Once you have assembled your Vego organic gardening raised beds, the next task is filling the raised garden beds before planting. One of the most common questions we get from new gardeners is how to fill a new raised bed and still save money. There are many different methods out there that work well! From our experience, the Hugelkultur method is the easiest and most cost-efficient method to use.
Hugelkultur is the process of layering organic garden waste inside the raised garden bed, before adding soil to save on costs, in addition to attracting and preserving moisture. Of German origin, hugelkultur translates to “mound or hill culture.” It is especially applicable in areas where soil retention and drainage are poor, which is typical of soils found in urban areas.
The materials used include large rotting logs, sticks and other debris that are layered with grass clippings, coffee grounds, compost, and other organic matter. As the material breaks down, it creates a flourishing environment for beneficial fungi and microbes that mimics the natural landscape of a forest. There are many advantages to the Hugelkultur method, including soil quality improvement, minimal maintenance, and water retention.
Raised garden beds provide an excellent growing environment for vegetables, herbs, and flowers The contained space allows you to provide ideal soil conditions without amending a whole garden area.
When first installing raised beds, many gardeners make the mistake of filling the entire depth with bagged potting mix or garden soil. This can get expensive fast, especially for large or multiple beds!
A smarter approach is layering – filling the bottom and middle of the bed with more affordable organic materials, and reserving the quality soil for the top layer where most plant roots actively grow.
Benefits of Layering a Raised Garden Bed
- Saves money compared to filling with all purchased soil
- Creates a moisture-retaining reservoir as lower layers break down
- Allows for excellent drainage and aeration
- Provides a deep root zone for plants to access more nutrients
- Maximizes microbial activity to support healthy soil
Key Steps for Layering a Raised Bed
Follow these steps for properly layering different organic materials in your raised garden beds:
1. Plan Bed Layers and Dimensions
- Measure the length, width, and height of your raised bed in inches.
- Decide on depth for each layer.
- Leave 5-10 inches for the topsoil plants will grow in.
- Draw a diagram to visualize layers and dimensions.
2. Add Coarse Woody Base Layer
- Use logs, branches, woodchips, straw, or pine needles.
- Provides moisture retention and aeration as it slowly decomposes.
- Aim for 6-12 inches depth depending on total bed height.
3. Include Nitrogen Layers
- Add thinner layers of compost, manure, grass clippings, coffee grounds.
- Fuels microbes to break down woody base layer.
4. Fill With Native or Purchased Soil
- Use any loose, nutrient-rich soil you have.
- Or buy topsoil or organic planting mix.
- Provides nutrients for plant roots before reaching woody layers.
5. Top with High-Quality Soil
- Splurge on the best organic potting mix you can get.
- This is where seeds start and plants keep growing vertically.
- Aim for 5-10 inches of high-quality soil as the top layer.
6. Water Between Layers
- Moisten each layer as you build to prevent air pockets.
7. Leave Space for Mulch
- Don’t compact soil completely.
- Leave 3-5 inches for protective mulch layer.
Layering Materials for Raised Beds
Here are suitable materials for each layer in a layered raised bed:
Bottom Layers:
- Logs, branches, twigs
- Wood chips
- Straw, pine needles
- Leaves
Middle Layers:
- Compost
- Manure
- Grass clippings
- Coffee grounds
- Seaweed
Top Layer:
- High-quality potting mix
- Compost blend
- Native garden soil
Get creative with free or inexpensive local materials for your layers! Focus budget soil on the vital top few inches.
Ongoing Care for Layered Raised Beds
To keep your layered raised bed productive:
- Turn soil and mix in 1-2 inches of compost before each planting.
- Top dress with 1-2 inches of compost mid-season.
- Monitor moisture and water when the top few inches are dry.
- Use organic liquid fertilizer for quick nutrients.
- Mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture.
Replenishing layers and compost keeps the soil nutrition optimal for many seasons!
Reasons to Layer Raised Garden Beds
Layering provides several advantages over filling the entire depth with soil:
- Saves money: Only the top needs premium purchased soil.
- Prevents soil compaction: Coarse woody layers maintain drainage and airflow.
- Supports microbial life: Organic matter fuels essential fungi and bacteria.
- Enhances moisture retention: Acts like a sponge for plant roots.
- Encourages deep roots: Gives access to nutrients from buried layers.
With smart layering, you can create an ideal growing environment at a fraction of the cost of filling raised beds with bagged soil. Explore layering leaves, compost, manure, straw, and other free resources! Then enjoy thriving, productive raised bed gardens.
The Hugelkultur Method to Fill Raised Garden Beds
To create a bountiful garden bed, organic matter such as rotted hay, plant waste, and compost is added to the soil. Wood debris decomposes slowly, making it a stable source of organic matter. The optimal kind of wood used is one that is starting to rot, which can be obtained from branches cut from a dead tree or logs from an abandoned wood pile. This organic matter will decompose over time, and plant roots will travel deeper into the raised garden bed soil to obtain the nutrition. It will also work as a big sponge, retaining water to maintain an ideal moisture level.
In the Hugelkultur method, for filling a raised garden bed, the large pieces are laid at the bottom as they will take the longest time to decompose. In the picture above, the piling logs may take up to 5 years before the base sponge breaks down into rich, wonderful raised garden bed soil. The smaller pieces are placed on top of the larger pieces to fill space, such as branches and sticks, and then grass clippings, leaves and kitchen scraps. Compost and topsoil are on the top two layers for your raised garden bed so you can start planting as the organic matter beneath decomposes.
Layering Soil in a Raised Garden Bed
FAQ
How should you layer your raised garden bed?
- 1. You will want to first lay down any creature barrier if you so desire.
- 2. Next you will want to lay down an inch or so of mulch or newspaper.
- 3. The next layer will be the top soil.
- 4. Finally top the final 2-3 inches with compost or raised bed vegetable mix.
What is the best base layer for a raised garden bed?
- Soil: The most common choice is to fill the entire bed with high-quality garden soil or a mix of soil and compost.
- Cardboard or Newspaper: Placing a layer of cardboard or several sheets of newspaper at the bottom can help suppress weeds and prevent grass from growing into the bed.
What do I put in the bottom of a raised garden bed?
All you have to do to hold the soil inside your raised bed is put down some type of porous material. You can do weed barrier cloth or plain ol’ burlap.Apr 27, 2024