Raised beds have no room for compost

Community Community No dig gardening Preparing the ground Raised beds have no room for compost

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This topic contains 4 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by  Cleansweep 5 years, 4 months ago.

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  • #48091

    Chad D
    Participant

    My beds have no more room for compost. The current compost is at the very top of the raised bed lip. What do I do? Do I dig out a couple inches of soil? Do I try to compact the soil more? Or something else? Not sure what would hurt the soil less.

    #48094

    charles
    Moderator

    It sounds like the beds were filled originally with soil, or some soil.
    Unlike compost, soil does not sink or settle.
    So yes you may need to remove some.
    Or remove the bed’s sides, mulch paths with thick card if not weed free now, and pull some of the bed onto the path. make the bed a little wider in the process. You can walk on no dig beds.

    #48147

    Chad D
    Participant

    Thank you! Yes the beds are primarily soil. I found your method years too late in my bed process.

    #70482

    HowardHill
    Participant

    Hope you managed to solve this. I highly recommend the solution that Charles shared as it’s the easiest and most affordable one to do. When I ordered items from this raised bed kits UK seller, I also filled them with too much soil, being afraid that the roots may fail to grow. Seems like it was a common mistake among novice gardeners!

    #70485

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    If you MUST keep the sides (Tidy Police!), then you should be able to lift them up as one unit with your now otherwise redundant spade. If they have pegs to support the boards, cut longer ones and insert before lifting. Refix with screws at the required height. Fill the path with (free) wood chip to support the revealed soil.I still prefer Charles’s suggestion but sometimes other parties interfere!

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