Raised beds

Linda M Hargett 2/10/2013, 4:42 pm

I am new here to SFG. I have a bad back and want to get back into gardening with raised beds 4ft high beds. I will build my own as soon as I figure out a few things. I want to grow strawberries for starters. My main question is how to care for the plants in fall and winter so they will be healthy the next spring?

plantoid 2/10/2013, 7:30 pm

Hi Linda ,
welcome to the site.
I'm well wrecked in back , both knees and left shoulder , the height of the bed is so critical.
Unless you seven feet tall I offer that four feet high might just be a wee bit too high.
i sugggest it is best that you sit something on a table top and see how easy it is to reach to the middle, taking into consideration the problems you have with your back .

It took me a while to find that reaching 18 inches into a bed ment that I couldn't have it any higher than 36 inches at the top of the wall , a 4 foot wide bed was to far to reach to the middle .

So as a result all my the walls of my brick built beds are 36 inches high
The size of the bed has also been altered, they are 3 foot wide by 3 foot long with the odd bed here and there being 4 or 5 feet in length .

My 20 beds give me about 210 square feet of growable space .

Linda M Hargett 2/11/2013, 6:47 pm

Thanks you! Very interesting information.

**RoOsTeR** 2/11/2013, 6:50 pm

Linda M Hargett wrote:I am new here to SFG. I have a bad back and want to get back into gardening with raised beds 4ft high beds. I will build my own as soon as I figure out a few things. I want to grow strawberries for starters. My main question is how to care for the plants in fall and winter so they will be healthy the next spring?

You can cover them with straw during the winter months. I believe some members on here even use leaves as cover in winter.

toledobend 2/11/2013, 10:49 pm

Where does someone get straw? Lots of hay around, but I'm wondering about straw.

littlejo 2/11/2013, 11:06 pm

Try a farm supply store, where chicken feed is bought. I use leaves, for straw is not grown here and is not available.
Jo

Lindacol 2/11/2013, 11:19 pm

If wheat or barley are grown in your area, then wheat or barley straw should be available. Check feed stores and Craigslist.

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