Return to home page RAISED BEDS Crop rotation can help to control weeds as well as pests and diseases. Weed-susceptible crops can be alternated with weed suppressing crops. A possible four year rotation is outlined below and another possible rotation, for a small garden, is shown in the left photograph. In the four year rotation, the potatoes and green manures act as weed-suppressing crops. The miscellaneous vegetables, such as courgettes, squashes and pumpkins, could be fitted in to give a five year rotation and would also act as a good ground-cover crop. Crop rotation helps to control weeds most effectively if used in conjunction with close planting, mulching and the deep bed system.

Raised beds help to control weeds in a number of ways:

1. They are not cultivated so dormant weed seeds are not exposed to light and stimulated to germinate.

2. Perennial weeds can be pulled out of the well-structured soil easily by hand, without damaging adjoining plants.

3. Beds can be completely mulched and planted up with modules, suppressing any annual weed growth.

4. No rows are required as beds are not walked on, and plants can be positioned to smother out weeds and maximise use of space, see page 48.

5. Beds are discreet' units and can be worked on and weeded one at a time; far more satisfying than a seemingly endless garden.
   

The construction of deep beds involves digging over the entire plot, then marking out beds approximately 120cm wide with paths 45 cm wide. The soil from the paths is then placed onto the beds. The beds should run north to south to receive maximum daylight.
Paths can be kept weed-free by Lining with carpets or straw. Personally, I find this attracts slugs, so I usually hoe compacted paths every few weeks. This is useful than digging out any perennials in the paths as the tops of the weeds regenerate and can be Composted, thus making use of the nutrients in the path soil.

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