My Soil For raised beds?

[EBCIII]

The soil that I am getting for my raised beds 2 of them to start. The dirt that the local Place has is Topsoil. I doubt very much my compost will be ready at time of delivery, end of March.

I am looking for a good amendment if any to this soil? Like maybe Black-Cow?
Any advice would be welcome, thanks in advance, Beale.

[Father'sDaughter]

I would look around and see if there are any local places selling garden soil. When I built my beds, the garden center I went to told me to stay away from topsoil. They instead recommended their a garden soil that had a lot of compost and organic material. If I remember correctly, their prices were about the same for both, so I went with their recommendation with good results.

[ScottinAtlanta]

DO NOT PUT TOPSOIL INTO YOUR RAISED BEDS. You will spend the next three years regretting it.

Build it up with organic materials, instead. Manure, compost.......

[EBCIII]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

DO NOT PUT TOPSOIL INTO YOUR RAISED BEDS. You will spend the next three years regretting it.

Build it up with organic materials, instead. Manure, compost.......

That is all the local place sells. If I go to another Green house and have them mix in compost with it the price really goes up. I can pick it up I did not ask them how much to pick up? Is it worth the extra $$ to do this? Beale.

[Worth1]

There no laws on what top soil is.
In other words it can be what ever they scraped off the top or the soil you put on TOP of your soil.
A complete rip off from what I am now seeing in the bags that are torn open.

It would be better to mix 50% sandy loam and 50% compost.
I think it was you that I showed the pictures of the garden Suze had, this is what was in those raised beds.

Worth

[Father'sDaughter]

From what I've seen around here, every decent nursery offers both -- garden soil and top soil. Maybe contact a few near you and make it clear you want soil for a vegetable garden and see what they offer. Personally, if they tell me topsoil is fine, I would find another nursery to deal with.

[drew51]

I agree with everybody. I spent a small fortune filling my beds. i start them with yard waste, scrap wood on the botton, anything organic to take up some room Corn stalks I used in one. Then I add bagged garden soil, peat and compost. Sometimes pine bark fines too. It was way worth it in the end, the beds produce like gang busters! I add new organic material, leaves, coffee grounds, kitchen scrapes, and compost every year.

[kurt]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

DO NOT PUT TOPSOIL INTO YOUR RAISED BEDS. You will spend the next three years regretting it.

Build it up with organic materials, instead. Manure, compost.......

Top soil mixed with Black Cow(which is already wet) will turn into a wet soggy fungas desease atrractant, then if let dry something akin to concrete/hard pack clay.Our free "city"compost has everything from Xmas trees to lawnmower blades.Plenty of alternatives to mixing your own using some big box/nursery materials large, grain sands(loams)and a fair amount or perlite for areation and drainage.



Her lies a paragraph from Tatianas Tomato Base.



All plants are grown naturally in organic soil mix prepared by Tatiana from SeaSoil, compost, peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and Gaia fishbone meal.

[Worth1]

What did or are you going to go with on the size of the beds?

If you use the stuff they call top soil in the big box stores I have seen here you might as well order a few yards of concrete delivered and have them dump it in.

Concrete costs more but it will last longer.

Worth

[Lee]

I added the Landscape Soil and certified compost to my raised beds.
See this link. http://www.themulchmasters.com/organic.html

Does anyone local have a similar product? That is what has worked
really well for me.

Lee

[Stvrob]

"Topsoil" could mean anything. After all your hard work with making raised beds, you deserve the kind of soil that you want. Also, one hint when shopping, don't use the word "dirt". Dirt is what you wash from your clothes.

[ScottinAtlanta]

I would pay for a truck load of horse manure (ask if they use hay that has been sprayed, many do not), and fill in the first year with that. the sooner the better - I would leave 8 weeks or so between filling the beds and starting to plant. By the second year, you will have a great base, and can keep filling with leaf compost or other organics.

[EBCIII]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

I would pay for a truck load of horse manure (ask if they use hay that has been sprayed, many do not), and fill in the first year with that. the sooner the better - I would leave 8 weeks or so between filling the beds and starting to plant. By the second year, you will have a great base, and can keep filling with leaf compost or other organics.

I found a place that can mix 50% Top soil and 50% Compost. Would this work at all? I think I know where I can get Horse Manure??? Maybe? Which way to go? Beale.

[Riceloft]

Originally Posted by EBCIII

I found a place that can mix 50% Top soil and 50% Compost. Would this work at all? I think I know where I can get Horse Manure??? Maybe? Which way to go? Beale.

So, I ordered about 30% Top soil and 70% Compost when I filled mine. It worked well, however year 1 was a nightmare of weed pulling.

[ScottinAtlanta]

I would stay away from top soil completely. It is just a filler, and one that can add compaction, clay, and other nasties.