When starting to plan out your raised beds it is important to know what is not only practical, but also most comfortable for you when working. This will effect where you decide to position the bed, as you may want to work whilst standing or sitting and have access to both sides. When thinking about the positioning of the raised bed you should consider:
- Width – It is recommended for the width to be approximately 1000mm wide, so that you can have easy access to all sides.
- Length – The space you have available in your garden will be the main factor to influence the length of the bed, as well as what you would desire for it to be.
- Height – With raised beds you are able to work to a height that you prefer. So if you wish to stand, kneel, sit on the ground or on the side of the bed, you are able to.
Once you have decided on the size of your raised bed, before building it is then best to rake and level the ground so that the bed will lie flat. You can build a raised bed from numerous materials, such as paving slabs, softwood boards, timber posts, railway sleepers and brick. Most materials used for beds can be purchased from builders merchants and garden centres and all of which will help construct a strong stable foundation.
The benefit of having raised beds is that you can decide on the soil that will best suit your planting requirements. Our Topsoil Supreme is a light airy soil containing 30% of compost, which gives it the additional nutrients needed to enable strong growth of your plants, shrubs and bulbs. Topsoil Supreme is also great for vegetable raised beds. If you’re looking to add further nutrients our organic Cow Compost (from our own organic dairy herd) makes a good addition.
After 12 months the raised bed will need topping up with a soil conditioner to ensure that nutrients are replenished. Apart from this raised beds are simple to maintain and will not only add some variety to your garden, but can also make gardening a more enjoyable task.
