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we have renovated a derelict farmhouse and are now turning attention to the derelict farmhouse garden! I am planning a vegetable patch with a view to starting actually growing things in the spring, but using this winter to work on the 'structure' - erecting greenhouse, laying out beds etc. I had thought to make a lot of raised beds but am now wondering if this is a good idea. It would seem that raised beds are rather limiting as regards size and , as I dont yet know how much of what, I will be growing I wonder if just a general 'patch' would be more flexible. Can anyone advise me on this and also what, if any, paths I should consider?
many thanks

Well I guess it's a matter of opinion,I had a 'patch' for a couple of decades,then started growing veg in raised beds,and now I would,nt change back.For the extra set up effort,you can keep much more control over your growing.If you have a fertility prob or drainage prob they are overcome.You can easily manage your rotation by having 3 or 4 beds of similar size,and if your'e a decrepit physical wreck like me(which I'm sure you aren't) you don't have to bend down quite so far.Course if you want to grow tons of one veg,spuds,carrots,j.artichokes etc. to feed livestock etc. then do them in another bit of your plot.

I'd echo everything oldjerry said. Plus there isn't really a size limit. You don't want to make them more than about 4 feet wide so you can reach the middle from both sides but you can make them as long as you like, make L shapes, trapeziums (trapezia? ) or whatever shape takes your fancy.

As you have time to plan work out where you're going to put things like your greenhouse, compost and the more solid things like that. Then where are you going to put things that won't be moved, fruit bushes, raspberry canes, rhubarb and that sort of thing. Then stick you other beds in place. Thinking about it beforehand means you don't end up like we have at our allotment (a virgin site in spring 2009) thinking the strawberries could do with being just a couple of feet over and we'd fit another bed in.

I have a general 'patch' but it's divided into 6 sections, one of these (an odd triangular shape though) is for currants and the other 5, more normal squareish shape are for my veg which get rotated on a 5 year basis.

As I have light extremely free draining sandy soil there is no problem with stomping all over it to get to things/hoe etc. I would be very restricted with just raised beds as I need the space for all the things I grow - plus I do not want to improve the drainage!!!