Raised Veg plot advise please

pistolpetes11

I built the following at the end of last summer :









Over the winter and the past few weeks all manor of weeds had grown in it and some of the failings of my attempts last summer,

I weeded it out as best possible but as you can see there is still a good bit of loose weed knocking about ,

Is it ok for me to spray it with weed killer and pesticide( Noticed an awful amount of dead bright green caterpillars in the soil , I say the frost the last couple of nights got them)

I got a load of different type of spuds to plant today , along with a few other bits and pieces but want to try clear it of any weeds before I got to work on it.

Also the trees at either end our apple trees and pear trees, would the weed killer destroy them also ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated .

wait4me

A good dig and turning of the soil would do it good - picking out the weeds as you go along. At least that's what I'd do.

Cardinal Richelieu

Nice set up OP, as wait4me said it just needs a good dig which you are going to be doing when you start to plant your spuds anyway. Until then just use a hoe or skim the blade of the spade over the top of the surface to cut any weeds.

pistolpetes11

Cheers folks , you know how pesky them weeds are they just keep coming back but if you think its ok to pull them out as I sow , happy days

redser7

Just use a hoe and cut them off at the head. Especially now as they are starting to grow and are easy to dilodge and kill off. You don't even have to pick the seedlings out. Just leave them rot and they will add to the soil. Unless you have dandelions or weeds with a tap root, dig these completely out as they will regrow from a bit of root left in the soil.
If you are growing spuds, spread your grass clippings over the the soil around the plants as they emerge as a mulch. Keep it away from the stems (a couple of inches) and don't put it on too thick, just an inch or two thick. And water on top of it to stop it blowing off. The grass will rot down and feed the soil and also help to prevent scab. Grass clippings would be good for mulching around leafy salads and the like too. But don't use grass if it has been treated with a chemical weed/feed. The mulch will reduce your need to water and also keep the weeds back.

amen

during the summer keep a good eye out for weeds and remove them.
As you come to the end of the growing season check for weeds and remove.

Add some compost to the soil and dig it in. Cover with some garden cloth (allows the rain in) and leave until spring should stop most of the weeds. If your really want to make sure then get some old carpet and cover the ground for 1-2 years. That should make the soil fairly weed free.

Once thing to be careful if when removing the covering in spring is not to tip the covering over the soil and thus dropping wind borne weed seeds back onto your soil :-)

MarchDub

Don't even think about putting any kind of chemical weed killer or pesticide into the soil. You risk contaminating the vegetables that you then intend to grow there.

coxy123

OP, What do you have in mind to grow this year? - I have a similiar setup myself, but unfortunately it's partially shaded - your setup looks impressive btw!

Technophobe

as a suggestion OP, you should bung a scattering of pea or bean seeds around the area where you have trellis on the wall...they can then grow up along the trellis....are you growing anything other than spuds ?

qzy

The potato foliage will keep the weeds down to a minimum anyway as it grows.......

pistolpetes11

coxy123 wrote: »

OP, What do you have in mind to grow this year? - I have a similiar setup myself, but unfortunately it's partially shaded - your setup looks impressive btw!

Would like to do , spuds , Cabbage , Turnip ,onions , would like to try tomatoes and then some herbs .

redser7

Just be aware that cabbages would take up a lot of space and need extra protection (netting) from butterflies. Tomatoes, while somewhat possible would need a good summer to be worth growing outside a greenhouse. Onions are easy but you want to get your sets in the ground soonish. Think about salad leave. You can get very cheap mixed lettuce seeds of the cut and come again variety which are easy to grow and will keep you in salad for months.

Technophobe

Plus one to what Redser said.

In addition to onions, maybe throw in a few shallot sets too..you can get these now in places like Aldi, Lidl, Dealz etc or in garden shops etc...Should try and get them planted by end March for a long growing season (having said that I put some down in May last year and had nice sized onions...)

If you find you are running out of room (or more likely, getting all enthuasistic and wanting to plant more stuff) you could save space by planting the herbs in pots, planters and even leave these near your back door for easy grabbing when cooking etc....

The Sparrow

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm thinking about trying to build something along the lines of what the OP has in those pictures. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to do it or where to get the materials/ sleepers etc.

Is there much building involved in something like that?

paddy147

The Sparrow wrote: »

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm thinking about trying to build something along the lines of what the OP has in those pictures. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to do it or where to get the materials/ sleepers etc.

Is there much building involved in something like that?

Easy to do.All you need is some time and a bit of elbow grease,a shovel,a lump hammer,a spirit level,a cordless screw gun or drill and the an electric sabre saw,chainsaw or a hand bow saw.

New 8 foot long pressure treated sleepers are 18 euro each from Grange Builders Providers.A 16 foot length of pressure treated 3 x 2 wood is around 10 euro.

Way cheaper than any garden centres or diy stores or certain landscapers.

A few lengths of pressure 3 x2 wood cut into stakes and a box of 80-90mm long decking screws or stainless screws.3 stakes hammered into the ground,over the 8 foot length of the sleeper and screw through the backs of the stakes into the sleepers.You can also screw down into the backs of the sleepers to secure each sleeper to the one below it (added strength).

Thats about it really.:)

radiat

if you want to save some money buy used wooden scaffolding boards

Look on donedeal.ie you'll get them for 2 or 3 euro.

pistolpetes11

Took a weekend to do one my own , long weekend it was actually


There is two ton of hard core in there and 4 ton of veg mix from Nass Patio centre , even at that it has sank about 4-6 inches , might just be they soil compacting after it settled in, so Il have to get a bit more for this year

Its 1.5 meters wide, 1 meter high, and 12 meters long .

Half the bottom sleeper is below the ground in a trench which is cemented in place , The centre piece if for a water feautre that her indoors would like and there is power ran but not yet connected to points throughout the plot .

Got a mini digger to get all the material in from the front to the plot , soon worked out it would be quicker using the wheel barrow and the digger to load it , The digger was too awkward and there was a lot better things I could of used. .

paddy147

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

Took a weekend to do one my own , long weekend it was actually


There is two ton of hard core in there and 4 ton of veg mix from Nass Patio centre , even at that it has sank about 4-6 inches , might just be they soil compacting after it settled in, so Il have to get a bit more for this year

Its 1.5 meters wide, 1 meter high, and 12 meters long .

Half the bottom sleeper is below the ground in a trench which is cemented in place , The centre piece if for a water feautre that her indoors would like and there is power ran but not yet connected to points throughout the plot .

Got a mini digger to get all the material in from the front to the plot , soon worked out it would be quicker using the wheel barrow and the digger to load it , The digger was too awkward and there was a lot better things I could of used. .

For the power I hope you used at least 2.5 square SWA (Steel Wired Amour) and have it hooked up to its own/seperate RCBO (at least 20amp) on the mains house fuse board.

Thats what I did for the power in my back garden for pond and garden lights.I also installed a double pole 2 gang switch on the kitchen wall.

1 Switch is for the pond pump,the other switch is for the garden lights.Either or can be switched on and off from the comfort of the kitchen.Theres an IP rated outdoor junction box and double socket on the wall in the back garden.

I also installed an IP65 rated outdoor double socket in the front garden,which has its own fused switched spur (installed inside the porch) and its own RCBO aswell.That way the outdoor socket can be switched off in the porch when its not being used,and also so that no one can get free lecy off of it,when Im out of the house.

The double socket in the front garden is for the likes of a leaf blower/garden vacume and a pressure washer.Or even use of diy power tools.These can be used via the outdoor socket,and not have to have a lead runing out through an open window or have the front door open on a cold or windy day.
Also handy at Christmass time with the LED Christamss tree lights in the garden.


Hope this helps you out in some way.


PS-If you are going to be pouring concrete/cement in and over where existing or new outdoor power cables are located,then you need run the power cables in some protective conduit/ducting,as the lime in the cement/concrete will eat into the power cables exterior sheathing over time and destroy the cable.

The Sparrow

This sounds like it may be trickier than I had first assumed. I have none of the necessary tools and zero experience so I think I might look at getting some raised beds from Patchwork Veg. They seem to have been recommended in some previous threads.

redser7

The Sparrow, ready-made beds can cost an arm and a leg. Maybe you have spare arms and legs and in that case good luck, go for it
Just a general observation about this and other gardening sites - the advice and instructions you tend to get are 'best practise'. Nothing wrong with that at all of course, but it can make things sound very daunting for someone without experience. So don't be put off when you read posts that are very detailed and get technical.
A raised bed is simply anything that holds muck back! Don't loose sight of that fact. Paddy's link to Grange builders is a good one, if you are within delivery distance. You can make a raised bed by plonking sleepers on the ground in a shape that you think is nice, filling it with muck and then planting your plants in pockets filled with cheap store bought compost. It will look great. Take that as the most basic project you can give yourself. Then think about how you could do better than that. Taking into account your budget and abilities, try to find a happy medium bewteen this and some of the more durable professional projects you might read about.
My sister laid a few blocks in a rectangle, filled it with compost and bedding plants from Lidl last year and it looked great

OldRio

Agree with redser 100%.
Work to a budget. It can cost 1,000euro or just a few euro.

I have 20 raised beds and grow veg.
I started with 5 beds two years ago and gradually developed more and more.

I need to put stone down between the beds but cannot afford it at the moment but that will not stop me expanding the raised beds again.

Anyway, good luck, and remember Rome wasn't built in a day.

livinsane

I made very simple raised beds that cost me next to nothing. Got scrap wood planks from an old bed, hammered four lengths together, laid cardboard over the grass, place boxes on top, filled with a few bags of soil (got in BnQ, v cheap). You'd be mad to spend alot of money on it, in my opinion.

paddy147

Raised veggie beds/plots from my girlfriends allotment.

3 lengths of 8 foot scaffold boards (2 inch thick) and screwed together with decking screws.

Jobe done for 13 euro a veggie bed.:)

pistolpetes11

paddy147 wrote: »

For the power I hope you used at least 2.5 square SWA (Steel Wired Amour) and have it hooked up to its own/seperate RCBO (at least 20amp) on the mains house fuse board.

Thats what I did for the power in my back garden for pond and garden lights.I also installed a double pole 2 gang switch on the kitchen wall.

1 Switch is for the pond pump,the other switch is for the garden lights.Either or can be switched on and off from the comfort of the kitchen.Theres an IP rated outdoor junction box and double socket on the wall in the back garden.

I also installed an IP65 rated outdoor double socket in the front garden,which has its own fused switched spur (installed inside the porch) and its own RCBO aswell.That way the outdoor socket can be switched off in the porch when its not being used,and also so that no one can get free lecy off of it,when Im out of the house.

The double socket in the front garden is for the likes of a leaf blower/garden vacume and a pressure washer.Or even use of diy power tools.These can be used via the outdoor socket,and not have to have a lead runing out through an open window or have the front door open on a cold or windy day.
Also handy at Christmass time with the LED Christamss tree lights in the garden.


Hope this helps you out in some way.


PS-If you are going to be pouring concrete/cement in and over where existing or new outdoor power cables are located,then you need run the power cables in some protective conduit/ducting,as the lime in the cement/concrete will eat into the power cables exterior sheathing over time and destroy the cable.

All the Electrics were done by a sparks and ran before the week before I started on the plot , and there was already an outdoor socket in place.

I had the builder leave a feed from the fuse board to the left side of the building , A big thick grey cable but my mate who is the sparks said it was perfect and it has it owns RCB on the board , originally my plan was to run power down to the shed so I could have a light in it ,

We ran 2.5 SWA under the path (bout 3-4 foot, chased out a trench in the patch with a cement cutters) cut a trench down to the where the plot would be and ran it down , if you look at the pics , you will see the thick black cable in the middle and two corners.

Also built a raised patio and ran lights in to in , amazing what you can do what you put yourself into it , I got some help with the patio but again it only took 2-3 day, built the raised section with sleepers and then granite slabs on top with the LED's in the sleepers.

Cardinal Richelieu

OldRio wrote: »

Agree with redser 100%.
Work to a budget. It can cost 1,000euro or just a few euro.

I have 20 raised beds and grow veg.
I started with 5 beds two years ago and gradually developed more and more.

I need to put stone down between the beds but cannot afford it at the moment but that will not stop me expanding the raised beds again.

Anyway, good luck, and remember Rome wasn't built in a day.

I think for most this is the best option, I know for some people if they are going to do it they want to do it right. But as evident by the number of allotments abandoned by people the great intentions of growing your own veg don't always work out.

paddy147

picture showing cheaper raised veggie beds on the allotment (see post 23 above).

paddy147

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

I think for most this is the best option, I know for some people if they are going to do it they want to do it right. But as evident by the number of allotments abandoned by people the great intentions of growing your own veg don't always work out.

Allotments need,time,effort and work on a regular/frequent basis,to keep them in good order and grow the fruit and veg propperly.:)

TPM

any issues with the wood preservative leaching into the soil? The same concern with old railway sleepers. Its hard to find something "safe" that wont rot away quickly. as said above some people use 2nd hand scaffold planks.

paddy147

TPM wrote: »

any issues with the wood preservative leaching into the soil? The same concern with old railway sleepers. Its hard to find something "safe" that wont rot away quickly. as said above some people use 2nd hand scaffold planks.

New pressure treated sleepers are 4 inches thick and 8 inches high.

These are perfectly safe to use,with regards fruit and veg growing.

And they wont rot away quickly either.

Scaffold planks (2 inches thick and 8-9 inches high) are hardy enough too,and wont rot away fast or that easily.

Theres many specific water based stains out there that are safe to apply and not harm plants,fruit or veg.

Micheal GIY

TPM, he main one to be concerned about here is the old railway sleepers. These are treated with creosote which will leach into your soil and do unpleasant things to your crops. However, you could prevent this by lining the bed with plastic before adding your soil, but I would still prefer not to take the risk. I have used cheap pressure treated timber as suggested previously, and also used old scaffolding planks (although here in the we North-West these are beginning to show signs of rot after two seasons.
Good advice on this thread - if you are starting out don't spend too much time or money on the structure of beds.
The most important thing to get right anyhow is the soil. Try for a good mix of topsoil, compost and manure (well rotted).