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Raised beds
Bluebell14
Posts: 4
Having installed several raised beds I now do not know what to fill them with. I have a large quatitity of loam(from stacked grass), several bags of leaf mould. Can I use these and what else do I need. I will be growing veg in them?
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Posts
Welcome to the forum
Basically any organic material you can get your hands on - your loam and leaf mould, multi-purpose compost, composted horse manure, bags of topsoil... what is your garden soil underneath like? If its heavy clay add bags of grit to the mix. Be sure to dig over the bottom well and deeply and mix in a good quantity of your chosen materials to this base before filling so you don’t, for example, have a layer of compost sitting on a hard pan of clay that the deeper roots cannot penetrate.
Heavy feeders like potatoes and brassicas love manure but ‘light’ feeders like onions, carrots, peas and beans don't like it too rich. The usual way to manage this is to have a rotation plan, growing things that like to grow together and like the same conditions in one bed - alternating the light and heavy feeders if you can - and bumping them along to the next bed the year after. Once the light feeders come out, you then manure ready for a heavy feeder to be planted there. Rotation plans, depending on what you like to grow/eat are never that exact though, so don’t lose sleep over it, just generally grow one thing in a different place the next year. This also helps to stop the build-up over the years of soil pests that are attracted to one particular vegetable.
Hope that helps.
Thank you Fran and Nollie. Stupid really as I have had access to this site for a number of years but never used it! That is very helpful Nollie, I have been growing veg for many years and have used the rotation system. I just didn't know what to put in the raised beds which we are installing now that I am not getting any younger! I grow most veg and I am lucky enough to have also a plot in the neighbours field where I grow my potatoes and onions because they take up a lot of room. Oh and we are on heavy clay in the West Norfolk Fens. Whilst rich in nutrients it is an absolute nightmare to cultivate!
Thanks again for your help.