Vegi Trugs Raised Beds
Given the increasing problems of gardening with both Back problems and MS i found the raised beds from https://www.vegtrug.com/ brilliant. Husband found them easy enough to build and whilst yes i am sure if your handy you could probably make your own i dont have those skills or the time.
I purchased 4 from the local garden centre, this was before the additional top bits were available so you will see in mine i have a different solution.
I ordered 2 tons of "Fen Black" soil which is a local screened black soil based on peat and 1/2 a ton of mushroom compost. This was mixed with 2 large bags of pearlite and a bag of vermiculite. The beds were left to settle for a few weeks and any weed seedlings were extracted and then i went a little mad and filled them all with lots and lots :)
No potatoes though :)
I found garlic was a complete flop and leeks did not bulk out but i think this was more to so with weather, watering and when i sowed the seeds.
Huge learning curve and am still trying to work out the best way to deal with the trugs as i want to use them. At the end of the first year i found that they needed a top up of soil as the soil had compacted so all the beds at the end of the first year got a bag of top soil and seived soil from the pots i planted the potatoes in last year (these had been bagged up and left in sealed containers from Aug to March and any volunteer potatoes removed).
Beds from Greenhouse to Garage are as follows and the beds have been cut into 4 to allow block planting so less the square foot planting method more rectangle method :)
One
Year One - PSB
Year Two -
Two
Year One -
Year Two - Courgettes, Runner Beans
Three
Year One -
Year Two - Squash, Golden Mangetout
Year One - Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, PSB, Fennel (not bulbing), Celery, Leeks, Turnip, Spinach.
Year Two -
Four
Year One Carrots, Garlic, PSB, Caulflower.
Year Two Shallots interplanted with parsnips, Pac Choi, Carrots, Garlic,
