English Documentary: Lazy beds

Short English documentary for language learners about making lazy beds in Uist. Part of the new "Island Voices" series: guthan.wordpres....
Video created by Gordon Wells. Released under Creative Commons for use by learners and teachers.

[@gregc2151]

I'm wondering if the lazy bed name is psychological because there's nothing lazy about digging one of these out . I gave mine the name back breaker.

[@johnwhittington4282]

I have to thank you for this excellent video. I have only just come across it again but I remember it well. I used this method to establish our vegetable patch here in Ireland 8 years ago. The ground isn't the best drained but this gives me dry ridges that I was able to plant in early Spring. Seaweed and cattle manure and the soils pretty good now. I found that if I could fold the grass over without splitting it the weeds were trapped inside the ridge.

[@LouisJ-mq7dx]

Did the tater send roots n tubers between the sod also?

[@healthyrootsstrongwings538]

Nice video! I've used this method (although a lot less slick than this) few weeks back to plant potatoes and seed carrots. Thanks for the awesome footage

[@SunUp08]

Fantastic and what lovely soil!! Going to try this!

[@colinspencer4723]

How about the name for lazy bed - feannag

[@broadwayFan28]

Im a double digger but if I did a lazy bed today I would mow the grass/weeds first. It's harder to dig if the weeds are high.

[@ShelljetA1]

What is the name given to the 2 prong implement that is used to lift the spuds?

[@leafbranch1872]

Is this the wacho technique?
I read in a book that this style of land preparation would have lessened the effectiveness of the potato blight pathogen.

[@infantryblack]

I harvest after the plant dies and the yields are much larger.

[@nledaig]

Feannagan s chan e Lazy-beds. Chaneil cail leisg m dheidhinn.

[@kellykilfeather]

They harvested those potatoes too early 😕

[@Pigearvet]

I like no dig gardens best. The plants seem to do better??

[@MrTACAMICHE]

This is awesome for the initial decompaction of, for example overly grazed, compacted pasture soil... it all depends on what you’re starting with

[@svetlanikolova5557]

You didnt have to disturb the soil at all. Put cardboard down and then loath it with soil mix. Use vermicompost soil and compost on the bottom. Wet the cardboard first before putting the soil on top. You are done! You could have saved yourself some time and the soil structure underneath!

[@healthyrootsstrongwings538]

Svetla Nikolova Sure that would work but it would need a lot more preperation to make compost or resources to buy it in. This way all you need is a shovel.
I used this method to start planting on short term. After this harvest I want to covert to no dig and just add compost. We'll see how it goes

[@Alastair510]

The information missing from this video is the other reason for building lazybeds; drainage and soil depth.
The Outer Hebrides are very wet, constant rain. The soil is heavy and very shallow, in places only a few inches deep before you hit rock, and consequently waterlogged.
Building a series of lazybeds has two great benefits. It creates more soil depth, and the valleys between each bed are good drainage.