soil for raised garden bed???

[smokinq13]

I didn't know what thread to post this under but this is going to be the first year I'm having a raised garden bed and I'm trying to figure out what to fill it with??? I'm been gardening for about 14 years but that's been in the ground where all I needed to do is till the ground and plant... but since my family has moved, we dont have the land for a in ground garden so I'm doing a raised garden instead. My problem is trying to figure what to fill it with.

Its going to be 4ft by 8 ft by 24ins deep so I dont want to buy a bunch of bags of soil and dump it in cuase that'd cost too much. I'm thinking of filling the bottom half up with soil/humus from the woods( I have family that owns mountain ground and the soil is so rich up there) and then the top half would be with a mixture I make up myself. I've researched and all I've found was not to take soil from forest cuase you'll destroy the eco-system etc etc which I know not to take it all from one place.

I was going to use compost cuase the uncle does landscaping and has a large compost pile from all the jobs he does but he lives 2 hours away over a couple mountains and I feel like it might not be cost effective to drive all that way for a pick-up load of compost when I can just get stuff closer.

I want to hear from you guys what you use and have success with!

 

[yankee2bbq]

We have a raised garden. And when we first started the garden, we went to our local nursery center and they sold what they call “super dirt”. It’s basically all there plants/mulch from the previous year that did not sell. A huge compost pile you can say. Maybe look into that around your area.

 

[DanMcG]

You're talking 64 cubic feet or 2.4 cubic yards. personally I's call a reputable local landscape contractor and have them deliver 2-3 yards of whatever they use in their plant beds.

 

[Braz]

I am fortunate, I have a local company that sells dirt and stone. One of their products is "planter's mix" which is 50/50 topsoil and compost. That is what I used to fill my raised beds. Each year I add a couple inches of compost to the beds. So far it has been working well. You might try calling around for something similar.
(Anxiously awaiting Spring.)

 

[Texan4ut]

Landscape nurseries around me sell what they call a garden mix. Might check in your area and have 2-3 yards of it delivered.

 

[ristau5741]

google "Lasagna Gardening" don't know if you have enough time, to get the method up and running, it takes a bit. but worth it. I would suggest getting a soil test done with whatever method you use to fill the garden, and tune it to whatever you want to grow. when I got my contractor grade "soil" it had no nutrients in it at all, (found that out after the crappy garden harvest and soil test). if you do go that route, beware of terms like "fill" or "dirt"

 

[tiny1]

I didn't know what thread to post this under but this is going to be the first year I'm having a raised garden bed and I'm trying to figure out what to fill it with??? I'm been gardening for about 14 years but that's been in the ground where all I needed to do is till the ground and plant... but since my family has moved, we dont have the land for a in ground garden so I'm doing a raised garden instead. My problem is trying to figure what to fill it with.

Its going to be 4ft by 8 ft by 24ins deep so I dont want to buy a bunch of bags of soil and dump it in cuase that'd cost too much. I'm thinking of filling the bottom half up with soil/humus from the woods( I have family that owns mountain ground and the soil is so rich up there) and then the top half would be with a mixture I make up myself. I've researched and all I've found was not to take soil from forest cuase you'll destroy the eco-system etc etc which I know not to take it all from one place.

I was going to use compost cuase the uncle does landscaping and has a large compost pile from all the jobs he does but he lives 2 hours away over a couple mountains and I feel like it might not be cost effective to drive all that way for a pick-up load of compost when I can just get stuff closer.

I want to hear from you guys what you use and have success with!

First off, 24 inches deep is excessive. Here is what I did.
Till the area before building the actual bed. Add in 8 inches of compost. Till together and build the bed around it. I used 8 inch cinder blocks. That way, I can grow herbs and such in the holes of the block. Block never needs replacing and add zero toxic substances, like pressure treated lumber. Mulch 6 inches thick with wheat straw. Less weeding and watering. When replanting just move the mulch, and replace it once seedling is established. Plus, it nitrifies at soil level, for more fertilization. A box of fishing worms(red wigglers) and you almost never need to till.
Also, look up Square Foot Gardening. Lots of info.

 

[zippy12]

50/50 blend of good top soil and mushroom compost.. local garden center sells it 60.00 for a truck bed

 

[smokinq13]

If memory serves you are in the Greencastle metro area?

Check your local township compost facility. In Green township mulch and compost soil are free. Drive a truck up and the'll fill it for you if you are a township resident or you can shovel into small containers to transport in a car/van.

Actually I think we're neighbors, Chambersburg area... you know if C-burg has anything like it?

 

[smokinq13]

First off, 24 inches deep is excessive. Here is what I did.
Till the area before building the actual bed. Add in 8 inches of compost. Till together and build the bed around it. I used 8 inch cinder blocks. That way, I can grow herbs and such in the holes of the block. Block never needs replacing and add zero toxic substances, like pressure treated lumber. Mulch 6 inches thick with wheat straw. Less weeding and watering. When replanting just move the mulch, and replace it once seedling is established. Plus, it nitrifies at soil level, for more fertilization. A box of fishing worms(red wigglers) and you almost never need to till.
Also, look up Square Foot Gardening. Lots of info.

The main reason I'm going with 24in deep, is for my mom to be able to use it as well which you know what old age and bending over can do to you lol... but also tomato plants actually are deep rooters', they can go down to 3ft so I want to provide them with as much good material as possible

 

[chef jimmyj]

Chambersburg collects and stores Yard Waste, but they don't grind it into Mulch. They use a third party contractor to handle this process. If you Google Chambersburg Dept Of Public Works, there is info on where to take everything but grass clippings. Contact them for the third party mulch company to see what they charge for composted mulch...JJ

 

[buzzy]

Great bunch of suggestions u got. I’d like to go back to the raised bed material if it’s ok. Look around for one of those plastic truck bedliners that everybody use to give away or sell cheap. They are black so would absorb heat to warm up soil to get early start. Just drill big drain holes in bottom or better yet along sides up off bottom so it holds water. Hard part is closing up tailgate end. Use original tailgate piece or some pressure treated lumber. I actually use one in my chicken run. Throw scraps in it for the girls to turn into compost for me. Just my thought!

 

[indaswamp]

It will also depend on what your native soil is under the spot where you will be putting the raised bed.

The best soil IMO (and I have (2) 4' X 24' raised beds) is 1/3 river sand, 1/3 native soil, and 1/3 good quality compost. You can use cow manure IF you can source composted manure from cows that were not fed grass that has been sprayed with a persistent herbicide. That stuff is still potent after it leaves the cow and will decimate your garden!

If you want to go top dollar, buy some biochar or make your own. Just be sure to compost it first. Research has discovered that 45~50% of the humus in the most fertile soils on the planet is residual bio-char from past prairie fires. And the bio-char dust, once composted, is spectroscopically (chemically) indistinguishable from the humus in soil. It will last for thousands of years and will increase the Ion exchange capacity in your soil orders of magnitude....

 

[tiny1]

The main reason I'm going with 24in deep, is for my mom to be able to use it as well which you know what old age and bending over can do to you lol... but also tomato plants actually are deep rooters', they can go down to 3ft so I want to provide them with as much good material as possible

Yes, bending is why I went to raised beds. That is a valid point.
That said, yes, tomatoes root deeply, tillers only till 8-12 inches deep. Believe me, the tomato plants' roots will burrow as deep as they need to, if given 8 inches of good loose soil. I've grown indeterminate heirlooms for decades. Never prepared more than a foot deep, and never had a 12 foot tomato plant keel over from poor root stock.
Deep rooting is for the purpose of anchoring the plant. Most of the H2O and nutrients are in the topsoil, IOW, the top 8 inches or so.
Good Luck and I believe you will do well. Keep us posted

 

[gmc2003]

If you have access to broken tree branches they make a good liner for the bottom of the raised bed. At first they will help with drainage and eventually turn into good mulch.

Chris

 

[indaswamp]

If you have access to broken tree branches they make a good liner for the bottom of the raised bed. At first they will help with drainage and eventually turn into good mulch.

Chris

Huklekulture.....the wood sucks up rain like a sponge.. very little watering needed.

 

[gmc2003]

Thanks Inda, I never new there was a name for it. I just read about it and helped my sister build a raised garden.

Chris

 

[indaswamp]

<thumbs up>
I'm a gardening nut....

 

[indaswamp]

Just read all of your first post...
If you have access to woods, I'd find all the dead decaying logs I could find and dig that up along with the top 2" of soil immediately under and close to it. should be very loamy. Mix in some sand for good drainage. And a little composted manure and you should be good to go.
Whatever you do, do not dig down into the natural dirt under your bed and remove it. You will create a bowl effect-especially in clay soils. All you need to do is mix what you bring in with the top 4~6" of the natural dirt present. This will create a transition zone so the roots will travel deep instead of hitting a different soil layer and stopping. Till it ONCE....the first time, and never till it again. Use a garden fork.

 

[smokinq13]

Great information guys! seriously... I'm part of a gardening forum and posted on it basically the same post to see what they say on it, I've only gotten one response on there...

So here's what I think the plan is … still gonna be 4ft x 8ft x 24in deep( 2 reasons 1. the bending over part and 2. I already got it built this way lol) … I'm laying the inside of the wood with plastic to have a barrier between wood and soil. I'm gonna feel the bottom half with material from the woods/mountain... humus, sticks, leaves branches etc to take up space and to break down over time. Then the top half of soil I'm gonna wait till closer to the actual garden season and find a place close I can get some good compost to mix up my own soil I got a pretty good "recipe" for mixing up soil, I've used it for a bucket garden once and got 7ft tall tomatoes out of 5 gallon buckets

I still think its funny how this is a meat smoking forum and I got about 10 times the responses than on a actual garden forum!