Bed size?

My beds are 1.5m by 6m long and the paths are .5m wide. If I were to set it out again, I would make the paths closer to a metre, maybe 0.8m, and the beds no more than 1.2m. I cannot quite reach the middle of the beds and the paths are just a little too narrow, especially when the grass hasn't been cut. We've all fallen off them!
I'm on a slope so have endlessly rotting boards just on the down slope sides of the ones that run across the slope. The majority run down the slope so I just have to remember to move soil back upslope when digging.
(Sorry, only do metric )

Hey Vinny

Not had a chance to read it all yet but one question, is space a constraint or do you have enough for whatever sizings you decide (obviously within reason)?

I'm sure you can find a scaffolding board that's fallen off the back of a lorry............or, how about strapping big pieces of wood to the bottom of each shoe then you could move you shoe-planks with you wherever you walked..........like those tennis racquet snow shoes the Eskimos wear.

I'm not too enamoured with the woodchip paths as I have had dealings with them before. They tend to get very weedy. The beauty of them though is that once they have composted down a bit they can be flipped onto the beds. I think I would just stick with comapcted soil paths and run a hoe along them as required. Weeds give up after a while.

Hey Vinny

Not had a chance to read it all yet but one question, is space a constraint or do you have enough for whatever sizings you decide (obviously within reason)?

I have a full size allotment plot with a paved area which isn't quite central.

I haven't measured it yet but top of the head I guess will have one large area about 5 metres X 10 metres on one side in front of my shed and an area  approx 7 metres X 10 metres in front of my greenhouse and bean frame.

Both sides of path have some raised beds in them which will be going the distance.

I think I have a piccie of plot soon after I got it in The Vinnys Allotment Plot thread in the Where it all began category.

I can't believe this. After I my first post I went onto youtube and look what I found!

https://youtu.be/j-SA8uSSuk0


Great minds think alike! And being American, he's another imperial guy!

Great video, it's not rocket science is it?

Would knowing what you want to grow for the next 5 - 10 years dictate the sizings?

Feel free to shoot me down if it's a stupid question

This is a question I’ve been asking myself for sometime and still not come up with an answer yet.
Just watched a bit of the first video. Straddling would only work when the bed is empty or full low growing crops. You couldn’t straddle the bed to weed it with a crop of sprouts. You’d damage your sprouts   .

I’ll be watching this closely for the answer to the correct bed size.

Would knowing what you want to grow for the next 5 - 10 years dictate the sizings?

Feel free to shoot me down if it's a stupid question

Not really. I think 2 foot is a good width for any crop either in a single row ie brassicas, tatties or in double or treble rows for onions leeks etc.
I like to grow a bit of everything and can't see a problem. As i said, this is just me thinking about what I am going to do and exploring options.

This is a question I’ve been asking myself for sometime and still not come up with an answer yet.
Just watched a bit of the first video. Straddling would only work when the bed is empty or full low growing crops. You couldn’t straddle the bed to weed it with a crop of sprouts. You’d damage your sprouts   .

I’ll be watching this closely for the answer to the correct bed size.

I don't think there is a 'correct' bed size although the 4 foot/1metre seems to be the norm.

Age plays a big part in it for me as I ain't getting any younger so I have to try and make it easier, and aesthetically pleasing if possible. The straddling is just another option and narrow beds can be worked from the side if you want to hang on to your sprouts.

You would also need to take into account things like raspberries ,climbing beans etc casting shadows on such a close/narrow bedding system? Not insurmountable though with permanent bean and raspberry beds sited on edge beds which don't overshadow.

I tend to grow in half rows one side or other of the bed, and because I struggle to reach the middle I often plant flowers down the spine of the beds, depending on what's going in there,