Soil Advice

[alexeisenberg]

Hi

I am new to veg gardening.

We have a double height raised bed and I am just wondering what is best soil wise in order for us to sow seeds.

We have about 2/3 heigh of heavy clay soil which has been well cultivated and has lots of stones and pebbles in it. To this i have put on a top soil of compost and then a final layer of sowing compost (which i have not put down yet).

How does this sound?

Should i mix the compost into the garden soil or should i leave it as a top layer?

Advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

Alex

[George.m]

i made a raised bed at the begnning of this year, but i didnt fill any of it with my clay soil, i dug about 3" of compost into the clay (the base of the bed, just to break it up) then filled it up from there with compost and mixed it all again, pretty sure i could sow most things in it now, allready done lettuce and radish, and lettuce are tiny seeds, i think providing you have a inch or so atleast thats fine, most things will germinate but imo you're better off with as little clay in your raised beds as possible, as they give you a perfect chance to create a area of great soil, thanks, g :3

bare in mind though if you do have really, really heavy clay, water will sit on top of it, therefore possibly turning your layer of compost into a swamp :s