Large bed

steven.g.garner · July 2022

Hi! I’m often told and reading on here, that there’s a bit of a proper ratio for beds. I am building a pretty big one. 2.4 x 1.8m x 60cm deep. The ground below will have some sandy soil, with a fair few stones im keeping to help drainage. So, I’ll have 60cm deep of whatever I decide to order and fill. I’m looking to grow hosta, tree ferns and probably fatsia. Any advice very welcome!!

steven.g.garner · July 2022

I’ve recently been told 3 compost / 2 topsoil / 1 manure combo???

Pete.8 · July 2022

I had raised beds for veg put in some years ago.
I used a mix of 25T topsoil and 5T manure.
That's been good but after a couple of years the manure has broken down, so the ground is quite hard, so I'm adding lots of rotted manure each year.

If I was doing it again, I'd use something like - 60% topsoil 30% rotted manure and 10% horticultural grit to give a lighter more free draining mix.
Multi purpose compost will break down to nothing within a year, so there's not much point in using that.
MPC is for raising seeds/cuttings, hanging baskets etc - all thing that only need compost for <1yr

Busy-Lizzie · July 2022

You can add more MPC every year as a mulch, especially as in raised beds the soil level tends to sink a bit. It will also help to improve the soil texture. I have clay soil and when making new, not raised beds, last year in my new garden I dug in a lot of MPC and the soil texture is a lot better this year. I don't have enough homemade compost here yet.

Large bed

Posts