Getting Started In Your Garden
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Garden redesign help required (4 replies)

Vmbannister
8 years ago
Vmbannister 8 years ago

I planted low level beds two years ago, they were great first year but last summer produced little or plants bolted. I used chicken manure to give them a boost one month before planting. I am now looking to raise the beds and would appreciate helpin what to put in them soil wise to get best results.

Gardening_Graham
8 years ago
Gardening_Graham 8 years ago

Hi,

I would personally put a good mix of topsoil, compost and even some well rotted manure in there and combine it all together, to give shrubs something to get hold of 🙂

Old Gardeners never die, they just throw in the trowel

old git
8 years ago
old git 8 years ago

Hi,

You have not stated what type of plants you intend growing shrubs flowers or vegetables but the below comments apply to most.

If the soil in the garden is ok, it should be fairly good as you had a good first year so with care the soil should be improving.Adding compost / manure etc is always good for shrubs or perennials flowers leaf mould if you have it is also very good but that wasn't your question. 

I have created raised beds myself this year after many years of low level gardening . I did this not to help prevent bending etc but to access the soil without treading on it.

It really does depend on the height that you intend to construct your beds as I have found that by the time I have levelled the site and dug the paths between the beds there was enough soil with the addition of a lot of compost to fill them. The soil is of course not so compacted as before.

Buying in topsoil is quite expensive also it has to transported to the garden.But if you have the means then that is one way to do it.

I have not quite completed the overhaul of the vegetable plot yet but progress so far can be seen here.   http://easylec.blogspot.co.uk/

old git
8 years ago
old git 8 years ago

The link for raised beds is here  raised beds groundworks

Rosyposy
8 years ago
Rosyposy 8 years ago

Hi Vmbannister

Everyone seems to have lots of advice on raised beds. My sister has 2 raised beds in her allotment and she puts bark chippings between the beds to stop the weeds and make sure it's not too muddy.  I don't know what soil she used (that would've been useful to know!) but the vegetables have done really well. She's hugely pleased with them!

🙂





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