[Parsley The Lion]

I haven't filled mine up all that much, will just add to them as and when I can. I double dug, then added manure and soil improver stuff then just plonked a smidge of growmore on as the season progessed and everything grew like wildfire. Clay can be good, seems that brassicas like it because it's a really firm base for them to get a grip on

[woodburner]

Photoboy, I've probably just missed it as this is a rther long thread, but why are you going with the raised beds actually?  :?  :oops:

[woodburner]

RGManby, if you dig out the soil from the paths first and base your bed walls at that level, you will have plenty of soil

[RGManby]

RGManby, if you dig out the soil from the paths first and base your bed walls at that level, you will have plenty of soil

Most of the paths between beds are dug, and perforated drainage pipes installed with tarram and hardcore, I did just get 15 ton of top soil, it doesn't seem to go far though and still need another 30 tons of hardcore to finish properly. The trouble here is blue clay not far down so the more I can raise the whole plot the better all round.

[photoboy]

Okay, taken your all this advice onboard and have built the beds and stripped off the top layer of turf.....going to take a LOT of top soil to fill this * though! I have a few bags of manure and compost etc. Any advice on where to get the cheapest option to fill the gaps??

[penance]

Hi again

If your existing top soil is not to bad I would suggest just putting on compost and/or manure and digging it in to the existing soil. It may sound daft after going to the effort of making the beds, but over a few years the level will raise with the added material.

When i built my beds i bought in top soil (not cheap!), and filled to about 3" from the top. four years later and I am now having to remove soil from the beds to make room for adding compost and manure.

If your soil is clay you can add grit as well as organic material, that will help drainage and bulk it up. My top soil is very heavy clay hence why i got top soil from other sources. Hindsight tells me i should not of bothered.

[photoboy]

Hi again

If your existing top soil is not to bad I would suggest just putting on compost and/or manure and digging it in to the existing soil. It may sound daft after going to the effort of making the beds, but over a few years the level will raise with the added material.

When i built my beds i bought in top soil (not cheap!), and filled to about 3" from the top. four years later and I am now having to remove soil from the beds to make room for adding compost and manure.

If your soil is clay you can add grit as well as organic material, that will help drainage and bulk it up. My top soil is very heavy clay hence why i got top soil from other sources. Hindsight tells me i should not of bothered.

Hey if your taking it off, ill have it!! Just kiddin, thanks for the advice I might see if I can dig out elsewhere in the garden and then put the turf down over what I have dug out, our soil seems excellent which is the good news!

[photoboy]

Photo of the progress so far.....kind comments and constructive words only please

[penance]

They are quite deep aren't, not a bad thing but maybe you'll need to add compost etc to build up.

[photoboy]

They are quite deep aren't, not a bad thing but maybe you'll need to add compost etc to build up.

Indeed it is rather! I have put 10 bags of compost and manure in already and am slowly pinching soil from other areas of the garden and putting the removed turf in the resulting holes!

[Yorkie]

Looking very good, well done on that construction.

I see you have a tree next to the corner of the bed.  You'll need to take care a) not to damage its roots if / when digging the bed, and b) not to let its roots take too much moisture and nutrients from the bed as it grows in the future.

[photoboy]

Looking very good, well done on that construction.

I see you have a tree next to the corner of the bed.  You'll need to take care a) not to damage its roots if / when digging the bed, and b) not to let its roots take too much moisture and nutrients from the bed as it grows in the future.

Thanks for the tips, I will move it tomorrow!

[Yorkie]

If you're moving the tree, make sure you dig the hole for it to go to first, then move as much of its rootball and soil as possible - lift it onto a sheet or plastic and drag it if it's too heavy to carry.  And make sure you water it ever such a lot all year, even if the weather's not too sunny.

[photoboy]

If you're moving the tree, make sure you dig the hole for it to go to first, then move as much of its rootball and soil as possible - lift it onto a sheet or plastic and drag it if it's too heavy to carry.  And make sure you water it ever such a lot all year, even if the weather's not too sunny.

Many thanks Yorkie, I will do all of the above!

[aubergine]

Nice construction photoboy,looks really solid.
Aubergine