The raised garden bed has many benefits. The no.1 advantage of the raised bed is you get complete control over the Soil. High fertile soil is required to grow healthy plants. We all know the soil is the foundation of every garden. Those living in an area where the soil is Clay type, sandy, or have toxins in it cannot grow plants in such type soil. They can use raised garden beds to grow fruits and veggies.
Moreover, gardening in raised beds is easy as compared to hydroponic gardening.
What is the best soil for raised garden bed?
In this article, you will know about the best soil for raised garden bed. Raised garden beds come in many shapes and sizes. But the most popular type of raised bed is the rectangular bed. 4ft wide by 6 ft long and 10 to 15 inches deep is the best size for home gardens.
The soil in the garden beds remains loose and increase the aeration and drainage. On the other hand, the garden soil becomes tightly packed due to the footsteps. If you are growing plants that required good aeration than growing them in raised garden beds is a great idea.
Quantity of Soil and Size of Raised Bed
You will be surprised to know that you need more soil than you think for filling square type raised beds. The best way is ordering soil delivery from the reputed soil delivery company.
If You don’t want to order the soil or it is not possible in your area or you just want to use a single raised bed. Then this idea (soil delivery) will become very costly. Order healthy soil only when you grow plants in a minimum of 5 raised beds.
You can also use your garden soil. All you need to do is find a place in your garden from where you can move the topsoil. The topsoil is healthy soil and has all types of nutrients.
To know the exact quantity of the soil that you required, use this Soil calculator to know the quantity.
If you have the piece of Sod or you cut it from underneath where your bed will go. Flip the pieces and put them in the raised bed. Grass on the bottom and another side upwards. There is lots of soil attached to them. Over time the grass will break down. This way you need less soil and you can save a few bucks.
Best Soil for Raised garden bed
You have two choices one is you can use triple mix and the second is used 50/50 mix. The triple mix contains three different materials mixed together to develop a strong fertile soil. Triple mix soil contains One portion of Top Soil + Compost + Peat moss.
On the other side 50/50 Mix only contains two growing mediums in quantity. 50% Topsoil with 50 % compost is called 50/50 mix.
Triple mix is most common in CANADA whereas in U.S. dual mix is the popular choice of home gardeners.
If you are going to order soil delivery then ask them where your soil has from. Most commonly they deliver the soil from the land where new buildings and colonies are going to be developed. This type of soil is good for the raised garden beds.
On the other hand, if you want to purchase a soil bag from your local garden store.
Choose only soil bags that label Organic soil for the home garden. This type of organic soil is best to use for growing vegetables, herbs, and other plants.
The best soil for raised garden bed should be amended with organic compost. Because the homemade or store-bought organic compost contains many essential nutrients. Moreover, the compost release nutrients at a slower rate. This keeps the regular supply of nutrients to growing plants and your plants grow at a much faster rate.
Compost is the most important ingredient of the best soil for raised garden bed. It does not matter which type of soil you are using just make sure you mix compost in it.
If you don’t have a pile of organic compost at home. You can but it from the market it will cost a few bucks only. You have many options like shrimp and mushroom compost, composted animal manure or vegetable compost, etc. Any type of compost is best for enhancing the nutritional values of your raised bed soil.
Additional Tricks
If you don’t have compost right now don’t worry you can add it later. Once you plant seeds in the raised beds you cannot tilt the soil to mix compost in it. In this situation condition your soil by spreading the compost on the top layer of the soil.
Also, give compost tea to the growing plants. This will help them to grow faster. To make organic compost at home form home and garden waste you need compost tumblers. These are specially designed to make compost in your garden without spreading the smell of compost all over the place.
You can grow any type of vegetable and herb in your raised beds. Most professional growers use garden beds to grow vegetables and herbs. For growing flower plants use flower containers. They come in many attractive shapes and sizes.
I have basil, mint, and lettuce in my raised bed.
