Has anyone tried this?

[ninny]

http://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2012/11/20/growing-simple-the-raised-row-garden-way/


I am wondering how well this works. They don't have anything on the website about corn or watermelons or any of the big guys. How well would they work you think? I'm trying to come up with a garden plan for this year. Thanks!

 

[bobm]

For some of the more spreading type crops, you could vary the suggested 18" rows to 36" or 48" which would also decrease the path number and size ( increases plant gowing area) and still be able to easily reach in to weed or harvest from eather side. By increasing the row width you will also keep the row' moisture levels higher since the backing sun has a lesser surface on the side areas of the rows to evaporate water. The wider rows will also give you the option to plant smaller plants in a 5 plant grid or corn in a 3 row pattern in the same wider row.

 

[digitS']

The variation that Bob is talking about is essentially what I do, Mary.

I make beds 48" wide with 24" paths. All the gardens were again like that last year. Well, I've got 1 garden that is supposed to have 48" beds with 18" paths but my big feet won't allow it! There's some kind of compromise going on there: maybe 45" beds and 21" paths . . . I don't know .

There are no boards or anything around the beds.

The paths are permanent in that they don't move from year to year. No way do I have enuf mulch to cover them so they are tilled with the rear-tine tiller. I have to time that right because the ground has to have just the right moisture or it's like tilling asphalt. I'm just trying to kill whatever weeds show up in the paths.

The beds are gone over with a spading fork to the full depth of the tines. That is - at minimum. I may dig them completely out. I may put the big tiller on top of them (not likely). I may go over them with the little weedeater tiller.

After cultivation, I rake the beds so that they have something of a depression in the middle. Remember how rocky my soil is? I don't really want the water running off the beds. However, water in the paths probably moves back into the beds fairly well because the paths are packed so hard by my feet.

Plants are in rows or matrix arrangements. They shade the weeds well because I'm really trying to get them in tight enuf to do that at maturity and to take maximum advantage of all that I've done to that soil. The path is my domain. I may walk on the bed once but when I'm finished with cultivation, that's it. I stay on the path and you can often find me there on a stool making myself comfortable .

Steve