Gardening On A Hill

A large section of my plot is on a steep-ish hill. As it is south facing I did not follow the perceived wisdom of planting north/south but have gradually built raised beds East/West across the slope. This is will eventually producing a series of terraces down the slope. The very bottom does get wetter but the raised beds further up the slope still retain moisture. I could have spent a small fortune and had it professionally landscaped, but I don't have a small fortune.

Where do you live Phil? (You can edit your profile to show your location) and which way does the hill face?

Ask Hazel..........at the hill!

Thank you for your responses!!

I'm in Yorkshire and the hill faces directly north.

Are you happy with the result of your raised beds? Also, what kind of hill are you on? How steep is it? Thanks!

I live on the side of a hill, actually at the top of a 1000 ft high hill, a few inches of clay over sandstone and ironstone, nightmare scenario, surrounded by woods and north facing and it's very steep, some parts are just about possible to climb/stalk up, can't be walked up in the normal way.

Everything we grow here is grown in raised beds, running east west or in raised boxes for soft fruit vines like kiwis, blackberries and vines grown north south but on tunnels.

The terracing should obviously go across the grain rather than up/down, saves all sorts of watering problems - think about the tea plantations/far eastern terraces but on a much smaller scale. All the front of the house is also terraced, much more formally (well, as formal as we get) and that also runs east west and includes our mini orchard.

Terracing/raised beds are the answer and where possible, level them off by digging into the hillside, don't go with the contours because you'll have the same watering problems.

Wow, thank you... that is very interesting!!

It's good to hear that others are having success in the same situation!

Nowhere as steep as Tony F! Probably a six foot drop over a 25 yard length. I'm pleased with the results from the beds. Also have to remember to plant your tallest veg at the top so they don't shade smaller plants. I only started this two years ago but I am now growing all the usual roots, brassicas, legumes and others you would find on most allotments

Phil, everyone in Yorkshire gardens on a hill!!! Try planting windbreaks of soft fruit such as currants and gooseberries, plant them as you would a low hedge in places which need wind protection. Try to do it as a series so that the wind hits one wind-break, then there's a bed, then another wind-break etc. Not only will you protect your beds, you'll get loads of lovely fruits too. In my experience wind is the most problematical thing when it comes to an exposed site, not only does it blow over crops, but cold northerlies desiccate them, especially overwintered crops, and all winds scour the soil. The windbreaks don't need to stop the wind, just slow it down, so even when the bushes have lost their leaves in winter they still do the job and fruit bushes and canes have been doing sterling service on my plot for years. Failing that put in some netting (some of that orange roadworks stuff is as good as anything if you can persuade someone to give you some), but as it doesn't have a root system it won't protect your top-soil quite as well as a fruit-hedge. A lot of people think that fruit bushes are difficult to care for, but this is not the case, a quick prune in winter, pick the fruit in summer and they pretty much care for themselves. They'll be fine in Yorkshire, many think they need warmer climes, but most of them will actually have started life in Scotland. We manage to grow most crops, including sweetcorn, which supposedly doesn't do well in these conditions.

Haha, yes, but this is a very steep hill and it's a little daunting to start.

Thanks for your ideas... I play to grow fruit bushes anyway so this is the perfect idea for me