Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: amandaandherveg on February 20, 2009, 22:13

Title: Feeding Raised Beds after the first year
Post by: amandaandherveg on February 20, 2009, 22:13

Last year was my first gardening and I grew most of my veg in 1.2m x 1.2m raised beds.

I lifted the last of the leeks, spinach and sprouts today and gave everything a tidy up.  What should I be digging into/sprinkling over the soil to add some goodness back into it before I plant out this year?  Well rotted manure, fish blood & bone?

Title: Re: Feeding Raised Beds after the first year
Post by: penance on February 21, 2009, 12:00

What do you intend to grow in the bed?

Title: Re: Feeding Raised Beds after the first year
Post by: Christine on February 21, 2009, 20:16

I've found that my raised beds seem to need a dose of compost to raise them up again - the crops take enough of everything out to mean that they sink.

Title: Re: Feeding Raised Beds after the first year
Post by: Yorkie on February 21, 2009, 20:18

Compost is just organic matter so will decompose away, whereas soil will retain its volume.  Also, you tend to lose a bit of soil if you're not careful when harvesting.

I'd expect to have to add more compost or soil each year in a raised bed.

Title: Re: Feeding Raised Beds after the first year
Post by: yummy on February 21, 2009, 21:47

I have the same situation. We are going to add some top soil from other areas and some compost to top em up. I have put a bit of rotted manure in the ones that are currently empty (apart from the one where the root veg are going) and I have sprinkled some grow organic on the ones that are to be planted next week.