Raised Beds - To Dig or not to Dig

So many people are up at the allotment whenever the weather allows in this mild and wet autumn, digging and digging and no doubt suffering many bad backs along the way. I never have to seriously dig my plot! And neither do any plotters who have made raised beds for all their cultivation needs.

It seems to have taken the gardening fraternity a hugely long time to realise that the main reason for digging is to break up the soil compacted by continually walking over it in the first place. Classic books of my childhood such as Middleton's Gardening Guide (2/6d in old money or 12.5 pence in new - paid for out of hard earned pocket money!!) and Arthur Hellyer's The Illustrated Gardening Encyclopedia have no mention whatsoever of the technique of raised beds and both devote quite some space to telling the reader exactly how to dig, and double dig!

OK when we took over the plots originally they did need digging - to clear the area of the rough grass that was the initial field. I have described before in this blog how I laid out my plot in the first place, and this includes several raised beds - simply cut out of the plot by creating sunken paths in between. No need to buy wooden boarding at all. The beds are of a width that enables me to work them by reaching across from each side, never therefore having to tread on the soil itself. And along the paths I spread wood chippings that I have made myself from all my wood prunings saved throughout the year (having inherited a very useful chipping machine). This means I can walk along the paths and reach the beds in all weathers when other plotters cannot get on to their allotment for the mud! And weeds on the pathways are totally suppressed.

And this week I have been up there smartening the paths again, spreading more chippings and generally tidying up. Adding my own compost, fresh manure or rotted manure on top of the soil according to the planned use of the area next year helps to maintain the height of the raised beds above the paths and only needs a light forking in when I am ready to sew or plant or whatever. And harvesting roots etc loosens and works the soil with minimum effort. So - NO DIGGING!

planning the plot

This photo shows my plot in early spring 2008 when I had marked it out and made the first few sowings and plantings.

My plot measures 25 metres x 6 metres and is here photographed from east to west. North is therefore to the right hand side of the photo. I chose to divide it into 3 rough squares, with 2 wide paths running NS between those squares.

I then divided the square nearest to the camera into 4 raised beds which you can see here, with narrow paths between, which I regularly cover with wood chippings etc from home. The advantage of this is that I never have to walk on those beds - this virtually eliminates the need for digging - After the initial work to deep dig the manure into the soil, the beds need only a light fork over as crops are removed - and again a light forking to incorporate any new manuring.

These 4 beds were designed for a crop rotation over 4 years, the groups being: Roots, Tomatoes/marrows, Legumes and onions/brassicas. Rows of seeds should preferably run from N to S to take full advantage of sun through the day and this I did.

I intended the westernmost square to take strawberries and perhaps redcurrants/blackcurrants, and the middle square for permanent crops such as Jerusalem Artichoke, Rhubarb, Horseradish - and the compost bins.

In fact over the 3 years so far I have had to be more flexible but I still adhere as far as possible to that sort of rotation - important for the health of the soil and to keep pests and diseases at bay in an organic setting.

I had also failed to make provision for potatoes which use a lot of space but really improve the land by virtue of the work required in growing them.

This photo is from the SW corner looking towards the NE in the summer of 2008. The flower in the corner is a Sedum, and the south side of the plot is bordered with wild strawberries that I brought from a patch I was weeding out at home. They have made a pretty border each year since, can be ruthlessly kept under control with sharp spade and shears, and produce an abundant crop of the tiny sweet berries each year, but patience is required to pick them!

But just look how much progress has been made from such an unpromising start!

Spring 2008 on the allotment

Some "plotters" as we are often now called were quick off the mark that first year and not only managed to get sheds up but also had the foresight to plant daffodil bulbs to give a show of colour that first spring. This photo was taken April 2008. It is not my plot!

There was plenty of construction going on all around the site. As well as the many sheds going up there were also plenty of strange goings on with posts and stakes as plotters planned mini orchards and fruit cages. And many were constructing raised beds with planks of wood and imported top soil.


I chose not to grow any fruit trees as I was concerned at the space they would take up. And I had no timber to make raised beds but I made my own improvisations as we shall see later.


For now just look at the difference another 3 months has made!! This was taken July of that first year! No one could really believe just how much progress was made and what superb produce we took home to eat that summer.

Look at those runner beans in the background, and the broad beans, broccoli and spinach in the foreground. The broccoli are totally caged to keep pigeons and butterflies away.
Pigeons found the allotment in no time and would strip brassica leaves down to the midrib given half a chance.
And the only sure way to keep caterpillars away from brassicas is to keep the butterflies out with suitably small netting!