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How much soil required ?

anthony85anthony85 Posts: 2
in Garden design

Hello Newbie here.

  Seeking some advice please.

  I have built some garden borders using sleepers placed vertically varying at different heights.  Rather than keeping to a straight line I have also curved them.   It looks good and the wifes pleased.  Thats the important bit !   Now I  have realised its going to take a lot of soil to fill them !

   What would the best way of doing this ?

 Thanks in advance.

      Tony.

Posts

  • Hortum-cretaeHortum-cretae Posts: 979

    Probably with the bulk bags from a local landscape supplies. However, if you can get it, 'as dug' topsoil would be better, perhaps local lawn turf supplier. That's what I use and although it's usually a little more expensive, I don't get glass and bits of plastic. You should pay about £60 a bag. 

    H-C

  • ShepsSheps Posts: 2,236

    What are the dimensions of your new borders?

    When I filled mine I worked out the soil volume as follows.

    My raised beds were 1800mm X 600mm X 600mm

    1.8 x 0.6 x 0.6 = 0.648 cu m = 648L of soil

    So working on this basis 1 cubic metre of soil = 1000L

    I had 3 raised beds and I filled them with the following

    25L bags of topsoil x 36

    70L bags of MPC X 13

    Total = 1810L

    After filling I had one bag left over, but after a week or two the soil in the beds settled and the last bag just squeezed in.

    If my maths are wrong then please feel free to correct image

    Sheps...image

  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698

    Make sure you get sterilised top soil otherwise you could get some horrible weeds that you definitely don't want.

  • BLTBLT Posts: 525

    The last two posters have both got it right...  Its far cheaper to buy by the cubic metre but you may want to add some compost and sand depending on what you are growing in the beds..

    It cost me £100 to do mine using bags... never again.. The problem is there is no access to the rear of my garden to drop a bulk bag.

    Last edited: 11 August 2016 18:28:00

  • anthony85anthony85 Posts: 2

    Thanks for the replies.  I will measure the area tomorrow then work out how much bulk bags I will need.

    Should I put pea gravel at the  bottom to help with drainage ?

  • BLTBLT Posts: 525

    I didn't put pea gravel as my beds were raised anyway.. You can use it if youwant, broken pots is good too.. 

    whn you get your topsoil smell it... Honest the first batch we bought in a bulk bag and it was contaminationit smell of gas bits of coke in it and nothing would grow.. Had to dig it all put

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