have rotted long before you get a decent crop. Chillies may need a greenhouse depending on where you are. Courgettes and squash take up a lot of room.
  
  Onions, carrots and maincrop potatoes are best left to the supermarket unless you have lots of space and experience. Likewise celery. But new potatoes are worthwhile.
  
  I would whittle your list down a bit and concentrate on what will be easy and will give you great pleasure to have growing right outside your home.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Thursday, 8th March 2012

  These articles might give you some ideas;
  
  
  
  
  
  This article is not exactly what you want but it might give you some ideas;
  
  

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Friday, 9th March 2012

  I agree that you should only grow things you like to eat. I made the mistake of growing courgettes one year. I was always watering them, the slugs kept eating them and then I realised that I don't actually like courgettes!!
  
  I grow early potatoes in sacks. You can't beat a plate of new potatoes with butter and mint.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Pounky (U15075060) on Friday, 9th March 2012

  Thank you koala_girl!
  
  I hadn't really considered the durability of the containers, so thanks for pointing that out. Congratulations on your lettuce, though - inspiring!
  
  I also find your creative approach to sourcing different types of containers something worth considering.
  
  A friend has also told me not to even think about pumpkins as she found that they grew like mad but only one or two were actually edible, so she felt her effort was wasted.

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Pounky (U15075060) on Friday, 9th March 2012

  Thank you for your input BaraGwentih.
  
  Yes, I agree that the list is long - it is of things I'd potentially like to try growing and I accept that much of it would be impossible in a small space and this climate.
  
  I beginning to think I should start with smaller items to see how I get on and then consider adding to that if I am successful.

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Pounky (U15075060) on Friday, 9th March 2012

  These are very useful and informative links Tee Gee: I am going to bookmark that website.
  
  Thank you for taking the time to post them.

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Friday, 9th March 2012

  This is a picture of some of the recycling boxes with garlic, carrots and strawberries during the summer.
  

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by Pounky (U15075060) on Monday, 12th March 2012

  This is a picture of some of the recycling boxes with garlic, carrots and strawberries during the summer.
  听 Thanks again for posting - I might have to take you as my inspiration, though I think I'd better get cracking if I hope to get anything done this year!

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by sparklepinksunflower (U10977805) on Tuesday, 13th March 2012

  my thoughts on your list
  
  Onions - Spring onions will be happy in a pot - main crop onions take too much space and are in the ground for a long time
  
  鈼� Garlic - like onions - loads of space and in the ground for a long time
  
  鈼� Celery - takes ages and its a pain
  
  鈼� Beetroot - yes -easy & quick to grow - happy in containers
  
  鈼� Carrots yes -easy & quick to grow - happy in containers
  
  鈼� Spinach/Chard/Kale, - Chard would be ok, kale takes up a lot of space and spinich takes ages
  
  鈼� Tomatoes - yes - in a pot or in the raised bed
  
  鈼� Courgettes - yes - in a pot or in the raised bed - get a bush variety
  
  鈼� Asparagus you have got to wait 3 years to get a crop
  
  鈼� Broad beans - yes in raised bed
  
  鈼� Peas - yes but you need loads of plants to get a decent crop, so space might be an issue - green beans grown up a wigwam might be better - they crop for much longer
  
  鈼� Cabbage - takes up quite a lot of space
  
  鈼� Potatoes - get a potato grow bag and they will be fine
  
  鈼� Chillis - yes - in a pot or in the raised bed
  
  鈼� Ginger NO
  
  鈼� Mixed herbs, yes, annual herbs, basil, corriander, etc v happy, well worth giving some space to parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives, sage etc. Chose your fav herbs
  
  鈼� Mixed salads, yes lettuce can grow in just about anything
  
  鈼� Squashes, will be fine in a rasied bad
  
  Radishes might be worth a go too as they are dead easy and quick.
  
  Spring onions, carrots, peas, beans,radish, carrot, lettuce, all dead easy from seed.
  
  Courgette& butternut squash, if space is limited maybe just buy 1 plant of each
  
  Toms and Chillis you prob only need 2 or 3 plants of each and if you want variety you might want to buy plants rather then seeds as price wise it will work out the same.

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