Britannia Ovens (esp Range cookers) your experience

[j00lz_12366]

have had some raised beds made....but..do i line them?

They are on aconcrete floor and are made from builders planks if that makes any difference...!

 

Thanks

Edited April 14, 2011 by Guest

[sjp]

might be best to to help hold water but you will need to put drainage holes in about one inch up so they don't get water logged

[j00lz_12366]

ok

I had thought i might use rubble sacks and pierce them so theyre not completely water tight..also prob put a later of gravel at the bottom..sound ok?

 

i'm only asking cos my other half seemed quite shocked that I'd even thought about it..he's not a gardener at all but it got me wondering..lol

[sjp]

rubble sacks will work, don't think you need the gravel as it wont stay at the bottom but work it's way up trough the soil like stones do in the garden

[Tara.F]

but the gravel working it's way up would be a good thing!

If you don't add some gravel or vermiculite (or I add aubiose) if you don't then the compost 'caps', water just runs off and seedlings can't break the surface.

 

So, yes. Line the beds. If only to stop the compost running underneath the planks when you water!

I don't suppose you'll need a thick layer of bottom gravel for drainage (unless your beds are deeper than the 12" I'm imagining) but you will need something to break up and aerate the compost like vermiculite, gravel or aubiose.

google 'Mel Bartholemew (sp?) square foot gardening' His soil mix recipe is excellent and yielded massive crops for me