Hi!
Just bought a house and wanting to start a veggie garden with some raised beds but unsure how I should prep the ground under the beds.
Wanting to place the raised beds and then have stones/pebbles around them, I also have a potted lemon tree which will go in the corner (still in the pot).
We ripped out some large ferns and will need to soak the soil to kill any roots we didn’t get as they went under the fencing.
Any advice would be welcome and wonderful
TIA
by cheftattoogirl
10 Comments
Shouldn’t need any prep other than making sure it’s level.
Just level and fill with dirt and other delights for your veggies. Raised beds are pretty easy. There’s a few videos around showing you what you can fill them with.
Looks like a great opportunity if it gets enough sun. Looks a little shady in the pics.
Prep the existing soil by breaking up the surface a little with a pick or mattock, build your beds and then mix in some organic matter with the broken up existing soil, (like mushroom compost). Add a layer of the garden soil you’ve chosen for the beds, mix more organic matter. repeat layers/mixing til the beds are full up to 50mm from the top (it will settle more).
Pebbles are not all they’re cracked up to be in relation to weeds, organic mulch like pine bark/chips is easier to keep weed free, but you will have to remove old mulch and replace it, however lifting and cleaning pebbles laid on dirt is far more painful to do.
Do wicking beds. Future you will thank you.
I’d just throw down a double layer or cardboard first to help prevent weeds coming up through the bottom. Then fill the bottom of the raised bed with whatever you have lying about, tree limbs, etc. Fill the top half with better compost and soil, and mulch the top to prevent weeds and help with water retention.
Should work fine. Depending on your climate, there’s a small chance the colorbond fence will act as a heat amplifier if it gets direct sun, so just mindful of that and choose and place certain veggies with that in mind.
Have it tested for lead
Fill the bottom half with wood. The YouTube channel self sufficient me, has a great video on the benefits.
Place some plastic underneath then place the bed on top of it. Add a good layer of sugar cane mulch in the bottom then fill with potting mix to the top and lay some more sugar cane mulch on top after planting your plants you want. Water. Job done
Raised beds the best way to go here.