TOPIC: Building Raised Beds

I have been going back and forth about how I should build some raised beds for seed producing plants. I would like to plant several pounds of seed with this method. I would like to try to avoid the shovel method as this would take considerable time.
My thoughts were to roto till the area and use a row hipper or row builder type disc setup. The hippers I find are 16\" discs and I do not feel they will build the beds up to a reasonable height. They are designed for more less potato and strawberry beds. My next idea was to build one with a large disc in the range of 28\" to 32\". This would require some fab work and welding but one would think it would work much better. I have seen v-bottom plows online that are used by the large growers in Canada and Wisconsin/Michigan areas. I just am not sure where they are sold and prices related to these.
I dont know how these methods may affect my trees but I bet I need to stay away at least 10 feet in order to not kill my trees. My other issue is our smallest tractor weighs 12k and has loader. It would be nice to have a 50hp or smaller in this situation.

What are your thoughts about raised beds and what methods or implements are you using? Do any of you all have any info on where to pick up these implements or any price info.

I can't be of much help. My areas are as steep as a cat's face and fairly loose already, unless its mid summer. I have wondered how a 1 or 2 bottom plow would work though... You would have to make 2 passes for 1 bed but I think by doing that and then a 5 foot disc it would get ya where you wanted to be. Naturally, you wouldn't want to lower the plow down as for as if you were turning ground of course. Just my thoughts. Apparently your planting on an area with not much grade?

Hillhopper

In my seedling production I till the woods ground and use a rake to slightly hill up the beds. However, by the third year, you cannot tell a hilled bed ever even existed.

The bed plows you talked about in the commercial operations only go about 12\" deep. The move the 12\" of dirt from the furrows onto the top of the beds for a 24\" high mound in the end. I think even 12\" deep is not going to work at all in the woods.

I use a small Troy-built tiller with the forward moving tines so it will not catch on all the rocks and roots. Instead it just bounces over them.

BCastle
I am not sure what you may be trying to tell me. You say \"I think even 12\" deep is not going to work at all in the woods.
\"
You don't feel that 12 inches is a tall enough raised bed or is it that 12 inches is too deep to down into the soil to pull the dirt from.
I would think if one were to take the soil from a 7 foot area and mound it into say a 4.5 feet wide bed 12 to 16 inches from top to bottom would be great. This would give one some excellent drainage one would think. This all still relies on the natural slope of the soil down your rows to carry the water away down the furrows.

I\"m sorry. Yes, I meant I think 12\" is too deep for forest soil conditions most generally.

I guess my thoughts are that raised beds in the woods are only marginally helpful after the first or second year for seedlings. I would personally be a little hesitant to tear up that much ground for one bed. I've not put it together yet, but the one thing I see in common with disease issues is tilled/disturbed ground in the woods.

That being said, I used raised beds a lot outside of the woods. I raise my SELECT seedlings in raised beds around the house. I use 2x8s and fill them with a peat/sand/hardwood bark mixture.

If I understood you correctly, this will be a perminant bed for seed production. This tells me a couple things. First, that you are not worried about the roots looking a little smooth in the first 10 years. Secondly, that you will be willing to put a little effort into the project. Based on that, I'll suggest you consider this. Till the ground up about 6\" deep. Shovel off the loose dirt onto a tarp or something for later. Lay some 1/2\" hardware cloth on the ground to keep diggers out. Build a 2x8 or 2x10 treated wood frame and set it on the hardware cloth. Fill the frame with a mixture of peat and the dirt you removed initially. Mix it well.

You might even consider laying hardware cloth over the top of the planted bed, and then clipping out a couple squares over the emerging plants in the spring to help keep other critters out. Small woven poultry netting might also work, but wouldn't keep out mice or voles.

This will also provide a base to which you can fasten hoops of wood to drape bird netting over to help prevent birds from getting the ripening berries.

Not sure how remote the area is but maybe you could buy loam and fertilize it? It could save you a ton of work. Or since you're using these plants for seed production you could buy manure, it's as cheap as sh*t and is already pre-fertilized for you.

Why not save the trouble of building raised beds by tilling and plowing with a tractor and just build them up with dirt? If you can get a small tractor into the area where you want to make raised beds, then surely you can haul in some good mountain black soil and build the raised rows using a wheel barrow and shovel. In this manner, you will be adding good rich soil to your' beds without disturbing what nature has already provided for this location and you can add any soil supplements as deemed necessary. Once the rows are built and planted, then cover them with any excess leaves, twigs and debris from the area.


Frank