Renovating a raised bed

Use winter to catch up on practical tasks, says Ruth

WHEN the weather allows, winter is the perfect time to tackle outstanding structural jobs, which is why last week we found ourselves rebuilding a raised bed.

We built it in November 2015 but had to move it to make way for a second and third bed, which may be the reason why its wood had started to rot. We needed to replace the posts and boards along one side that had started to crumble.

The job started with sinking holes for the new corner and side posts, then jemmying the boards away from the old posts. Miraculously most of the compost stayed put when the side was removed, helped in part by the roots of leeks growing in the bed.

It was then a 'simple' matter of scraping away the soil and stones at the base of the bed so the new planks aligned with those already there, and attaching them to the posts.

The heady heights