Topsoil or Compost?

[Oleander]

If you were going to top up some raised beds by approx. 15cm/6 inches, would you use topsoil or multi purpose compost?

The beds already have a some topsoil in them, as they have been built on top of a lawn, and the turf has been cut and turned over.

I need to buy in either one or the other and, surprisingly, it would cost about the same which ever I choose.

The compost would be easier as it comes in bags, whereas the topsoil will get dumped outside the house and I'll have to barrow it in.

I'm planning to plant raspberry canes and sweetcorn in the beds.

Which should I go for?

[burnie]

Basically if you just use top soil you'll have to feed it straight away,if you use compost you won't.If they cost the same I'd go for the compost.

[Duronal]

I'd stick a freecycle advert up and see if you get any free soil first. I managed to get 500L of both topsoil and compost this way last year.

Good Luck

D

[NOG]

I would take the turf out and stack it somewhere grass to grass and soil to soil.

I dug a bed once and turned the turf over....the next year it all grew back thru.

I would have thought that top soil would have been cheaper. Will the compsot be cheaper if it bulk bagged?

If price for price I would go half and half. You need some soil to keep the structure.