Raised Bed Question??

[dipchip2000]

I have constructed 8 raised beds from 2x12s 12 ft long and beds are 3ft wide. I stapled 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the bottom of each bed to guard against moles and other various critters. I have a 30x30 old swimming pool cover that I want to put down and then place beds on top of the cover.This will make the total area almost weedfree. My question is"Should I cut out a large oval under each bed to allow worm access and water drainage or is it unnecessary because the beds are already 12inches deep? I will introduce a few earthworms to each bed either way. Is it necessary to cut the hole in the tarp under the bed??What would you do?
thanks
ron

[Mudman]

Originally Posted by dipchip2000

I have a 30x30 old swimming pool cover that I want to put down and then place beds on top of the cover.This will make the total area almost weedfree.
ron

Ron-
In my experience this step is unnecessary. Any beds you make that are 12 inches deep are going to smother out any growth that was underneath. The other reason I would go without a barrier is that after the sod or whatever was there in the first place breaks down, you have a rich extra layer of topsoil already in your beds for the deeper roots to feed on. As for "weedfree", that may happen for a year, but you will be amazed at how many seeds travel via the wind, birds, etc.

[dipchip2000]

Mudman
I was talking about weedfree between the beds not in the beds themselves. I realize weeds will find their way eventually into the beds but would have a hard time growing on the tarp between beds.

ron

[Mudman]

Oh, my mistake. But I do see many people putting down some sort of barrier under a bed, and I think that is unnecessary. In that case I would cut some holes in the tarp under the beds for the worms. Not necessary, but I would. Great idea.

[amideutch]

OK, so the beds are already constructed with the hardware cloth stapled to the bottom of each bed. So now you want to lay down this 30x30 plastic pool cover on the ground and set the beds on top of it with spacing for walk ways. Is that correct? Ami

[dipchip2000]

Ami

Yes that is correct. This is an old pool cover that has deteriorated to some extent and water will pass through it. I used a similar round tarp to grow melons on top of for last two years with excellent results. I am using my past garden area to place 8 beds 3x12
about 4 feet apart for better access.I just want to make sure that worms can have good access to help compost shredded leaves and lasagna bed components. I am thinking I can use a razor knife to cut a large oval under each bed in the tarp prior to filling with soil and compost. This will leave walkways with no grass or weeds.
Good idea or not??
I await your reply

thanks
ron

[amideutch]

ron, I don't see any gain by putting the poolcover under the beds. As they have the hardware cloth already attached my concern would be drainage. I know you get some healthy thunderstorms that pass through and a heavy rain could fill those beds up with water with the plastic underneath. Putting the plastic in the walk ways for weed suppression will work and I think that was the main reason for you using the pool cover in the first place. Ami

[dipchip2000]

Here is the cold frame I built and I am currently using for seeds started January 14th.
The lights come on when temps drop to 37 degrees and go off when inside temps get to 45 degrees. The temp has been in high teens to low 20s the past few nights and it seems to be working great. The large pipe is a cold sink to let out the colder air when the lights come on to heat the box. Daytime temps are around mid 50s and I occasionally raise the door a few inches after the temp gets above 32 outside just for ventilation and let the breezes make the plants more stocky and sturdy.
The other picture is of my new beds which are a work in progress but will be completed with drip irrigation. cages,t-post, and mulch. Yes I did put down the tarp however there is no tarp underneath the beds, and should have no weeds between beds. I did space them the width of my mower just in case the tarp idea doesnt work out. I just wanted to post the progress but still lots to do.

ron

[janezee]

ron, that's just beautiful!
You are so going to enjoy your raised beds. I love mine, especially the non-tilling and non-weeding parts. I hope you have lots of compost in there, and that you're ready for great eating in a few months.
Congratulations!
j

[dipchip2000]

Janezee

There are layers and layers of mulched leaves,grass clippings,compost,steer manure,sand,bloodmeal,alfalfa pellets and soon to be more mulched leaves and decomposed compost and then will till it before planting. I am not totally organic but this is a good starting point and can add more amendments as needed.

ron
,

[Petronius_II]

Yes I did put down the tarp however there is no tarp underneath the beds, and should have no weeds between beds.

That's the idea. Melons are shallow-rooted (except, according to something I read the other day, watermelons, which surprised me.)

Tomatoes are not comparable. A healthy tomato plant can sink roots down four feet or more under the right conditions. In hot dry Oklahoma, they may at times desperately need to. They can grow through the hardware cloth, but could not have grown through any part of the pool cover.

[lovesdogs]

My first post here in T'Ville and I just had to comment on how exciting your cold frame and raised beds look! My raised bed pathways became plots for self-sown arugula, borage, nasturtium, viola, etc! Made me feel guilty walking on them! Nice job!

[amideutch]

Ron, looking good. You can always put redwood chips or some other type of mulch on top of the platic in the walk ways later on if you so desire. If you do grow any melon crops you may want to use the end beds near the fence because once those melon vines hit the black plastic they are going to grow like crazy. Ami

[dipchip2000]

Ami

These beds are for Tomatoes and onions. I have another 24ft round tarp staked down for the melons. I also built 2ftX2ft boxes to sit over the tarp with the tarp cut out below the boxes and dug out and amended 3ft deep with sand,compost,and manure. I raised Blacktail Mountain,Jubilee, and Crimson Sweet last year and they did wonderful. Probably going to grow only the Blacktail Mountain this year and maybe one box of Ambrosia Cantaloupe.I am using 6 of the small boxes on the round tarp for melons spaced about 6ft apart. It seems to work well. I have found that direct sowing the melons produces better than starting seeds inside. I still have about 300 tomatoes inside under lights if the outside coldframe should happen to fail. I am trying to cover all bases for what can or might happen. Its been lots of fun so far.

ron

[mysidx]

Good job Ron, I always enjoy seeing other peoples gardens and projects.


Rob