Lowering my raised bed

[bikermike]

I have a couple of raised beds. Well, probably as much lowered paths.
I covered them in woodchip for soil preservation/weed suppression to a depth of less than an inch. Removal of the woodchip will not make enough difference to the level to be the cure.

I was looking at one bed that I've not used yet, and under the woodchip, the soil isn't terribly impressive, quite compacted and heavy. I didn't dig it when making the bed, as I'm trying to follow no-dig.

However, as it's full to the brim I have no room to put any mulch in. So I'm going to have to do a bit of digging to lower it. Any thoughts on the least worst way of doing this.

[Small pumpkin]

This may be the dumbest answer you're ever going to get.
Can't you add to the structure of your raised bed to make it higher, instead of digging it out ?

I'll let someone who's got a clue answer you know

[bikermike]

It's a fair question - my initial view is that it isn't, but I am now wondering about some temporary boards until it all sinks down again. But it will involve bodgery and I don't want to make holes in my main structure as I don't want to breach the preservative coating

but if anyone has any views on digging, that would be good.

[nickdub]

I think a photo of the bed in question would probably be a help.

[bario1]

Even in a no dig system, an initial dig is often recommended to remove weeds and aerate the soil. I would take the woodchip off before digging though, rather than mixing it up with the soil.

[Nicos]

Bodgeing?....Oh yes indeedy....we all like to see a bit of bodging!

I have an established raised flower/shrub bed which has slowly sunk down to the level of the path next to it...look a bit daft....like I've just put some 1ft high decorative border across the front of it!
That too has become compacted and needs digging out, so it's sort of the opposite problem to yours bikermike.
I think I prefer yours TBH!
I'd deffo go with 'temporarily' raising the edges with your beds....you may well choose to end up leaving those a bit higher on a more permanent basis?

[bikermike]

The problem is, the beds are 2.7m long, and that's a lot of bodging...

I think I'll probably go with give it a dig, take some soil out and put lots of mulch on top.

[nickdub]

The problem is, the beds are 2.7m long, and that's a lot of bodging...

I think I'll probably go with give it a dig, take some soil out and put lots of mulch on top.

If you do decide to go down this route best to skim the top off and keep it to one side, then after removing some of the deeper soil put that skimmed layer back. Most of the soil fertility is in the top few inches in general.

[bikermike]

ooooh! can see why Nicos is MotM (flattery gets you everywhere...)

That is exactly the sort of detail I was hoping someone could supply

I don't want to dig it (as discussed), but I know if I put any more on top, I'll lose half of it onto the paths (which has all manner of drawbacks).

JOOI, do you know how long soil takes to readjust?

In essence, I built the bed by digging down to the clay on each side (about a foot)[1], building the walls and putting the diggings inside the walls and on top to fill it up. This was about 10 months ago. The ground had been under black plastic for 3 years before that and was waist-height weeds before that (with lashings of marestail).

Looking at the soil, it seems to be very solid and compacted, with quite a bit of clay in bits I looked at.

[1] this is a simplification, it's a sloped site, so the back is level with the ground beyond and the front is the full height. It would be a lot simpler to put a photo up, but I've not had time and the right collection of electronic things in one place at the same point.

[Snoop Puss]

Me, I'd just plant brassicas in it as it is this year and have done with it. But that's because I'm way behind!

[ESBkevin]

No dig takes a while for full effect. A mulch of at least 3-4 Inches a year as a minimum and certainly for year one. In time the worms will drag down material and aerate the soil but not with just an inch of woodchip!
Given that you have a fair bit of height already suggests you don't want to add more mulch on top, but thats just what you should do. Heap it nearer the centre to avoid big spills and leave the layers of soil undisturbed so the organisms near the surface stay near the surface etc.

[bikermike]

I get the timescale of no-dig, and I understand that the aim is to pile it up, not to disturb the soil.

But, if I put, say 6" on, 5" will be over the top and will simply fall off - and that's not going to benefit the soil at all. It will also clog up the path (woodchip over plastic) and allow weed growth on there, encourage whatever animal keeps on trying to dig my path up etc etc.

I know that 1" of woodchip isn't enough, it's what I had at the time, put down to cover the soil and improve moisture retention/limit weed growth.

If I heap it up in the middle then it's a waste as half the plants won't get the benefit of it etc

[veggiechicken]

Raised beds don't have to have wooden sides - they can be sloped, mounded.
I think you're saying that only the front of the bed is retained as the natural ground slopes down to the back. Photos would definitely help!

[nickdub]

ooooh! can see why Nicos is MotM (flattery gets you everywhere...)

That is exactly the sort of detail I was hoping someone could supply

I don't want to dig it (as discussed), but I know if I put any more on top, I'll lose half of it onto the paths (which has all manner of drawbacks).

Flattery will certainly get you somewhere, but ordinary politeness is plenty, thanks :-)

If you don't mind it taking another year and you want to try something a bit different you could sow your bed around now with a mixture of green manures eg filed beans ( sort of mini-broad-beans), lupins, clover - and let nature have a crack at sorting out the soil structure. These crops all fix atmospheric nitrogen, so adding fertility to the soil and could either be dig ruin in the Autumn or cut down and compost the tops, with the roots being left to hold the soil over Winter.

[bikermike]

I have found a pic, but my mobile won't download it over data... will try again this evening... until then, it is a wooden-sided raised bed with flat ground at low level all round it (covered with weed membrane and then woodchip/stones, depending on which side)

I'm green manuring other parts of the plot. And mulching (on taking over the plot I have inherited a ready-to-use compost heap, so I've got about double my usual home-grown, and I went crazy in aldi and bought 11 bags, so I'm all on for mulching). I did mulch most of the beds I used last year over the winter (leaf mold, old grow bags and rotten manure), but I ran out before getting to this one - I did it last as I assumed that previously-uncultivated should be least damaged. ho hum... You can really see on the other beds the difference it makes.

I don't want to not use this bed, because of the way I have slowly brought the plot into cultivation, I've merged lots of little beds, this means that rotation has gone for a burton. this is about the only place I can be sure brassicas haven't been before in the last 4 years.

anyway, thanks to all who have taken an interest, I think I'll go for the idea of keeping the top few inches there, dig a few inches out and then put mulch on top.