Raised bed soil recommendations

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isuhunter
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Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2020 8:38 pm

Raised bed soil recommendations

#1

Post: # 16615Unread post isuhunter
Thu Apr 09, 2020 9:01 am

Good morning everyone. With the virus upon us I'm trying to come up with a project for the boys and I over the weekend. My oldest is 6 and he wants a "raised bed" like his grandpa has. So, I'm building a raised bed. Our town has a wonderful compost pile EXCEPT they seal coat the roads and put small 3/8" road stone over and it gets swept up with all the leaves and mixed into the compost.

I don't want to use that for fill. What kind of a mix do you recommend?
Iowa
#cyclONEnation

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MissS
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Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 4:55 am
Location: SE Wisconsin Zone 5b

Re: Raised bed soil recommendations

#2

Post: # 16692Unread post MissS
Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:26 pm

If you can't use the compost then the next best thing would be some very well composted manure. Depending on where you live that may be difficult to find. The next choice for me (this year due to the virus) would be peat moss worked into the soil to break it up and give it texture.

All in all this is a difficult year to start a raised bed due to the virus. Many garden centers are closed so you can not get mulch, bark or other gardening products. Some hardware stores carry peat moss and bagged compost/manure and will deliver if you don't want to go into the stores yourself. If your soil is passable, I would just dig it up and break up the clods as best as you can. Don't put yourself or those young men at risk by going out. You can always add grass clippings as you make them and at the end of the season there are plenty of leaves to start the process for next year.
~ Patti ~

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WoodSprite
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Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:18 pm
Location: center of Pennsylvania, USA, Zone 6a

Re: Raised bed soil recommendations

#3

Post: # 16956Unread post WoodSprite
Sat Apr 11, 2020 5:52 pm

Our local place (center of Pennsylvania) that sells landscaping items (gravel, river stones, compost, topsoil, etc.) is doing contact-free delivery by the truckload. We had leftover topsoil and just needed more compost so I could finish installing my new raised beds. In mid-March we ordered and paid with credit card over the phone and they delivered it. Even though my whole state now has stay-at-home orders, I understand from local people that they are still doing this because garden supplies are considered essential.

So, I'd suggest calling your local landscapers, nurseries and similar places. Ask where they source their compost. Maybe they get it from a different source than your local township.

Another idea is to contact local farmers, horse owners, horse boarding facilities, etc. They have lots of manure to dispose of and should have equipment to load and move it. Even if they normally don't sell it they might be willing to. Ask if they have well-composted (not fresh) manure that they'd be willing to deliver, contact-free, for a fee.

Good luck!
~ Darlene ~
My garden is made of multiple 6' diameter x 24" tall round stock tanks, located in a small clearing on our wooded property in the center of Pennsylvania. Hardiness zone 6b (updated). Heat zone 4.

isuhunter
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Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2020 8:38 pm

Re: Raised bed soil recommendations

#4

Post: # 20007Unread post isuhunter
Fri May 15, 2020 10:12 am

Hoping to get a couple loads of compost today!
Iowa
#cyclONEnation

Reelcharacter
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Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2020 2:58 pm

Re: Raised bed soil recommendations

#5

Post: # 33344Unread post Reelcharacter
Sat Oct 31, 2020 9:42 pm

When I built my raised bed I used 1 part topsoil, 1 part compost and really rotted wood chips and 1 part coarse masons sand. The topsoil was dug out of the raised bed area when setting and leveling it. The compost and rotted wood chips were free from the town. The sand was picked up in bulk from a gravel quarry for a few bucks. All-in-all a really cheap raised bed starting soil mix. Added materials in layers and rototilled layers to evenly mix the three together. Each year now I top dress rotted leaves and compost and this has consistently grown tomatoes and other veggies very well.
Central NY - zone 5a

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