bulk soil.

[emzgogo]

Happy days 😀... Busy bee today making theb most of the sun. Went got scaffolding boards for raised beds ( 6×10ft 2×8ft & 13×4ft = £30 thats a bargin in my area). Got them up lottie and then was dismantling pallets. Shattered now. Anyway to the question. Where you get good soil cheap. I used top soil , manure on compost on the other beds but starts to cost abit with compost. If cant find cheaper will fill as i did before but mix it all as compost made bed dry last summer. Got manure going in that bed soon. Kind regards x

[Spunky]

My mates just built raised beds and was advised by a local company who supply top soil etc to fill it with well rotted manure then top it up with top soil in spring when it's settled

[Bigmallly]

Rightly or wrongly I have only ever filled my raised beds with home made compost, straw, paper & manure. So far so good.

[Snadger]

There's a covenant on our allotment rules which stops us from importing or exporting any soil.

Doesn't say nowt about sand though!

[NatalieCooke]

Happy days ��... Busy bee today making theb most of the sun. Went got scaffolding boards for raised beds ( 6×10ft 2×8ft & 13×4ft = £30 thats a bargin in my area). Got them up lottie and then was dismantling pallets. Shattered now. Anyway to the question. Where you get good soil cheap. I used top soil , manure on compost on the other beds but starts to cost abit with compost. If cant find cheaper will fill as i did before but mix it all as compost made bed dry last summer. Got manure going in that bed soon. Kind regards x

Hey Emzgogo, I was thinking about making some raised bed using scaffolding boards. But my father in law said they were too thin. When do you plan on making them? Would you be able to post a picture once your done?
Cheers Natalie

Just an offer thought. Do you plan on laying your beds. I was thinking about using some laying on the sides to stop the wood rotting as quickly.

[Bigmallly]

Natalie, if you want to see beds made from scaffold boards, here are some I made a couple of years ago: I personally think they are great.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...++40+days.html

[emzgogo]

Hey Emzgogo, I was thinking about making some raised bed using scaffolding boards. But my father in law said they were too thin. When do you plan on making them? Would you be able to post a picture once your done?
Cheers Natalie

Just an offer thought. Do you plan on laying your beds. I was thinking about using some laying on the sides to stop the wood rotting as quickly.

Scaffolding boards make great raise beds. Built first ones 2 yrs ago and still going strong. Tbh only wood thicker would be railway sleeps and they are very expensive and cost £30+ each. Think i have attached pick of raised beds 2yrs ago i made. Ones making now are only 1 high.

[emzgogo]

Natalie, if you want to see beds made from scaffold boards, here are some I made a couple of years ago: I personally think they are great.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...++40+days.html

Love your pictures. Looks great. Did you pay for ur wood chippings or managed to get free. Its rarer as hens teeth up here to be free. £70 tone bag. At that price i got slabs on freecycle x

[Bigmallly]

We used to get them delivered free charge to the allotment. Since giving up the plot and growing in the garden, I bought myself a shredder & shred my own branches.

[Sarico]

i habe 12 new 4x8 bed made from scaffold board an cost me 5 pound each to build from reclaimed scaffold board... even if they dont last like the sleepers but make one with the would cost 60 pound...even if i change them after 5 year still worth the money... i have the same problem now to fill them up but like i always say rome wasn't made in 1 day so now you have the bed, then you double dig so the volume will be higher and every year add as much organic material you can find....still better then just ground...

[emzgogo]

We used to get them delivered free charge to the allotment. Since giving up the plot and growing in the garden, I bought myself a shredder & shred my own

Ahhh lucky you. I been trying and trying to get sum no luck. I will get some eventually. Im queen of bargins or free for Allotment got my gorgeous hextagon green house free. Thats my fav one lol.

[Kristen]

If you excavate the paths that will give you some soil, an the lower paths will help with drainage of the raised beds. The beds only need to be raised a few inches (unless you need them tall to reduce bending etc., but then they will need a lot of soil, and the sides will need to be very strong due to the weight of soil)

[Kristen]

Natalie, if you want to see beds made from scaffold boards, here are some I made a couple of years ago

Interesting that you have your verticals on the outside, I put mine on the inside. I wonder if there are pros and cons for each approach? Pedantic detailed point, sorry about that, but I'm like that

[Bigmallly]

Hi Kristen, I put the verticals on the outside to help support the weight of the compost stopping the boards from bowing.

[alldigging]

Had my plot four years almost and the first boards I had are starting to rot. Every bed at the school community garden is crumbling.
I'm not convinced they don't harbour more slugs than just earth edges.