[Elaine G]

Hi

My daughter has bought some raised beds, to grow herbs and possibly flowers/decorative shrubs! They will be about 12 - 18 inches high.
I suspect filling with multi purpose compost will not be very suitable, but am unsure what else to add. ?? manure, fertiliser.
Not knowing what will be grown is a handicap, sorry.
Any advice will be very welcome.

Elaine

[Goosegirl]

Most herbs like a well-drained soil and not a lot of future feeding, so I'd put some gravel or whatever in the bottom to ensure good drainage, then mix a half of multi-purpose compost with half of soil-based compost to give them a good start. Depending on the size of the containers, stick to flowers or small shrubs (box maybe?) as herbs can spread out. If she wants to grow mint, tell her to use a separate lined deep bed as that can spread by underground roots and come up everywhere! 

[Elaine G]

Thank you very much  Goosegirl for your advice. I will purchase some soil based compost to add to my multipurpose, and see if she has decided yet what to plant.  Then cross fingers.

Thanks
Elaine

[Yorkie]

For permanent planting such as shrubs, you're definitely looking at soil-based rather than MP compost.  MP only has nutrition for about 6 weeks' growth.  John Innes No.2 or 3 is best.

[BabbyAnn]

I've been using top soil as a top up in some of my raised bed with good results

[Yorkie]

Good quality topsoil would be the best idea, it just depends on size needed and cost.