Raised beds A simple idea to ensure you get better crops and a tidy plot into the bargain

If you’d like to start growing your own, try making or buying raised beds. If you’re an experienced veg grower, I guarantee you’ll get better crops for less work. You’ll make the veg patch the tidiest part of the garden. You always work the bed, sow, plant and weed, from the side, never walking on the soil to compact it. So your plants enjoy the best growing environment and don’t have to force their fragile roots through dense, unyielding ground. You can then plant much more closely. The planting distance between rows is normally greater than that between plants along a row. But, in raised beds, the planting distance between rows is the same as along a row.

There are lots of other benefits. Because the soil is above ground level and is more loosely packed, it readily warms up in the spring, especially when the sides are made with recycled plastic. But it dries out quickly, particularly near the edges, so keep the beds well watered in dry weather.

You can alter the soil to suit a particular crop, mixing in ericaceous compost or sulphur chip with good topsoil when growing fruit, especially blueberries or rasps. If, heaven help you, you have clubroot, so can’t grow brassicas easily, import fresh topsoil or general purpose compost, never walk on the bed and use a set of tools exclusively for your raised beds.

Home-made beds naturally fit the space you have available. But raised beds from the garden centre or by mail order can do the same – at a price.

Whether you’re making or buying wooden raised beds, always choose good, stout boards. I’ve seen some pretty flimsy specimens, with sides no wider than 2cm – perfect for a matchbox, but little else. Other commercial beds are 3.5cm wide, which is ok. 5cm boards are better and I certainly reckon my 8cm boards should see me out.

Raised beds are normally 1.2m wide, or less, to let you reach the middle of the bed from either side. The minimum height is 15cm – fine for undemanding crops like lettuce, herbs or strawberries. But most other edibles, with larger root systems, require 30 or 45cm height.

Deciding whether to make or buy beds depends on how much you want to grow, the space and time you have, and how much you want to spend.

I find ‘Link-a-Bord’ beds are a good buy. The 15cm high, double skinned boards are a clever idea. The air inside the double plastic skins warms up during the day, and maintains a steady temperature by releasing the warmth at night. There are different kits with interchangeable parts, like Lego. I’ve defined the edges of my polytunnel beds with them.

I’ve also used beds with rigid recycled plastic sides. Though better than their wooden counterparts, they don’t match Link-a-Bord, and are still quite expensive.

Wooden beds are a less pricey alternative to recycled plastic ones. They should work well for you, provided you steer clear of alluring cheapies. They too come in every shape and size. I’ve even seen a triangular one that would fit snugly in a corner. It could look quite eye-catching when planted up with different coloured lettuces.

When siting your bed, try to use soil or rough ground for a base, as this allows for extra root growth and good drainage. If you’re using a gravelled area, first scrape back the gravel and break up the solid ground as best you can. Concrete paving impedes drainage and you’d end up with soggy soil and drowning plants. The only solution, I’m afraid, would be to lift some slabs to accommodate the bed. And permeable membranes are less permeable than you’d think, so do remove them.

Deciding whether to make or buy beds depends on how much you want to grow, the space and time you have, and how much you want to spend