This really helped me a great deal. I went out to my yard and measured the space . I switched from two 4x16 beds to three 4x10 beds. It's a little less growing space, but it feels more manageable. Thanks Huw!
70cm high, 3m long, 68cm wide for my new bed this year. Totally determined by my space and available materials though. Plus I want to try gardening at waist height.
I’ve used a thick layer of flattened cardboard boxes in my keyhole shaped raised beds. (We have horrible Bermuda grass) Your videos have kept me focused through our winters here in the Midwestern US. Thank you for your teaching and enthusiasm!
I have two 120x30x30 cm beds for my balcony that can also be turned upside down and used as benches for containers, or stacked to make a high bed or a shelf for hardening off seedlings. They give me enough space width-wise for most crops while being narrow enough to not cramp the balcony. A friend built them for me from repurposed materials four years ago, and they are really handy to have.
Heres an idea for you, If you have beds that are a consistent width ( I have one continuous bed down the whole length of our backyard, one side is a path to access, the other side is the boundary fence) like mine. You can get a piece of timber about 10cm wide and as long as your bed is wide. My piece of wood is 10cm x 130cm. It has another piece of timber at the end to make a T shape about 25cm across. So when planting, I lay the end with the T up against the far edge of the bed, this gives you a perfect straight line, to plant along the length of the wood. I have the long section of wood marked every 5cm, so depending on what your planting, you can pick the exact spacing you want! All rows are super straight, with exact spacing. You can stagger the next row perfectly etc. I really like everything looking perfect as it's right in our backyard and it also helps get a lot in a small area. Cheers!
We started last year with an 8 foot by 4 foot bed - the length was what would fit into the space we had available, while the width was from your suggested size! This year we have added three new beds, but these are various sizes depending on what materials we could get to make them. We have two that are about 4 foot by 3 1/2 foot, and the third was from B&Q and is about 3 foot by 2 foot. These all were fitted into the corner of the garden that gets the most sunshine and filled the space perfectly, and are all of a usable size for reaching over!
Hello. I have been an organic vegetable grower for 30+ years. Here is what I have settle on for bed sizes. I am 6' . For gardening on flat ground I feel that 42" is ideal for my wider beds and 30" for my narrow beds. Otherwise it is whatever will fit under 42". I built new 12" raised beds this year. My central bed is 4' X 32'. 1/2 of the bed is devoted to fruit. I have a trellis for blackberries down the middle and half is strawberries. The beds are 1' in height and I put 2"x6" rails along the tops for a place to sit. Having the bed elevated makes it easier to reach the middle than on flat ground so 4' works for me. I am 75 yo so this makes it much easier for me to garden opposed to flat ground. I have found that 18" between beds works best. You do want ample room to turn around, move around, etc. I went with full 2' in these new beds. When I built my beds I put down 6" of wood chips and 6" of a clay loam soil on top. Above that I put about 2" of leaves and about 4" of straw. After three months undisturbed I discovered that the leaves were mostly decomposed and had created about 1/4" of new, beautiful, rich soil. Amazing. I was very pleased to discover that. We had a wet winter so I am sure that had much to do with the decomposition of the leaves.
Very good info! I already have four 4 ft x 10 ft beds made with 2 x 8s (4 of them stacked high). Recently, I re-did my fence wall and I decided to salvage the vertical boards -- they have nails around 1 foot from both ends; I cut-off those ends. I created 4 ft x 3 ft x 1.5 ft high beds using 4x4 at corners -- these are 'portable' beds (in the sense I can move them around by myself). I put some of these beds on my concrete patio and instead of pouring in soil, I placed six 20 gallon grow bags in them.
Thanks Huw. It was nice to see my decision to re-scale my bed widths this year (we started off with 30" beds a few years ago, moved to 3' beds, and this year, I scaled to 4' beds with slimmer pathways... with kind of a hybrid system though... the whole garden plot is raised above the ground level, but the beds are shaped by mounding, and the paths are filled in completely with would mulch so they are level with the beds). Also, we used to have wider side beds to begin with (due to rabbits and other critters we have chicken wire fencing surrounding the plot, so it has the same limitations as growing in an enclosed space) with and have moved the beds on the four sides to 30" widths. Just getting early plantings in now, but it's a much more doable spacing in terms of productivity and ergonomics. Keep up the advice! I'm always learning something.
Hi Huw, nice video as always. The size of 1,2m by 3,0m is really the best size! By the way, can You make a video on how You build the polycrub tunnel? I´m really interested in how it was built.
I have a number of raised beds, and have found the best for easy use is 4'x12'. The first one I built is 4'x10', and the next two are 4'x12' I like the extra room of the 12' ones, and it isn't that much longer to walk around. I used three cattle panels to create an arbor between tow the 4'x12' beds that are spaced 4' apart. The arbor is great for pole beans, cucumbers, etc. One style bed I experimented with is a U-shaped bed with thre 4'x6' beds forming a U. That is my least favorite bed as it is difficult working the angled part of the U - that angled part of the bed is about 5.5', which is too long to reach across.
Hi Huw, I have found your planting plan really useful. I am still working through it for planning my succession crops but it has already helped me make good choices as to where to place my staple crops. Really nice to have all the information down in my seed list and getting it onto my monthly plans - freeing up headspace so thank you for creating it 🙂
I've been making 5ft by 2ft beds because uhh...my wife and I are both really short. Given the asinine price of lumber in the States, I've been making them out of cedar fence planking. Living in the southeastern US, my yard is basically red clay and rocks, so I need to make them fairly deep.
Thank you Huw for your min and max sizes. I think a lot of the decision is based on the materials you use. Wood comes in certain lengths, and if you don't want to waste, reasonable compromises work. I live in as wet part of Wales but probably warmer, so my ex scaffold board beds rotted fairly quickly. They have been replaced with concrete gavel boards. They are normally 6ft in length. The concrete fence posts are about 9 ft. You need a good cutter but 6x3ft beds, posts cut into 3 or 4 depending on hole depth and concrete fixing, fitted my space. Approximately 2 sq yards/ bed abd 4 beds. They are only an inch or so wide but standing and walking on the edges is not something you could reliably do on wood. A raised bed, raises the height of your bean poles and other structures, tying in the tops and picking and pinching out would involve a chair or step ladder otherwise. Your thoughts on tunnel beds has reinforced mine too. Thanks for the video.
What a glorious garden. I’m on the petite side, so I found that beds need to be only 3 feet across so that I can access everything. You always have such great tips. Blessings. Garden on...
Oh and please give us more instructions on the beautiful trellises you have around the garden! Here in our area we don’t have hazel but we do have bamboo, any pointers?
all my no dig beds are 4ft wide x 15.7 ft ( 4.8m) as that is the size of the lengths of wood i had delivered i looked at 10ft but seemed silly to cut the extra off and add more work plus i had plenty of space , I find these beds perfect to deal with at 4ft super easy to manage throughout the season from weeding to harvesting to sowing and planting . Everything i do in the garden is to try save time and minimum amount of work as i already do a manual labour job , and have a family so time is short , Anyway excellent educational video as always :)
I got a couple of pallet collars after reading your book. They're 75x115 cm so I thought they were tiny but after seeing this video they're probably just right for me. Thanks!
I agree 4ft or 1.2m wide seems perfect for me to be able to easily reach everything. My raised beds are 2.4m or 8ft long simply because that's a common length for timber. Height, again based on easily obtainable timber 400mm which is 2 sleepers deep and only this deep to avoid too much bending down Path width? Just a tad under 2 ft . Wide enough to get my lawnmower or wheelbarrow down if needed. Simple really:) Nice info as usual Huw 👍
Love your garden and all the great information you always give us !! Sounds like you had to re-invent the wheel a bit as your bed sizes are those advocated in the original Square Foot Gardening book.
I have my raised beds with 2 hole concrete blocks and. 4 blockes by 8. Ends are 3 full and half a side block. I put cardboard down, small sticks, then pour raised bedding soil down about 6". Put thin layer straw and 10-10-10 and finish up with soil to top. After water/ rain it drop 3-4" which is good. My potatoes were plantedon GOOD Friday. And blooming now. Since i have holes in blocks upwards i fill and plant with petunias, marigolds or. Even pepper plants about ever 3 blocks. I dont have to bend over just set on blocks and work. Hope this might help others that have trouble bending over garden
Great video Huw. I have four beds, all 1 meter wide and around 2 meters long, I have one bed 1 x 1 meter intended for flowers but I have so much veg, I think I'll be using that for my dwarf beans instead. I love to grow different and unusual varieties of beans. This year I am growing Yin Yang and Edaname (Soya) beans, something I've not grown before.
My Raised Beds in my back garden which are sitting on flag stone, are 6ft long and 3ft wide and because of my health are 22 inches high. Stay Safe, Barry (Wirral)
A nice length is the standard length of the boards so you don't have to cut them. Or, if the boards are really long, cut off 1,2 m to use for the short sides.
Our house in on a hill. So our kitchen garden is also on a hill. So it is terraced. Ergo... A raised bed on one side. But that is done due to necessity, not preference. I prefer to not have raised beds if I can. They are more trouble than they are worth IMHO. But one benefit of raised beds not mentioned in this video is to deal with gopher or moles. If one lays down hardware cloth on the soil, then build a raised bed on top of this, it can remove damage from such sub soil mammals. So there are many good reasons to have raised beds.
i've never been tempted to jump over my long bed, but maybe thats because i'm 5 feet tall and its 4 feet wide with narrow aisleways. now i'm tempted to try. how tall are you to be hopping over your beds huw??
Thanks Huw. Very useful. I got the Permaculture Magazine your in. Can't wait to read it. Well done. Been following your videos for some years. Love the nettle video. Perhaps you would consider doing a Japanese Knotweed video. We were mis-sold on our house, so I've turned Knotweed into a powerful positive. Herbal medicine (Resveratrol). Soap, face oil. Paper. And Green Electricity. Do message me. Would love to talk.
Interesting! My beds are 4feet wide and ten feet long, they have been for more than two decades! I don’t have sides but that works well for me as my natural soil is half decent. Klaus
Excelente video. Tengo una pregunta, pensando en un suelo base que está compactado y tiene malezas ¿recomendás quitarlas o es cavar un poco? Como preparo y acondiciono ese espacio para construir encima el jardín, esa sería la pregunta. Un abrazo desde Argentina
Great video! Just the other day was looking for something like this and couldn't find anything to my liking. Would love to hear opinion about higher rised beds, how high is too high? If to take in consideration that plants also grown in them even higher.
Hi there again, I'm planning on making a raised bed using a shopping trolley, do you think it would work using plastic sheeting, and perhaps thick bin liners to line the trolley with and then puncturing the bottom with many holes? My main worry is the plastic turning the compost toxic. But I am not sure that any other thing for this shopping trolley setup would be practical long term.
If it's still available. I would recommend "Allen Titchmarch" The Allotment Gardeners hand book. Must be 30 odd years since I bought mine. Of course this doesn't take from the excellent work done by Huw. 🇮🇪🇪🇺 PS All information is worthwhile
@@derekmulready1523 closest I could find in a library search: The allotment keeper's handbook : a down-to-earth guide to growing your own food Author: Perrone, Jane. ISBN: 9781843545484 Publication Information: London : Atlantic, 2007. Physical Description: 327 p. : ill. ; 19 cm. Collection: Hardback General Note: Published on behalf of Guardian Newspapers. A no-nonsense guide to managing your own organic vegetable patch, this title is packed with invaluable advice, from how to choose an allotment and test its soil to knowing your chickweed from your chicory. Abstract: A no-nonsense guide to managing your own organic vegetable patch, this title is packed with invaluable advice, from how to choose an allotment and test its soil to knowing your chickweed from your chicory. Title Subject: Allotment gardening. Subject Term: Allotment gardens. Vegetable gardening. Organic gardening. Kitchen gardens. Gardening. Added Corporate Author: Guardian Newspapers Ltd. Language: English
@@derekmulready1523 Although Alan does seem to have a newer book on allotments: Allotment gardening Author: Titchmarsh, Alan. ISBN: 9781849902212 Publication Information: [London?] : BBC, 2012. Physical Description: 96 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 24 cm. Collection: Paperback Series: Alan Titchmarsh how to garden General Note: Taking on an allotment can be an intimidating prospect. Alan Titchmarsh makes it easy by explaining how to get the most from your plot with easy-to-follow, practical information and advice on what to grow, when to harvest and how to store your produce. Abstract: Taking on an allotment can be an intimidating prospect. Alan Titchmarsh makes it easy by explaining how to get the most from your plot with easy-to-follow, practical information and advice on what to grow, when to harvest and how to store your produce. Subject Term: Allotment gardens. Vegetable gardening. Fruit-culture. Gardening. Language: English
Wonderful video Huw. Thank you. I’m wondering what your thoughts are for the width when they are raised beds to being 70 cm high. We have an issue with rabbits here and the 70cm is high enough to keep them out. As they are 70cm high, I’m wondering if you think we could go wider than the 1.2metres. They intend to be 3metres in length.
Hi Huw. I've been watching your video's since early this spring. I purchased my 1st ever raised garden bed this spring also. It's 4'wx8'L, and I recently purchased a 2nd one the same size. Both are made out of Galvanized Steel. My plan now is to purchase a 3'wx10'L so that I can create a squared off type of U shape and then also add cattle panels between the 2 4'wx8'L ones to create an arch for vertical growing space for squash or cucumbers. I'd do 3ft spacing between the 2 I would have the cattle panel arch going too. Oh all beds are 26.5" in height. My question is this: Will the 3'wx10'L provide sufficient growing space for many veggies? The reason I was thinking of going 3' wide with the longer one was to space on space as I only have a small city sized lot backyard. Or do you think 4' foot wide is the only worthwhile width?
One massive advantage you didn’t mention, more smaller beds means you get to grow a greater variety of things. If your no digging your plot walking on the beds is fine?
Hi! Great video! I checked out your course and I’m so interested in purchasing both your courses. I have a question though: My husband and I live in Peru and we’re about to buy some land in an area that is about the same temperature all year around(Part of the year just has more rain and the other part has less rain and it’s only cooler because there’s less sun but as soon as it comes out it’s warm). So we can grow all year round. Do you think your course can help me with that too? I’m also curious on how to grow vegetables and different types of plants when the temperature doesn’t really change that much(we never get frost). I know some plants are for hotter times of year and some for cooler times of year and I figure what we would do is create a greenhouse so the hotter plants get hotter and have the ones in the cooler temperatures outside. Curious if your course helps with this kind of stuff too? Or how can I find resources for that?
I think beds that are like this should be a maximum of 3 feet. Wide enough to reach everything from one side. Then you dont have to "walk all the way around" for a foot of veg. I do think that maximum yield for space is a 30 inch bed with a 10 to 18 inch walk space. The market guys have that all down pat.
What type of wood are you using? Any chance you could also coment about where to get it from? (I'm in UK). I am trying to plan some beds but find it very difficult to find the right wood. Thanks
Do have a look Huw's video, on how to make a raised bed. He has also got a video on pallet collars and using pallets. Optimistic gardener shows how to easily and quickly break down a pallet & be able to reuse the nails. The dark brown beds are british recycled plastic - lumber, no leach, 25 year + guarantee, transportation can be very pricey, but if there are a few of you, (or you are setting up a plot like Huw's) it is worth buying collectively. Sourcing the wood, lumber, decking or even enough servicable pallets, or pallet collars can be a real challenge. (Same goes for getting the soil / compost) For mine, I used gravel boards, as they are 22mm thick, 150mm wide (so 2 layers or more) and come in 3.6m lengths so can be cut to the desired length. My local timber merchant also did the cutting to, which was inc in the price of £7 a board. This also made the transportation easier to. I painted the boards, pre assembly, (spare fence paint) and lined the sides of the beds to. (reused the bags the compost came in- I couldn't get a mass delivery) & used spare roofing tacks - left overs from repairing my shed. I thought carefully about the long term phaff of replacing everything, esp going by the challenges I found with getting all the materials last year. I would also carefully consider what screws etc you use, in case you have to replace anything long term. Most hardware is made abroad, if you possibly can use top quality 'trade' items. Good luck, enjoy the fruits (& veg) of your labours.
Hi - I love your easy way of explaining all the details! I have made several attempts to purchase your course today without success. I have tried both mobile & desktop. I already have my own Teachable school and account so possibly that is making the process more complicated. At any rate, I keep checking out but then it isn't allowing me access to the course. At this point I am a little concerned that I may have purchased it three times... :) Can you check for user name Rosie Gremmert in the dashboard as a student before I keep trying to sleuth it out?
@@jenniferdawson2536 In the UK it was already much more expensive than in America. Hence we build houses from bricks rather than wood. We cut our forests down long ago.
Dear Huw, Forgive me but I saw a video of yours on TH-cam where you made a raised bed from reclaimed plastic? I was wondering, aren't you afraid of microplastics getting into your food? Roots will come into contact with it... I only ask because you inspire me to be more organic and self sufficient but I'd never use plastic... reclaimed, remoulded or not.
This really helped me a great deal. I went out to my yard and measured the space . I switched from two 4x16 beds to three 4x10 beds. It's a little less growing space, but it feels more manageable. Thanks Huw!
You're so welcome Brian! A little less space but it will save you a lot of time and help break it down into manageable sections :)
70cm high, 3m long, 68cm wide for my new bed this year. Totally determined by my space and available materials though. Plus I want to try gardening at waist height.
My beds are all like your old ones, once the wood starts breaking I will follow your advice. Good video!
I’ve used a thick layer of flattened cardboard boxes in my keyhole shaped raised beds. (We have horrible Bermuda grass) Your videos have kept me focused through our winters here in the Midwestern US. Thank you for your teaching and enthusiasm!
I have two 120x30x30 cm beds for my balcony that can also be turned upside down and used as benches for containers, or stacked to make a high bed or a shelf for hardening off seedlings. They give me enough space width-wise for most crops while being narrow enough to not cramp the balcony. A friend built them for me from repurposed materials four years ago, and they are really handy to have.
On my Allotment I've found that the Distance between my knee and toe is the perfect gap between beds and the overall length x width is 8'x4'
🇮🇪🇪🇺
What a great bespoke measurement tool!👌
65cm between beds works for my knee and toe.
Absolutely love your planting plan course, I’ve my garden planned for the year and it’s keeping me on track with everything I need to do!
Heres an idea for you, If you have beds that are a consistent width ( I have one continuous bed down the whole length of our backyard, one side is a path to access, the other side is the boundary fence) like mine.
You can get a piece of timber about 10cm wide and as long as your bed is wide. My piece of wood is 10cm x 130cm. It has another piece of timber at the end to make a T shape about 25cm across.
So when planting, I lay the end with the T up against the far edge of the bed, this gives you a perfect straight line, to plant along the length of the wood.
I have the long section of wood marked every 5cm, so depending on what your planting, you can pick the exact spacing you want!
All rows are super straight, with exact spacing. You can stagger the next row perfectly etc.
I really like everything looking perfect as it's right in our backyard and it also helps get a lot in a small area.
Cheers!
We started last year with an 8 foot by 4 foot bed - the length was what would fit into the space we had available, while the width was from your suggested size! This year we have added three new beds, but these are various sizes depending on what materials we could get to make them. We have two that are about 4 foot by 3 1/2 foot, and the third was from B&Q and is about 3 foot by 2 foot. These all were fitted into the corner of the garden that gets the most sunshine and filled the space perfectly, and are all of a usable size for reaching over!
Hello. I have been an organic vegetable grower for 30+ years. Here is what I have settle on for bed sizes. I am 6' . For gardening on flat ground I feel that 42" is ideal for my wider beds and 30" for my narrow beds. Otherwise it is whatever will fit under 42". I built new 12" raised beds this year. My central bed is 4' X 32'. 1/2 of the bed is devoted to fruit. I have a trellis for blackberries down the middle and half is strawberries. The beds are 1' in height and I put 2"x6" rails along the tops for a place to sit. Having the bed elevated makes it easier to reach the middle than on flat ground so 4' works for me. I am 75 yo so this makes it much easier for me to garden opposed to flat ground. I have found that 18" between beds works best. You do want ample room to turn around, move around, etc. I went with full 2' in these new beds. When I built my beds I put down 6" of wood chips and 6" of a clay loam soil on top. Above that I put about 2" of leaves and about 4" of straw. After three months undisturbed I discovered that the leaves were mostly decomposed and had created about 1/4" of new, beautiful, rich soil. Amazing. I was very pleased to discover that. We had a wet winter so I am sure that had much to do with the decomposition of the leaves.
This is so very timely! Thank you.
Very good info! I already have four 4 ft x 10 ft beds made with 2 x 8s (4 of them stacked high). Recently, I re-did my fence wall and I decided to salvage the vertical boards -- they have nails around 1 foot from both ends; I cut-off those ends. I created 4 ft x 3 ft x 1.5 ft high beds using 4x4 at corners -- these are 'portable' beds (in the sense I can move them around by myself). I put some of these beds on my concrete patio and instead of pouring in soil, I placed six 20 gallon grow bags in them.
Thanks Huw. It was nice to see my decision to re-scale my bed widths this year (we started off with 30" beds a few years ago, moved to 3' beds, and this year, I scaled to 4' beds with slimmer pathways... with kind of a hybrid system though... the whole garden plot is raised above the ground level, but the beds are shaped by mounding, and the paths are filled in completely with would mulch so they are level with the beds). Also, we used to have wider side beds to begin with (due to rabbits and other critters we have chicken wire fencing surrounding the plot, so it has the same limitations as growing in an enclosed space) with and have moved the beds on the four sides to 30" widths. Just getting early plantings in now, but it's a much more doable spacing in terms of productivity and ergonomics. Keep up the advice! I'm always learning something.
Hi Huw, nice video as always. The size of 1,2m by 3,0m is really the best size! By the way, can You make a video on how You build the polycrub tunnel? I´m really interested in how it was built.
I have a number of raised beds, and have found the best for easy use is 4'x12'. The first one I built is 4'x10', and the next two are 4'x12' I like the extra room of the 12' ones, and it isn't that much longer to walk around. I used three cattle panels to create an arbor between tow the 4'x12' beds that are spaced 4' apart. The arbor is great for pole beans, cucumbers, etc. One style bed I experimented with is a U-shaped bed with thre 4'x6' beds forming a U. That is my least favorite bed as it is difficult working the angled part of the U - that angled part of the bed is about 5.5', which is too long to reach across.
Hi Huw, I have found your planting plan really useful. I am still working through it for planning my succession crops but it has already helped me make good choices as to where to place my staple crops. Really nice to have all the information down in my seed list and getting it onto my monthly plans - freeing up headspace so thank you for creating it 🙂
Awh Amy that's awesome to hear!! Very pleased it's helping you out
I've been making 5ft by 2ft beds because uhh...my wife and I are both really short. Given the asinine price of lumber in the States, I've been making them out of cedar fence planking. Living in the southeastern US, my yard is basically red clay and rocks, so I need to make them fairly deep.
Thank you Huw for your min and max sizes. I think a lot of the decision is based on the materials you use. Wood comes in certain lengths, and if you don't want to waste, reasonable compromises work. I live in as wet part of Wales but probably warmer, so my ex scaffold board beds rotted fairly quickly. They have been replaced with concrete gavel boards. They are normally 6ft in length. The concrete fence posts are about 9 ft. You need a good cutter but 6x3ft beds, posts cut into 3 or 4 depending on hole depth and concrete fixing, fitted my space. Approximately 2 sq yards/ bed abd 4 beds. They are only an inch or so wide but standing and walking on the edges is not something you could reliably do on wood. A raised bed, raises the height of your bean poles and other structures, tying in the tops and picking and pinching out would involve a chair or step ladder otherwise.
Your thoughts on tunnel beds has reinforced mine too. Thanks for the video.
What a glorious garden. I’m on the petite side, so I found that beds need to be only 3 feet across so that I can access everything. You always have such great tips. Blessings. Garden on...
Oh and please give us more instructions on the beautiful trellises you have around the garden! Here in our area we don’t have hazel but we do have bamboo, any pointers?
Coming next week hopefully!
all my no dig beds are 4ft wide x 15.7 ft ( 4.8m) as that is the size of the lengths of wood i had delivered i looked at 10ft but seemed silly to cut the extra off and add more work plus i had plenty of space , I find these beds perfect to deal with at 4ft super easy to manage throughout the season from weeding to harvesting to sowing and planting . Everything i do in the garden is to try save time and minimum amount of work as i already do a manual labour job , and have a family so time is short , Anyway excellent educational video as always :)
Fantastic! It's such a lovely width to work with:D Thank you so much for watching and commenting
I got a couple of pallet collars after reading your book. They're 75x115 cm so I thought they were tiny but after seeing this video they're probably just right for me. Thanks!
I am still reading your beginners book and started to make raised bed just about the size you mentioned.
A excellent video and good advice for building raised beds Huw Richards and making the most of your garden/allotment.
Awh thanks David I really appreciate it!
Thank you Huw, always great advice and content. ❤ from Canada 🍁
Scaffolding boards in the UK are usually 3m long by 30cm wide . So 3m long by 0.3m wide by 30cm high makes perfect sense.
Muchas gracias Huw!!! Muy claras tus sugerencias, me encantó tu taza con dibujitos!!!!
I agree 4ft or 1.2m wide seems perfect for me to be able to easily reach everything.
My raised beds are 2.4m or 8ft long simply because that's a common length for timber.
Height, again based on easily obtainable timber 400mm which is 2 sleepers deep and only this deep to avoid too much bending down
Path width? Just a tad under 2 ft . Wide enough to get my lawnmower or wheelbarrow down if needed.
Simple really:) Nice info as usual Huw 👍
Love your garden and all the great information you always give us !!
Sounds like you had to re-invent the wheel a bit as your bed sizes are those advocated in the original Square Foot Gardening book.
Thanks Dana, I've never read or explored square foot gardening so that's interesting!:)
FINALLY BOUGHT THE PLANNING COURSE!!! So excited to smash it this year
That's great! Best of luck with your year of growing :)
I have my raised beds with 2 hole concrete blocks and. 4 blockes by 8. Ends are 3 full and half a side block. I put cardboard down, small sticks, then pour raised bedding soil down about 6". Put thin layer straw and 10-10-10 and finish up with soil to top. After water/ rain it drop 3-4" which is good. My potatoes were plantedon GOOD Friday. And blooming now. Since i have holes in blocks upwards i fill and plant with petunias, marigolds or. Even pepper plants about ever 3 blocks. I dont have to bend over just set on blocks and work. Hope this might help others that have trouble bending over garden
Great video Huw. I have four beds, all 1 meter wide and around 2 meters long, I have one bed 1 x 1 meter intended for flowers but I have so much veg, I think I'll be using that for my dwarf beans instead. I love to grow different and unusual varieties of beans. This year I am growing Yin Yang and Edaname (Soya) beans, something I've not grown before.
Oh amazing! Yes they are such fun and so many different types to choose from! Yin Yang performed well for us last year😊
...and yet another raised bed video I've watched and no one states how far apart the beds should be. Love your channel though. Hugs.
2 to 2.5 feet
My Raised Beds in my back garden which are sitting on flag stone, are 6ft long and 3ft wide and because of my health are 22 inches high.
Stay Safe,
Barry (Wirral)
Great video. Very informative. Thank you.
This video is amazing! I am learning to much! Thank you :)
Thanks Huw.
Hi huw, another great video and just in Tim I'm going to be making a couple more new beds next week 👍🏴
Si me gusta ese sistema de armar el huerto
A nice length is the standard length of the boards so you don't have to cut them. Or, if the boards are really long, cut off 1,2 m to use for the short sides.
This is a really helpful video. My question arising was what size should the paths between raised beds be? Your paths seem quite small? 😊
cracking video i love your polytunnel
Awh thanks Steven! :)
Our house in on a hill. So our kitchen garden is also on a hill. So it is terraced. Ergo... A raised bed on one side. But that is done due to necessity, not preference. I prefer to not have raised beds if I can. They are more trouble than they are worth IMHO. But one benefit of raised beds not mentioned in this video is to deal with gopher or moles. If one lays down hardware cloth on the soil, then build a raised bed on top of this, it can remove damage from such sub soil mammals. So there are many good reasons to have raised beds.
Very informative. Thank you!
i've never been tempted to jump over my long bed, but maybe thats because i'm 5 feet tall and its 4 feet wide with narrow aisleways. now i'm tempted to try. how tall are you to be hopping over your beds huw??
Muy interesante, saludos desde España
Wonderful Huw. Thankyou.
Thanks for watching Linda, I am glad you enjoyed it
love your videos!
Thank you 😁
Thanks Huw. Very useful. I got the Permaculture Magazine your in. Can't wait to read it. Well done. Been following your videos for some years.
Love the nettle video. Perhaps you would consider doing a Japanese Knotweed video.
We were mis-sold on our house, so I've turned Knotweed into a powerful positive. Herbal medicine (Resveratrol). Soap, face oil. Paper. And Green Electricity. Do message me. Would love to talk.
Interesting! My beds are 4feet wide and ten feet long, they have been for more than two decades! I don’t have sides but that works well for me as my natural soil is half decent.
Klaus
Excelente video. Tengo una pregunta, pensando en un suelo base que está compactado y tiene malezas ¿recomendás quitarlas o es cavar un poco? Como preparo y acondiciono ese espacio para construir encima el jardín, esa sería la pregunta.
Un abrazo desde Argentina
Great video! Just the other day was looking for something like this and couldn't find anything to my liking. Would love to hear opinion about higher rised beds, how high is too high? If to take in consideration that plants also grown in them even higher.
I just put in a 70cm tall bed. One consideration if you have several beds is that a tall one will cast shade.
2:37 Three-foot is enough.
Is thst poly tunnel with the black tubes, is it a diy one. If so, any videos of it.
Hello, I would like to know what type of greenhouse you have? Great video! Thank you!
Hi there again, I'm planning on making a raised bed using a shopping trolley, do you think it would work using plastic sheeting, and perhaps thick bin liners to line the trolley with and then puncturing the bottom with many holes? My main worry is the plastic turning the compost toxic. But I am not sure that any other thing for this shopping trolley setup would be practical long term.
I have 2 beds that are 3x6 ft and I like the size of them. One of them is about a foot tall and the other is 6 inches. I like the tall one better.
Do you have the planting plan info in book form? I'm still more comfortable with paper.
If it's still available. I would recommend "Allen Titchmarch"
The Allotment Gardeners hand book. Must be 30 odd years since I bought mine.
Of course this doesn't take from the excellent work done by Huw.
🇮🇪🇪🇺
PS
All information is worthwhile
@@derekmulready1523 closest I could find in a library search:
The allotment keeper's handbook : a down-to-earth guide to growing your own food
Author: Perrone, Jane.
ISBN: 9781843545484
Publication Information: London : Atlantic, 2007.
Physical Description: 327 p. : ill. ; 19 cm.
Collection: Hardback
General Note: Published on behalf of Guardian Newspapers.
A no-nonsense guide to managing your own organic vegetable patch, this title is packed with invaluable advice, from how to choose an allotment and test its soil to knowing your chickweed from your chicory.
Abstract: A no-nonsense guide to managing your own organic vegetable patch, this title is packed with invaluable advice, from how to choose an allotment and test its soil to knowing your chickweed from your chicory.
Title Subject: Allotment gardening.
Subject Term: Allotment gardens.
Vegetable gardening.
Organic gardening.
Kitchen gardens.
Gardening.
Added Corporate Author: Guardian Newspapers Ltd.
Language: English
@@derekmulready1523 Although Alan does seem to have a newer book on allotments:
Allotment gardening
Author:
Titchmarsh, Alan.
ISBN:
9781849902212
Publication Information:
[London?] : BBC, 2012.
Physical Description:
96 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 24 cm.
Collection:
Paperback
Series:
Alan Titchmarsh how to garden
General Note:
Taking on an allotment can be an intimidating prospect. Alan Titchmarsh makes it easy by explaining how to get the most from your plot with easy-to-follow, practical information and advice on what to grow, when to harvest and how to store your produce.
Abstract:
Taking on an allotment can be an intimidating prospect. Alan Titchmarsh makes it easy by explaining how to get the most from your plot with easy-to-follow, practical information and advice on what to grow, when to harvest and how to store your produce.
Subject Term:
Allotment gardens.
Vegetable gardening.
Fruit-culture.
Gardening.
Language:
English
Mine are all 4 feet wide. Length varies according to space. I have a small yard.
Fantastic!
Do you have a video about how you built your greenhouse? Tried searching your content but didn't find one.
Can you use 8 x 6 allotment raised beds? As this is the first time doing raised beds at this level and by 5x5 across
Wonderful video Huw. Thank you. I’m wondering what your thoughts are for the width when they are raised beds to being 70 cm high. We have an issue with rabbits here and the 70cm is high enough to keep them out. As they are 70cm high, I’m wondering if you think we could go wider than the 1.2metres. They intend to be 3metres in length.
Hi Huw. I've been watching your video's since early this spring. I purchased my 1st ever raised garden bed this spring also. It's 4'wx8'L, and I recently purchased a 2nd one the same size. Both are made out of Galvanized Steel. My plan now is to purchase a 3'wx10'L so that I can create a squared off type of U shape and then also add cattle panels between the 2 4'wx8'L ones to create an arch for vertical growing space for squash or cucumbers. I'd do 3ft spacing between the 2 I would have the cattle panel arch going too. Oh all beds are 26.5" in height. My question is this: Will the 3'wx10'L provide sufficient growing space for many veggies? The reason I was thinking of going 3' wide with the longer one was to space on space as I only have a small city sized lot backyard. Or do you think 4' foot wide is the only worthwhile width?
Do you have the beds directly on the Gras or stones or something else as underground?
One massive advantage you didn’t mention, more smaller beds means you get to grow a greater variety of things. If your no digging your plot walking on the beds is fine?
Also better air flow if not too big.
Very true point!:)
Hi! Great video! I checked out your course and I’m so interested in purchasing both your courses. I have a question though: My husband and I live in Peru and we’re about to buy some land in an area that is about the same temperature all year around(Part of the year just has more rain and the other part has less rain and it’s only cooler because there’s less sun but as soon as it comes out it’s warm). So we can grow all year round. Do you think your course can help me with that too? I’m also curious on how to grow vegetables and different types of plants when the temperature doesn’t really change that much(we never get frost). I know some plants are for hotter times of year and some for cooler times of year and I figure what we would do is create a greenhouse so the hotter plants get hotter and have the ones in the cooler temperatures outside. Curious if your course helps with this kind of stuff too? Or how can I find resources for that?
You definitely also have to consider your height as well, Huw looks over 6ft. His reach is longer than mine. I am only 5ft.
What did you use for the hoops in the high tunnel? They look quite large in diameter.
What is the hand watering can you use, that one is nice!
I see you've got a wonderful Polycrub - how do you find it in comparison to a regular poly tunnel?
THE BEST THING EVER!!!
@@HuwRichards haha well I’m sold! It looks like it would retain heat better too, is that right?
I suppose you'd recommend a less wide bed for a smaller person? How tall are you for comparison?
With 50cm, would it be good to think about mouse stop ironfence?
Your hoop house is almost the same size as my whole garden
Hi ya!.
Hola !
Aqui.patricia desde argentina.
Me gustaría tomar el curso.
Como.lo.pago?
Se puede tomar en idioma español?
Gracias!
I think beds that are like this should be a maximum of 3 feet. Wide enough to reach everything from one side. Then you dont have to "walk all the way around" for a foot of veg.
I do think that maximum yield for space is a 30 inch bed with a 10 to 18 inch walk space. The market guys have that all down pat.
whered you get that footage of 0:17 me at age 4 with a pair of scissors on my doll's hair
What type of wood are you using? Any chance you could also coment about where to get it from? (I'm in UK). I am trying to plan some beds but find it very difficult to find the right wood. Thanks
Do have a look Huw's video, on how to make a raised bed.
He has also got a video on pallet collars and using pallets.
Optimistic gardener shows how to easily and quickly break down a pallet & be able to reuse the nails.
The dark brown beds are british recycled plastic - lumber, no leach, 25 year + guarantee, transportation can be very pricey, but if there are a few of you, (or you are setting up a plot like Huw's) it is worth buying collectively.
Sourcing the wood, lumber, decking or even enough servicable pallets, or pallet collars can be a real challenge. (Same goes for getting the soil / compost)
For mine, I used gravel boards, as they are 22mm thick, 150mm wide (so 2 layers or more) and come in 3.6m lengths so can be cut to the desired length. My local timber merchant also did the cutting to, which was inc in the price of £7 a board. This also made the transportation easier to. I painted the boards, pre assembly, (spare fence paint) and lined the sides of the beds to. (reused the bags the compost came in- I couldn't get a mass delivery) & used spare roofing tacks - left overs from repairing my shed.
I thought carefully about the long term phaff of replacing everything, esp going by the challenges I found with getting all the materials last year.
I would also carefully consider what screws etc you use, in case you have to replace anything long term. Most hardware is made abroad, if you possibly can use top quality 'trade' items.
Good luck, enjoy the fruits (& veg) of your labours.
Hi - I love your easy way of explaining all the details! I have made several attempts to purchase your course today without success. I have tried both mobile & desktop. I already have my own Teachable school and account so possibly that is making the process more complicated. At any rate, I keep checking out but then it isn't allowing me access to the course. At this point I am a little concerned that I may have purchased it three times... :) Can you check for user name Rosie Gremmert in the dashboard as a student before I keep trying to sleuth it out?
Hi
🇹🇭
What are your beds made from?
th-cam.com/video/2DDKLkaVcgI/w-d-xo.html
Are you having difficulty getting lumbar where you are too?
No I haven't, what are you looking for?
Old disused scaffolding boards are ideal normally about
€5:00each🇮🇪🇪🇺
@@HuwRichards Here in North America lumbar is REALLY expensive and in many areas you cannot get any. I was curious what it was like by you.
@@jenniferdawson2536 In the UK it was already much more expensive than in America. Hence we build houses from bricks rather than wood. We cut our forests down long ago.
Dear Huw, Forgive me but I saw a video of yours on TH-cam where you made a raised bed from reclaimed plastic? I was wondering, aren't you afraid of microplastics getting into your food? Roots will come into contact with it... I only ask because you inspire me to be more organic and self sufficient but I'd never use plastic... reclaimed, remoulded or not.
It is chemically inert so no worries there!:)
@@HuwRichards Hmm, I have a deep aversion to plastics, avoid it wherever possible. I know, it's here already so why not use it? Just me. HUGS xxx
👍🙏😊
Hiiiiii :)
I guess small space is really mater of opinion because i definitely dont find your space small😅
I made my beds taller, so the rabbits can't get into it. :p
Very warm welcome back to my new day!!!🙆
Hehehe enjoy😊🌱
I have a small space. So, that's what I need; a raised beds. Muchas gracias Huw. Ten un gran día.
Definitely! Good luck😊
@@HuwRichards 😃