One of the problems of filling raised beds is the shortage of topsoil and compost to fill them.
Regular readers of this blog know I repurposed my raised beds by cutting old plastic heating oil tanks and drilled drainage holes in them.
Then I use the German Hugelkultur method of filling the bottom with logs, shrub twigs and branches and then I forked in home made compost and our fym and I have been weeding the veg plot and filling up two beds with them.
I then topped them up with tubs of fym and will plant them up next spring/summer.
Repurposed oil tank raised bed topped up with 4 big tubs of fym. It will be well rotted and ready to plant up for new potatoes 🥔 😋 next Spring. I may even cover it with a tarp or old cardboard and use it for a plant stand for my potted perennials. It will also hopefully work like an hot bed and make them grow.
Anyone else use weeds and fym to fill up their raised beds?
You don't need to buy topsoil if you use organic natural materials.
I don't suppose the worms mind that smell too much 😊
ReplyDeleteNo JayCee. It's good to see big fat, healthy juicy worms in the fym. Due to mainly modern farming practices the earth worm is said to be on the decline. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers all contribute to their decline and the native birds numbers also decline. There is a lot to be said for organic gardening and farming.
ReplyDeleteI do put some weeds in my composter, not any which are too vigorous, as i worry if any seeds get in there. I don't have room to make more beds here. We have had dome welcome rain overnight.
ReplyDeleteWeeds make good compost Marlene and they soon decompose in my raised beds. Heavy rain here today. I am looking for more old oil tanks to repurpose for raised beds. Raised beds give you good drainage and deep soil. Also you are gardening at knee or waist height instead of down on the ground and the water table can be very high like now with all the downpours.
ReplyDeleteI do love my raised beds, as you say much nicer on your back, we have heavy clay here, so there soil in the beds are much nicer.
DeleteI think raised beds are definitely the way to go on heavy ground and none of us are getting any younger. Clay is cold and takes a while to warm up but it does contain lots of nutrients unlike lighter sandy soils. I am very pleased with my repurposed plastic oil tanks/raised beds.
ReplyDeleteI'll have top up my one raised bed at the end of summer. There should be a lot of dried up pumpkin plants and some almost-compost. We have been throwing out lots of melon and watermelon rind.
ReplyDeleteAnything organic all makes good compost and plant food Linda.
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