Currently, many new gardeners intend to grow their vegetables on raised beds due to better harvests and less weeds. However, there are some challenges, and that is the soil, and this could be the reason some gardens quit their planting goals due to the high cost of soil. So, the question is, “ How to fill a raised garden bed cheap?”. Let’s seek the answer in our post!
What’s The Raised Garden Bed meant for?
Before you start your fill-up, determine your bed’s usage. Raised garden beds, in particular, help keep path weeds out of your vegetable garden, minimize topsoil erosion, remove moisture, and prevent damage from insects like slugs and snails.
Also, the sidewalls of the beds keep your valuable seedlings from sweeping away during heavy rains. Therefore, raised garden beds are an ideal method for the planting process.
However, the concern for raised garden beds is the price, and thus raise the question: “ How to fill a raised garden bed cheap?”. Below is our quick answer to this question!
How To Fill A Raised Garden Bed Cheap?
Here are the top 7 methods for filling raised beds — ideally without wasting money. And, now is the best time to figure out the answer to the question “ How to fill a raised garden bed cheap”? Continue reading!
1. Gardening Bed Of Ruth Stout
First of all, using the Ruth Stout in gardening beds is not only cost effective, but also assists in quickly filling your raised bed.
To use this type properly, you must cover all exposed soil with organic mulch, which will gradually decay and contribute nutrients to the soil.
Applying this way will cover your entire garden with a thick layer of hay. This will aid in the rapid planting procedure and the production of high-quality crops.
2. Homemade Compost
With homemade compost, you will discover that there is no need to waste money! If you make compost at home, it is free. In reality, it’s like gold for your garden, but preparing it at home only requires time and household waste.
Plus, If you want to fill raised beds with compost for a low cost, start growing your compost pile the year before you plan to create the beds. You must plan in advance as compost takes six to twelve months to mature.
3. Hugelkultur Gardening
When it comes to Hugelkultur’s unique name, it can be tough to imagine how to use it. In fact, Hugelkultur is supposed to be a basic planting technique that yields enormous crops.
To apply this method, simply put as much decaying waste as possible underneath the soil. It’s possible to use needles, eating means eating a variety, woody biomass, and other items. You should also include the log that will decompose over time.
Plus, keep in mind that the bed should be filled from ten to twelve inches deep, with decomposing components and soil filling in any gaps.
4. Purchasing Soil In Bulk
Purchasing soil in bulk is a wise way to fill your garden bed. Instead of spending a lot more money on retail or bagged soil, this method is a great solution. Because buying soil at retail is far more expensive than buying it in bulk.
So, if you want to buy soil in bulk, you can go to a gardening store or a local nursery. They may give some discounts, making it much cheaper than bagged ones. And thus, this is another answer to the question “ How to fill a raised garden bed cheap?”
5. Add Peat Moss
If you’re an experienced gardener, you’ll quickly realize that using peat moss to fill raised beds is a great idea. However, this strategy should be used wisely. Because peat moss is an acidity component, you must be careful when adding it to your soil, which may lead to your plant’s death. Only plants develop in acidic environments like green pepper and sweet potatoes, which are appropriate.
Adding peat moss to your soil, on the other hand, is a thrifty method to package it out without having to buy more potting soil.
6. Add composted manure
Composted manure is an ideal economical way to answer the question of “How to fill a raised garden bed cheap.” Some gardeners, however, believe that fresh manure is suitable for filling raised beds. But that’s incorrect. Because new manure is heavy in nitrogen, it will fire your plants and destroy them.
So, most livestock animals are the best sources of manure. Plus, you can buy these manure at animal farms at a cheap price. You should also compost the manure for around one year, so plan ahead of time!
7. Make a Lasagna Garden
Our list can not be completed without mentioning Lasagna Garden!
In theory, it is similar to the “hugelkultur” method that we discussed earlier. However, you must differentiate the layers. In practice, you have to add a layer of cardboard to the bottom of the raised bed to bury the grass and kill any weeds.
Following the cardboard, you need to continue adding organic materials and soil to build layers. This method surely answered the question “How to fill a raised garden bed cheap”.
Final Thoughts
After reading this article, you should be able to clearly answer the question, “How to fill a raised garden bed cheap?”. Hopefully, this post will show you how to save money to fill your raised bed gardening while planting a productive garden. We do hope you will find it useful during your vegetable-growing season!
Thank you for spending your time reading our post and staying tuned for our next article. See you then!
