What to fill my 60cm depth raised bed with?

Chimera

Think I may have sourced some top soil from freecycle.. fingers crossed I'll be up and running next week.. bottom half is already full of some lovely compostable goodies!!

mutley74

my bed is getting full of radishes, coriander, some courgetts and runner beans. I need desperate space for more as i still have carrots and leek seedlings to plant...what is recommended spacing for these plants?
so far i have kept about 5" between radishes/coriander and about 10" between larger plants.

Zazen999

mutley74 wrote: »

my bed is getting full of radishes, coriander, some courgetts and runner beans. I need desperate space for more as i still have carrots and leek seedlings to plant...what is recommended spacing for these plants?
so far i have kept about 5" between radishes/coriander and about 10" between larger plants.

Far too much space inbetween those!

Courgettes need a good metre square - but if you plant them on the corner they spill out and only need 1/4 of that.

Radishes, need an inch in between - as they only grow to an inch diameter.

Runners, can be spaced quite close together - their real problem occurs when they reach the top of whatever they are being grown up and all merge into one tangled mess. You can grow them up a cane that is at an angle to your bed so that you can grow other things underneath the beans as they grow.

Carrots and leek seedlings - carrots can be sown in a line and will push each other apart as they grow and you can eat the smaller ones and leave the larger ones to grow on. Or sow a pinch where you have extra space [between the radishes judging by your spacing above]

Coriander, can be grown quite close together - it needs to be chopped back regularly during the summer or it will bolt so no need to give them massive amounts of room or you'll need to open a restaurant to use it all up.

Leeks can go very close together as they won't need to go into their final positions until the end of the summer, so put them in any spare space you have until then [I usually have mine growing as close together as grass grows, if you want an idea, and put them in a corner until the tender crops have finished. then put them into their final spaces individually].

Remember if you are growing in a bed, you can close the spacings down from those quoted on packets. Think about the size of the plant that it will be and give it that space. Think about the time it is going to take to get to that size, and grow things that are fast growing [radishes, lettuces] in the space surrounding them so that you use all your space wisely.

Zazen999

annedunlop wrote: »

As it's going onto grass, I was planning to lift the top grass off first. I have heard that I should also put old carpet down first - advice anyone? I plan to do this and plant today - is that ok or should the soil be left for a few days?

NO to the carpet; just put the bed onto the grass, add the topsoil and plant up. No need to worry then about chemicals or trying to remove it in the future.

Chimera

Zazen999 wrote: »

Far too much space inbetween those!

Courgettes need a good metre square - but if you plant them on the corner they spill out and only need 1/4 of that.

Radishes, need an inch in between - as they only grow to an inch diameter.

Runners, can be spaced quite close together - their real problem occurs when they reach the top of whatever they are being grown up and all merge into one tangled mess. You can grow them up a cane that is at an angle to your bed so that you can grow other things underneath the beans as they grow.

Carrots and leek seedlings - carrots can be sown in a line and will push each other apart as they grow and you can eat the smaller ones and leave the larger ones to grow on. Or sow a pinch where you have extra space [between the radishes judging by your spacing above]

Coriander, can be grown quite close together - it needs to be chopped back regularly during the summer or it will bolt so no need to give them massive amounts of room or you'll need to open a restaurant to use it all up.

Leeks can go very close together as they won't need to go into their final positions until the end of the summer, so put them in any spare space you have until then [I usually have mine growing as close together as grass grows, if you want an idea, and put them in a corner until the tender crops have finished. then put them into their final spaces individually].

Remember if you are growing in a bed, you can close the spacings down from those quoted on packets. Think about the size of the plant that it will be and give it that space. Think about the time it is going to take to get to that size, and grow things that are fast growing [radishes, lettuces] in the space surrounding them so that you use all your space wisely.

In total agreement.. I've got stuff everywhere, courgettes are going to take up most space.. I'm having some on the ground and some in raised bed - gonna try trailing against wall (worth a try)..

I have radishes everywhere - they are so easy to spot when they come through, I just pop seeds in every week, wherever I see a space. They crop quickly too, just take out the ready ones and leaves space for others. I have them growing in between potatoes, round pots with fruit bushes in - anywhere I can squeeze them

I have some carrots in a planter at the moment, and going to sow some direct to bed where I have space. From watching the edible gardner I'm liking her approach of just keeping an eye on things and thinning as needed - worked so far for me

Zazen999

Chimera wrote: »

From watching the edible gardner I'm liking her approach of just keeping an eye on things and thinning as needed - worked so far for me

Even better, never thin things. Just sow less seed more regularly.


I never ever thin things. What a waste!

aliasojo

I've messed up again, I think. I just bought bags of vegetable growing compost from the garden centre to put in the raised bed I bought. I didn't have enough though so filled one side of the bed just so I could get my beetroot and carrots in last night. I was going back to the garden centre today to get more compost.

I didn't know I shouldn't have used all compost and should have used topsoil too. Because the plants have only just been planted I can take them out and start again?

Why does top soil make a difference please? The Miracle Grow Veg compost bags I bought just said to fill the container with this stuff and plant. So I did. :undecided

mutley74

Zazen999 wrote: »

Far too much space inbetween those!

Courgettes need a good metre square - but if you plant them on the corner they spill out and only need 1/4 of that.

Radishes, need an inch in between - as they only grow to an inch diameter.

Runners, can be spaced quite close together - their real problem occurs when they reach the top of whatever they are being grown up and all merge into one tangled mess. You can grow them up a cane that is at an angle to your bed so that you can grow other things underneath the beans as they grow.

Carrots and leek seedlings - carrots can be sown in a line and will push each other apart as they grow and you can eat the smaller ones and leave the larger ones to grow on. Or sow a pinch where you have extra space [between the radishes judging by your spacing above]

Coriander, can be grown quite close together - it needs to be chopped back regularly during the summer or it will bolt so no need to give them massive amounts of room or you'll need to open a restaurant to use it all up.

Leeks can go very close together as they won't need to go into their final positions until the end of the summer, so put them in any spare space you have until then [I usually have mine growing as close together as grass grows, if you want an idea, and put them in a corner until the tender crops have finished. then put them into their final spaces individually].

Remember if you are growing in a bed, you can close the spacings down from those quoted on packets. Think about the size of the plant that it will be and give it that space. Think about the time it is going to take to get to that size, and grow things that are fast growing [radishes, lettuces] in the space surrounding them so that you use all your space wisely.

Thanks for the tip. Seems like i need to re-plant the radishes today before the roots get established to make more room! Thanks for the leeks tip, as i have some leek seedlings about 5 weeks old and it just looks like grass, so hoping it will grow!:j

(i take it its okay to keep courgettes and runner beans outside? Do they need netting when they start giving veg?)

Zazen999

Top soil holds the water in the way that compost doesn't.

It isn't a problem if you've already used it. You could use it for this season and as it settles, mulch with top soil once the summer crops are out and this will all get mixed in for next year.

However, carrots should have been sow direct not transplanted; so once you have added more bags and have a nice flat sowing surface, I'd sow another row now and again in a month or so for a continuous crop.

Zazen999

mutley74 wrote: »

Thanks for the tip. Seems like i need to re-plant the radishes today before the roots get established to make more room! Thanks for the leeks tip, as i have some leek seedlings about 5 weeks old and it just looks like grass, so hoping it will grow!:j

(i take it its okay to keep courgettes and runner beans outside? Do they need netting when they start giving veg?)

I'd not dig them up, just sow either more in between, or maybe some lettuces or carrots.....don't destroy what you've done - use the space for other things.

Courgettes and runners will not need netting....their main issue is frost or slugs when young. And plenty of water if in a new raised bed.