Lazy-bed

nounStandard termFarming

A traditional method of crop cultivation using raised ridges of soil and organic matter.

A historic cultivation system where seeds, particularly potatoes, are laid on the ground and covered with soil dug from parallel trenches on either side. This creates a raised bed that improves drainage in wet climates and warms up faster in the spring. Despite the name, building these beds requires intense manual labor.

Heard on the job

The archaeology team found traces of old lazy-bed trenches running right down the hillside.