best depth for raised bed?
General IL, Zone 8a
I want to install a raised bed and as well as some leafy greens, I’d like to grow some root crops later in the season like carrots and potatoes. Whats a good depth of soil which will allow me to grow these successfully?
Posted
by: Sharon Conroy
(1 point)
Posted: March 4, 2013
Answers
Sharon,
If your raised bed is on top of dirt, then any height is fine since the roots will continue down into the soil. This is ideal if it works in your yard. In this case the height is more about your comfort. If you are worried about gophers you can install chicken wire or other wire mesh on the bottom of the bed.
If the bottom of your bed is not on dirt, 10 inches is the minimum I'd use for growing carrots and most other veggies. Deeper is always better though!
Potatoes are an exception however - you can get a much bigger crop if you can go very deep. Try a big bucket or even a trash can. The basic method is that you put a 6 inch layer of soil at the bottom, put in your seed potato, then keep covering the tops of the stems as they grow up. Eventually your whole container will be filled with potatoes. Here is a website with more details - http://mrbrownthumb.blogspot.com/2010...
So, I suggest a 10" or 12" raised bed for your greens and root veggies, and a separate bucket or trash can for your potatoes. Good luck!
If your raised bed is on top of dirt, then any height is fine since the roots will continue down into the soil. This is ideal if it works in your yard. In this case the height is more about your comfort. If you are worried about gophers you can install chicken wire or other wire mesh on the bottom of the bed.
If the bottom of your bed is not on dirt, 10 inches is the minimum I'd use for growing carrots and most other veggies. Deeper is always better though!
Potatoes are an exception however - you can get a much bigger crop if you can go very deep. Try a big bucket or even a trash can. The basic method is that you put a 6 inch layer of soil at the bottom, put in your seed potato, then keep covering the tops of the stems as they grow up. Eventually your whole container will be filled with potatoes. Here is a website with more details - http://mrbrownthumb.blogspot.com/2010...
So, I suggest a 10" or 12" raised bed for your greens and root veggies, and a separate bucket or trash can for your potatoes. Good luck!
Posted
by: Amie Frisch
(16 points)
Posted: March 5, 2013
Go for at least 12".
6" of good soil is fine for leafy greens, but root crops need that extra depth.
I started with 6" raised beds, thought about going with 12", and now I'm digging down beneath them to a depth of 18" or more. 12" is sufficient, though!
6" of good soil is fine for leafy greens, but root crops need that extra depth.
I started with 6" raised beds, thought about going with 12", and now I'm digging down beneath them to a depth of 18" or more. 12" is sufficient, though!
Posted
by: David Goodman
(69 points)
Posted: March 4, 2013
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