Raised beds overflowing

[sherlockofsheff]

Hi

I have some raised beds (5 inch decking boards), and also an endless supply of horse manure which I compost before using. I've been adding the manure at around 2 inch per year, but now they are overflowing which is made worse by the fact that I'm gardening on a slope and also a couple of resident pheasants.

How do I keep the height of the bed constant.

Do I skim off the top 2 inch (which I was thinking would be good for my potato containers) or do I take out the subsoil?

Either way it doesn't seem to fit with no dig which is what I was aiming at.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Regards

Steve

[veggiechicken]

Either raise the height of the boards or stop adding more manure until the level drops.
No point clearing it all off the top to lower the sub soil

[rary]

I would recommend the same as VC, increase the height of your boards, easier to do than removing soil, if it is cost, try and get some old pallets which will do the job just as well, just won't last as long

[ESBkevin]

Two inches of already composted manure each year is a goodly amount year on year. Good for year 1 & 2 but I would apply that much uncomposted each year and let the worms break it down to a much smaller amount or reduce the composted amount to less than an inch each year.
I would think your soil is in a healthy state with lots of living organisms and fungi to aid plant growth, there is little benefit to adding loads more just now.

[Snadger]

To gain surface area for planting you could dome the centre of the beds to maybe 6 inches higher than the edges.
Or............................If your beds are across a slope, you only need to add height to the boards along the bottom edge to bring the growing area level.

[Newt]

Could you turn the beds into hugelkultur beds? Heap the stuff up!

[imghttps://www.permaculture.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/slideshow/public/images/Hugelkultur_0.png?itok=d6BJmo8P[/img]

(I'm half-joking but I wonder if that might be a way to work with it?)

[sherlockofsheff]

Hi

Thanks for the replies.

Think I might invest in a second level of decking boards as have been told that the reason they are filling up and not breaking down is because I filled them with soil.

Regards

Steve

[Penellype]

That would explain it - compost and other organic matter breaks down over time and therefore the level drops, but soil contains inorganic material (ground up rock etc) which does not rot down.

[geepee]

Hi

I have some raised beds (5 inch decking boards), and also an endless supply of horse manure which I compost before using. I've been adding the manure at around 2 inch per year, but now they are overflowing which is made worse by the fact that I'm gardening on a slope and also a couple of resident pheasants.

How do I keep the height of the bed constant.

Do I skim off the top 2 inch (which I was thinking would be good for my potato containers) or do I take out the subsoil?

Either way it doesn't seem to fit with no dig which is what I was aiming at.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Regards

Steve

IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT /AND /OR JUSTIFY THE COST simply add another board......
this will increase your growing depth of good quality soil which can only be good.
After all it is Raised beds you wanted.
Gp