Soil depth on allotment

peter999

What is suitable/optimum soil depth for growing vegetables ?

My allotment is on a slight hill on solid chalk. The earth is deeper lower down the plot, as earth has gradually been pushed down the hill.

The earth at top of the hill is 2-3" deep, at bottom of hill is 8-10" deep.

I'm starting to move earth to top part of plot, to rebalance the plot, as it isobviously not deep enough there.

I wondered what is suitable/optimum soil depth ?

Thanks

wellused

I'm not a big fan of the raised bed system but it sounds to me as if raised beds is the way to go in your situation. My soil depth is about 8" to 10" before reaching a clay subsoil and my vegetables seem to do ok I would consider 2" to 3" to be too shallow myself.