Soil for new raised beds???

Ray and Fiona · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:33 am Post subject: Soil for new raised beds???

Where is the best place to purchase soil for new raised beds for growing vegies?

Regards,

Ray.

My Potatoes · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:42 am Post subject:

You could just go to a garden centre and buy some compost, topsoil, manure, etc and mix it up yourself.

Otherwise get a delivery in one tonne bags.

Where are you based? If you're in the Dublin area try the Landscape Depot:
http://www.landscapedepot.ie/
You can get the soil mix you need.

Ray and Fiona · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:51 am Post subject:

Thank you for that. I live in Greystones. I have tried calling http://www.landscapedepot.ie/ but they are not answering their phone at present. I will keep trying.

Regards,

Ray.

forest flame · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 1:45 pm Post subject:

you could also try the sandman he does topsoil in ton bags

sgmgarden · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 1:49 pm Post subject:

I would suggest going to your local garden centre for soil. Not only will you be able to purchase soil from them, they will also be able to offer you advice on which soil is best for you.

Ray and Fiona · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:14 pm Post subject:

Good idea. I will try that.

Thanks,

Ray.

sgmgarden · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:16 pm Post subject:

No problem, let us know you get on.

Dirt Digger · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:48 am Post subject:

I had to purchase soil to fill 3 raised beds in early April, and as they are 14" deep they took some filling; 2.5 metric tonnes to be precise. I bought from a company called MULCH based on the northside of Dublin, Malahide Rd, and found them professional and passionate about their products. I bought 3 tonne bags of super soil which is a screened topsoil with 25% added soil conditioner, and I got what I paid for. In comparison to what some garden centres and builders providers are asking per tonne with no guarantee as to quality, it may be worth checking Mulch out to see if they deliver southside...

Ray and Fiona · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:51 am Post subject:

Dirt Digger · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:20 am Post subject:

If memory serves right Ray, it was 69.00 Euro per tonne bag

medieval knievel · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:38 am Post subject:

http://www.mulch.ie/

medieval knievel · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:42 am Post subject:

Lius · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:54 pm Post subject:

You might consider filling your beds with Mel’s Mix as in the Square Foot method. The mix is:-

1/3 peat moss – easy to get at DIY’s or garden centres.

1/3 coarse vermiculite – used to insulate around chimney liners, you will get it get at a builders providers or insulation suppliers.

1/3 compost - The compost is very important as there is no fertiliser used. Try to get a good mix of different types of compost i.e. kitchen compost + cow manure + seaweed + chicken manure, etc. The farmyard manure and compost you buy bagged in the garden centres is rubbish, it is bulked-up with non organic material like peat (a bit like beef burgers).

Mix it in manageable size batches, put a big tarp out on the lawn and throw above ingredients onto it, mix it up and drag the tarp to the bed and dump it in. You only do this when you start the bed the first time and it a lot less work that digging heavy wet soil.

See:- http://www.squarefootgardening.org/

My Potatoes · Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 9:08 pm Post subject:

Lius · Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 7:31 am Post subject:

I'm experimenting without the Vermiculite in the last two of my outdoor raised beds. I filled these with 50% peat moss and 50% topsoil, I topped off with kitchen compost and farmyard manure. I have also used this in the beds in my new greenhouse as I am concerned about keeping them moist.

This is the second season with the two beds without the Vermiculite and I find them a bit heavy and sticky, harder to dig and weed, and of course much more weeds due to seeds in the topsoil. However the results seem to be similar to the four Mel’s Mix beds in terms of yields. The greenhouse beds seem to hold water well also which just what I wanted and everything is thriving so far.