Welcome to Garden Sprouts.
Each month I will post a question that will be directed to you, my readers. The question posed will be one that directly relates to my Coastal Tomatoes garden. Your combined ideas will formulate the decision that I make and implement into my garden.
This month I posted a question about the placement, size, and so on for raised beds that will be built in my new tunnel. The responses and decision made are posted below. Soon Question No. 2 will be posted and I can't wait to see your ideas.
Even if you don't have an idea relating to my question, you should read the article. You may learn a thing or two. I do with every question.
QUESTION No.1, RESPONSES AND DECISION
Question No. 1: I will be erecting a 20’ x 35’ grow tunnel with sides that roll up and there will be raised beds inside. The beds will be18” high. Let’s design beds that will maximize the number of tomato plants grown. What width, length and orientation should the raised beds be? Tomatoes will be planted 4’apart.
Responses:
1. Nola: Paths take up a lot of space. If you roll up the sides to work on the plants then using two 8' wide beds sounds feasible. It won't be as easy as working on 4' beds, but the advantage of an extra row of plants may be worth the extra effort. What is the height of the tunnel? Will the structure support hanging plants? How many? What sort of containers would you use for hanging plants?
Linda: I agree. It will save space by using 8’ beds, but will also substantially increase the amount of pruning that would be needed. The height 12' w/5' roll up sides. Yes, the tunnel will be strong enough to support hanging plants. I could use upside-down tomato planters and basil could be planted in between plants.
2. Frank: Not messing around are you, Linda? From my experience, if the underlying soil is decent, 12" soil in the bed is adequate. 18"-24" wide bed makes a good single row if you're taking the growth up (no room for sprawl), twice that of a single row with sprawl area or a no-sprawl double row. The narrower bed requires more "framing" per sq ft of growing area. A bed wider than 4' is an absolute pain to work across. 2' between rows gives enough leg/foot room when kneeling and is easy to bridge with a piece of 2x6 across to sit on. "U" shape works well for me.
3. Rich: Linda, I think your plan (ex. |_|_| ) is the best. I would only make the beds on the end 2' wide. I'm assuming that the outside beds will be 2' in from the side of the tunnel so you can walk around in back of them.
4. Karen: 8’ is way too wide to reach the center unless you're a lot taller than I am. I built raised beds that are 4' wide. I can get to the center from either side of the veggie beds, which is good. But the ones I made for flower beds that are up against the house wall, I cannot reach the back w/o walking in the bed, which is definitely bad. I call that a design flaw, or learning experience. LOL. Good luck.
5. CricketsGarden: I grow in a 20x96 greenhouse. I only have room for 2 beds. The beds themselves are 3’wide. Each bed is a double row. But I also train the plants to one vine per plant. The walking aisle between the two rows is 5’. Personally, I would only put two beds in your greenhouse. If you do not plan to trim the plants to one vine per plant, and you are going to let them grow freely, they should be 3-4’ apart. I planted my tomatoes 6” apart with only one vine per plant. It is easier to train and tie up. Either way, you end up with the same amount of tomatoes in the same space.
6. Frank: Linda, it strikes me that hauling as much stuff in and out as one would for a 35' row calls for a 4-5’ aisle. A narrow passage works OK for shorter beds, but on the scale you're considering that would be a problem. A "U' arrangement would prevent through-passage. 2 straight rows might prove to be most practical.
7. Linda: Frank, the underlying soil is lawn. The method to my madness is lasagna gardening. First you place newspaper/cardboard down in your raised bed (weeds won’t grow), then start the layers: compost, soil, egg shells, coffee grounds and top off with mulch. The plants will be held up by the frame and I will use cages as well.
8. Frank: Linda, 2’ works OK for walking if the plants on each side are pruned. However, I think I'd want 3-4’ to get a wheelbarrow or cart in and out, as would probably be needed to tend and harvest rows as long as yours.
9. Linda: I am starting to get the impression that 8' is not a very good idea. I think you are right. Straight rows are a better idea. This increases air flow and will minimize diseases and you get more light to the plant surface.
10. Nauvoo: My aisle is 5’ wide and I had just enough room to get down through there to clean and pick. I don’t see how I could work in there if it was narrower. From side of gh to bed is 4’-3”. Bed is 3’, aisle is 5’, next bed is 3’, and then from bed to side of gh is 4’-3”. I had to make plenty of room on both sides of the beds in order to clean both sides and harvest from all sides of the bed. When you first put your plants in you have plenty of room but by the time they reach the top, your aisle disappears. Personally, the only thing you could possible plant under the tomatoes is lettuce. Most veggies need full sunlight and tomatoes will shade them 100%. Not to mention that you trim lower leaves on tomato plants for more airflow and to prevent splash back on the stems. After trimming the leaves off and then planting other plants, you just defeated the purpose of trimming the leaves off. No more air flow. Other than lettuce, you can grow turnip greens, carrots, garlic. Plant on outside by paths, not on the inside paths.
Decision:
I have decided to make my beds 18” tall x 3’ wide. A “|_|_|” shape would block my path through the tunnel and increase my work. The 2 extra plants aren’t worth it. Here’s the plan: 1.5’ paths between tunnel sides and beds; 3 beds at 3’ wide; and 4’ center paths. Thanks everyone. This brain-storming has helped tremendously.
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