UK gardening

UK raised-bed & seed-starting calculators

Start with the timber outside, measure the growing space inside, then plan the compost for your seedlings. These tools use the dimensions and volumes on your own products, with metric measurements for UK garden and allotment projects.

1. Plan the sleeper cuts

Enter the outside footprint, wall thickness and actual stock length. Compare all feasible cutting patterns for up to 12 bed-courses, including saw kerf. The plan reports the minimum stock count within its stated rectangular-frame assumptions.

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2. Fill the space inside the frame

Use the inside length and width, not the outside footprint. Enter the depth of new material you need and the bag volume printed by the supplier. The calculator opens in metric units.

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3. Buy compost for your module trays

Use supplier mL per cell, measure loose litres used by one whole tray, or calculate tapered rectangular cell capacity. Enter your compost bag size to see whole bags and leftover volume.

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4. Allow for potting on

For round tapered pots, measure the inside diameters at the base and fill line. This is a separate quantity from the mix used in seed trays.

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Outside bed size is not soil volume

A 2,400 × 1,200 mm outside frame with 100 mm thick walls has an inside footprint of 2,200 × 1,000 mm. Filling that space 300 mm deep requires 660 L before any allowance. That is 33 bags at 20 L, 17 at 40 L, or 14 at 50 L. These are volume comparisons, not a recommendation for one growing medium.

Published cell capacity and loose compost can differ

Containerwise lists 60 cells of 21 cm³ for the CD60 tray: 1.26 L of nominal cell space. In a separate fill trial, Charles Dowding used 2 L with firming and filling above the dividers. Those are different measurement conditions. A trial with your own tray and compost is the clearest basis for purchasing.

Containerwise: CD60 specifications ↗

Charles Dowding: tray filling trial ↗

Check the product, not a supposed standard size

A 2.4 m sleeper and a 20 L compost bag are editable examples. Timber section, usable stock length, tray capacity and bag volume vary. Use the actual wall thickness in the orientation you plan to build; confirm the supplier’s construction guidance separately from the arithmetic.

These tools plan cuts and quantities. They do not choose a safe raised-bed construction, compost recipe or regional planting date.

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