The soil you put in your raised bed decides how well everything grows. Get it right once and your bed will reward you for years. Here's what to use, and what to avoid.
What makes good raised bed soil
- Drains freely so roots don't sit in water.
- Holds enough moisture to get through a warm day.
- Rich in organic matter to feed your plants.
- Loose and crumbly so roots can spread easily.
Use a garden or veggie mix
Most Melbourne landscape suppliers sell a garden mix or vegetable mix, usually a blend of sandy loam and compost. That's the right stuff for a raised bed. Ask for a mix made for vegetables or raised beds if they have one.
What to avoid
- Clay from your backyard. Much of Melbourne sits on heavy clay. It sets hard and drains poorly in a raised bed.
- Straight potting mix. It's made for pots, dries out fast and gets expensive when you're filling a whole bed.
- Unknown fill. Cheap fill can bring weeds, rubble or contaminants into your veggie garden.
Base fill for tall beds
An 830mm tall bed holds a lot of soil, but most vegetables only need the top 300 to 400mm. To save money, fill the bottom of a tall bed with a cheaper base fill, or with branches, logs and leaves that break down over time. Then put your good garden mix on top. Our filling guide explains how.
How much do you need?
Our soil calculator works out the volume for your bed, so you order the right amount the first time. Remember that soil settles, so order a little extra or plan to top up after the first few weeks.
Keeping soil healthy
- Add a few centimetres of compost each spring and autumn.
- Mulch over summer to keep moisture in.
- Rotate crops so the same family isn't in the same spot every season.
- Top up as the soil level drops. It's normal for soil to sink a little each year.
Not got a bed yet? Find My Bed shows every bed that fits your space, delivered fully assembled and ready to fill.