What to fill my 60cm depth raised bed with?

Chimera

Thanks for all the advice guys

oldskoolretro

o dear im a bit worried now as im a newbie to growing my own stuff this year and we have done our own raised bed, we havent put any top soil and the compost is quite light and fluffy :O( damn so much to learn, i hope i havent managed to make a mess of it

Kay_Peel

Don't worry! This is only important if you're going to grow things which need a good grounding - like cauliflowers, cabbages, beans, potatoes etc. You're salad crops will do well, though.

Just remember to firm it. I use a small wooden plank, which I lay across the bed and walk along. You could also try adding some soil (from somewhere else in your garden) everytime you plant something in a hole.

Don't let me put you off. The thing about gardening is that there isn't a right or a wrong way. We are always finding new ways to do things because we amateurs break the rules and ignore experts (or we just don't know the rules in the first place.)

Fluffy compost didn't work for my vegetable crops but it may work for yours - so that's why I say, don't worry about it!:beer:

oldskoolretro

Thanks for that, hehe have got things like carrots radishes, onions, spring onions, and parsnips and broccoli but we shall see lol, i am learning new things all the time, we have done potatoes in deep planters and then im trying salad leaves in a long planter and the same with courgettes and french beans , not really sure where to try my sprouts either they are still in green house at the min

oldskoolretro

sorry also trying strawbs and toms in hanging baskets still not sure if thats right but the tom plant is flowring little yellow flowers though.

chillis and peppers arent doing too well, neither is the mint compared to the other herbs but we shall see

annedunlop

From the posts here, I realise I'm starting my gardening pretty late but I've bought a 'kit' for a raised bed + veg - sorry not very mse I know, but I hope to reap the rewards later!
Mine is only 15cm deep and after reading advice here I plan to fill it with 60% top soil and 40% compost. As it's going onto grass, I was planning to lift the top grass off first. I have heard that I should also put old carpet down first - advice anyone? I plan to do this and plant today - is that ok or should the soil be left for a few days?
As you can tell, I am a complete novice (but I got the bug after successfully growing potatoes and tomatoes in a bag last year!) so any advice would be gratefully recieved - Thanks
Rosie

mutley74

annedunlop wrote: »

From the posts here, I realise I'm starting my gardening pretty late but I've bought a 'kit' for a raised bed + veg - sorry not very mse I know, but I hope to reap the rewards later!
Mine is only 15cm deep and after reading advice here I plan to fill it with 60% top soil and 40% compost. As it's going onto grass, I was planning to lift the top grass off first. I have heard that I should also put old carpet down first - advice anyone? I plan to do this and plant today - is that ok or should the soil be left for a few days?
As you can tell, I am a complete novice (but I got the bug after successfully growing potatoes and tomatoes in a bag last year!) so any advice would be gratefully recieved - Thanks
Rosie

I did the same, except my raised bed was made from old treated timber from a friend.

I dig up the grass under my raised bed in small chunks to give the soil more aeration. My plan is to add some brown cardboard on top and wet this (so it degrades faster). I am thinking of adding a felt sheet (seen them in pound shops) then add top soil and compost etc and mix.

I would not add any carpet, as ithink when carpet degrades you will possibly get contamination from the rubber and dyes.
Add some top soil from rest of garden which is spare.

annedunlop

Should have known better - I just did a proper search on the site and I've found my answers under 'raised beds'!!

A._Badger

Kay Peel has just about said all I would have done, so I'll add my two penn'orth and say get some decent quality topsoil. I've made exactly the same mistake she did in the past - used too much compost and not enough soil.

mutley74

jusat finished my raised bed! general top soil for the bottom. Then added some compost from the recycle bin (after 2 years composting) that was good stuff! Topped with some compost raked along the top. Cant believe my potatoe peels had been sprouting into baby spuds in the compost bin!