raised bed

[chilli_grower]

Hi all,

I will shortly be building a raised bed with my Dad, for herbs etc...

It will be 2m long, 50cm high, and 50cm in depth.

Problem is, I need to fill it!!!!!!!

I have very little soil in my garden, as it is 70% grass and 30% slab.

I guess I will need to mix some top soil up with some compost

Any thoughts on how I can fill it without spending an arm and a leg?

Or perhaps some local South Wales members might have some spare top soil?

Any advice welcomed.....

Cheers

Just noticed I misspelled thread title, and do not know how to amend!!!!!

[Bigmallly]

A boat load of horse manure...........the blacker the better..........cheap as chips......

[veggiechicken]

No spare top soil here CG, sorry - I have barely enough as it is! Scrounge grass cuttings, manure, shredded cardboard and newspaper, anything to give you the bottom layer - then top it off with something decent.

[scarey55]

Just noticed I misspelled thread title, and do not know how to amend!!!!!

Leave it with me! :

[chilli_grower]

I will ask around in work today! There is a community compost scheme nearby, maybe they will have plenty....

[Two_Sheds]

Any thoughts on how I can fill it without spending an arm and a leg?

Like this? Lasagne method

Click through the rest of that album to see the results: beautiful veggies

[Samurailord]

If you dig down inside the bed (dig the area before you place the bed) and turn the soil over you should find that it will naturally fill more space due to the replaced soil being less compact.

If you mix this with some compost or manure you will probably end up with a half filled bed that you can plant into - the remaining height will provide some shelter for your young plants.

That is how I have been filling some of my own raised beds which are slightly larger than yours - mine are 10' x 5'.

Some of the other beds have been filled by the Lasagne method that Two Sheds has already linked to.

To date I haven't really noticed a marked difference in the growth rate or harvest from plants in either type of bed, but this is only my first season so next year may be different however.

The lasagne beds are certainly easier and quicker to set up though.

Andy