raised bed drainage

Gironde, France

I'm planning a raised bed vegetable garden. I will be constructing the boxwork of 8 separated beds to 40cms high in rectangles of 4m x 2m. I plan on laying Geotex on the base and then a 20cm layer of heavy gauge gravel (prob 2.5" scalpings or similar), then a topping of loam and cow manure. Is there any advantage from a drainage or root forming point of view, by using the gravel ? I'm making the beds this high to avoid back-breaking work and to be reachable from both sides.

21 Mar, 2009

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Answers

Maccrimmon

charlucie I wouldnt put any geotex nor scalpings ,just turn over the ground and lay your raised bed on top of it , the drainage should be fine given it is a raised bed also root crops will be able to send down roots without hitting stones . Im with you on the height as far as im concerned the higher the better. I put a membrane under mine originally and ended up removing it. See my blog to see the raised beds I built.

24 Mar, 2009

Harrysawyer..

I also use galvanized raised garden beds. After a lot of research, I found that Grave serves some of the following characteristics:
Improves drainage: Gravel in the bottom of raised beds allows excess water to move away from the plant's root zone. It creates a space where water can accumulate temporarily before gradually permeating, preventing waterlogging and ensuring better aeration for the roots.
Prevents Soil Compaction: It acts as a barrier between the soil and the base of the bed. This helps prevent the soil from becoming astringent
Root growth: Although gravel does not necessarily directly encourage root growth, it does indirectly support healthy roots.
So I think your use of gravel is completely reasonable.

15 Dec, 2023

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