Planters, raised beds or soil?

[Chilli-head Huw]

The previous owners of my house got rid of all the soil around the edge of the garden and replaced with weed matting and ornamental gravel so there is nowhere to grow veggies in the ground. I want to get rid of this gravel and be able to use the area for growing veggies. Would it be best to just use planters or to get rid of the gravel and matting altogether and lay some soil for planting? Thanks in advance.

[Bigmallly]

It all depends whether you like the gravel look or not, if you do then just put planters on top. If you are not fussed & would prefer beds then lift it & bag it for further use.

[muddled]

Also...have you looked under the matting? Is there soil underneath?

[veggiechicken]

^^^ That's my thought too. Its would be a lot of effort to dig out soil, just to cover it with weed membrane and gravel!
Have a look before you do something drastic!

[Chilli-head Huw]

Yes there is soil underneath. Probably easiest to remove all the gravel and put raised beds on the soil then.

[veggiechicken]

Sorted!!...............

[WendyC]

Yes there is soil underneath. Probably easiest to remove all the gravel and put raised beds on the soil then.

Or plant in the soil.

[vixylix]

If you're putting raised beds on anyway keep the gravel - its good for drainage in a raised bed

[arch01]

It may be worth having a good look at the soil first. Our back garden seems to have been levelled with sub soil from construction (with a sprinkle of top soil on the surface). Nice hard Oxfordshire clay. And a fair bit of building debris. Stuck raised beds on top of it.

[Martin H]

Personally, I would clear the gravel away from where the raised beds are going to go, put the raised beds down, cut away the fabric inside the beds to expose the ground underneath, break up the ground to improve drainage and let anything with deep roots get down into it, then fill the raised beds with good soil.

[4390evans]

We had this exact same problem, we just got rid of all the gravel but I wished we just mixied it in with our soild for extra drainage.

[Chilli-head Huw]

I am in Oxfordshire as well so have the same clay problem. The soil that has been under the matting will definitely need to be broken up and some good drainage material added. I think I will do what Martin H suggests.