Nursery beds

[donedigging]

Are these really important ?

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Donedigging, i don't think many people bother with a nursery bed now, i think most people are sowing in trays and modules under controlled conditions.

But of course there is always the odd one out, me.

[Geoff]

I think they only have a place for growing on flowers and shrubs. About the only thing I grow in open ground before planting out is Leeks; module raised, put out close together in a line then planted out after Early Potatoes. You could use one for Brassicas but it would have to move with the rotation each year so not really a true nursery bed. Pots and modules are better and easier for most things.

[donedigging]

Dear OH,
Thank you , that's what I thought, sowing in greenhouse , hardening off then planting out, this nursery bed seemed a waste of space.

[donedigging]

Geoff,
I have always sown leeks in a single pot..then transplant into their rows with a dipper and a watering can to puddle them in, no nursery bed required

[solway cropper]

In the 1960s I worked in the gardens of a large country house and we had considerable nursery beds. For gardens like that they probably are useful but not worth the bother for the home grower. As others say, most folks start off in modules now so there's no point. I sow my leeks thinly in deep trays and just leave them till they are ready to plant out.

[glallotments]

I've used a nursery bed on the plot for growing on some spring annual plants to move to the garden once the summer plants have been removed from tubs and beds etc.

I'm also going to raise annual flower plants in this way too as we often have all the greenhouse space taken up with vegetable seedlings.

[Monika]

I have not used a nursery bed for many years for vegetables, growing everything either direct or, more likely, in pots or roottrainers. I do make a nursery bed for wallflowers on the allotment every year (in the brassica bed) which are then planted into beds and pots at home.

[Johnboy]

I used to use a nursery bed for exactly the same purpose Wallflowers but somehow they seem to have gone out of vogue and I no longer grow any. I have no nursery plants for the vegetable garden now as most things are module grown.
The only nursery plants I now have are shrub cuttings and for the advancement of my tree project. Trees are started off from seed mainly and are grown in root trainers and then transplanted into nursery rows.
Comfrey root cuttings are planted again in root trainers and then transferred direct to their permanent position.
I really look back on vegetable nursery beds as yesterdays method.
I am sure that many people who do not have the facilities that I enjoy will still be operating nursery beds as there is absolutely nothing wrong with the system.
JB.