Onion sets/Garlic question

[Tripmeup]

Hey, first question, so please be gentle..

I have an empty large pallet box that was used to deliver slates to me when I was building. It's quite tall (waist high on 5'9" ish person) and is at least 1m by 1m, and I am thinking of planting either some of or one of my winter garlic, Radar onion or Shallot sets in it...

I have not really got going on composting yet but I have recently been tidying up the area where I have deposited mainly grass cuttings but also stuff like turnip tops, carrots tops, rotted beets, rocket plants I pulled up etc...These were initially just thrown into a pile on the ground and so comprise mainly rotting grass...

Question is: Can I fill the box pallet with stones at bottom and then 80% way to full with this stuff (both as filler and to get rid!) and then fill the rest with topsoil I have and some bought compost mix, and then plant a mix or one specific of the garlic, onion or shallots???

All help appreciated and please let me know if this wouldnt suit one or any of the three items..thanks

[snohare]

That's pretty much how a raised bed is made ! Everyone runs out of materiel to fill their raised beds.
I assume that the box is bottomless ? If it does have a solid bottom, that would be inclined to screw up the drainage, which might reduce the lifespan of the timber quite drastically if it is non-tanalised timber.
No doubt someone will be along who can tell you what kind of soil garlic and onions like - I can't, I normally stick to shallots and find that growing them is as easy as falling off a log.

[Tripmeup]

thanks for the reply....I probbaly made it more long winded than it should have been!!

It is not a solid bottom so drainage shoudl be ok..
I suppose the question (pretty much) was whether all the grass cuttings would help or hinder the growing of any or all of the 3..i.e Shallots, Garlic & Onions.....and whether the approach was a suitable one!!

[taff]

mix up your grass cutting well with everything else, because otherwise they'll rot into a lumpy slimey mass.
You could chuck in a few layers of cardboard too if you wanted to, then throw in the soft stuff, layering as you go till you get to the topsoil bit.
Garlic and shallots don't need a lot fo depth, so 1m deep is a bit over the top, I'd go a couple of feet at most somewhere else, and save that one for something with deeper roots.

[veggiechicken]

Hi Tripmeup
I have one of those slate crates too and have used it as raised bed for a year of so. I lined mine with water permeable membrane so that the soil wouldn't drop through the bottom or out of the sides. I did put some odd stones in the base for drainage then topped it up with any old soil with a better layer on top. I've grown carrots and beetroot in it and salad leaves through the winter. A couple of sheets of thick perspex held down with elastic bungee things converted it into a cold frame! If you're thinking of doing this don't fill the crate too full as the leaves will not have any headroom.

[vegnut]

I'd definateley use it for Carrots and Parsnips, with all of that nice fine soil there wouldn't be any roots forking but careful with the fresh compost, thats a no no with those crops. Just put your Garlic and Onions in the ground, they'll do fine there.

[Two_Sheds]

I have deposited mainly grass cuttings but also stuff like turnip tops, carrots tops, rotted beets, rocket plants...just thrown into a pile on the ground and so comprise mainly rotting grass...

That's a start, but it's all "greens". Like Taff says, you must mix in some "browns" or you'll get that slimy stinky mess that doesn't rot down.
Stir it all up and throw in some balled up or shredded newspaper, straw, ripped up cardboard boxes etc.
Aim for *about* 50/50

This style of making up a raised bed is often called "lasagne" composting: a layer of brown, a layer of green and so on, like stacking a lasagne. Top off with a few inches of good topsoil and plant straight into it.
Here's one I did at school (and we had brilliant crops from it):

nope, Flickr's down. I'll add a photo later if I remember

[Tripmeup]

Hey all.

Had presumed there wasn't any further answers on this after the first couple of answers I'd seen, but was scanning thru threads today and seen this lurking on page 3 with a few more replies...!
So firstly, thanks to all for the replies and I think I managed to incorporate some of the advice into what I did...

I filled the crate with some bits and pieces to stop the soil falling out and added some cardboard..I ended up (in a blind panic) planting some strawberry plants and onions (winter variety) that I grew from seed into it....

so hope they all survive