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  • From: Etienne Goyer <etienne AT lejardinduvillage.ca>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Making raised beds
  • Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:03:06 -0500

Hello everyone,

Last year was my first season. I have been growing on a fairly small area, about a third of an acre. In the spring, I made 30 raised beds using a rake and a shovel. They where a little over 100' long and 5' center-to-center (about 42" bed top). It was exhausting, but I am pretty happy with the result. I am fairly sure it helped with the drainage and soil warming in this very wet and cool season.

This spring, I am adding another 50 150' long beds. No way I dig that much with a shovel again. My question for those whose grows on non-permanent raised bed: what do you use for bed forming?

I have been looking at bed shapers and disk bedders implement (sometime called "ridgers"). They are fairly, although not overly, expensive. My guess is that a disk bedder would be more appropriate for my fairly heavy clay loam. I am afraid a bed shaper with a pan would pack the soil too much and make the top susceptible to caking.

Anybody wants to share their experience making raised beds? Which implement do you use for that purpose? Anything specific to watch out for?

Thanks!


--
Etienne Goyer - Le Jardin du Village
http://lejardinduvillage.wordpress.com

"Changer le monde, une betterave à la fois"





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