What soil for grow beds?

[Stevie_B]

Gday all,
I have been given a raised garden bed which I would like to use as a grow bed. It is about 1600 x 600 x 400 and would go on my existing sloped garden.

I was wondering what people would suggest in terms of soil set up? I am in Ipswich, so it can get hot, but my area will be shaded for the arvos.

I was thinking of just using local garden soil, a bit of sand and then just add my compost whenever i can? it should be free draining from this I hope.

The plants I want are particularly oz natives, plus some junipers, bougies, maples and hopefully a pine (if i don't kill it).

So if anyone has any advice, that would be splendid.

Thanks

[Watto]

I think the soil mix you have suggested will be fine. Ground growing from my experience doesn't require anything special, if plants will grow in it then it is suitable.
Good luck with them.

[shibui]

I agree that special soil is not needed in a grow bed. My trees grow quite happily in the native soil in my brow beds at ground level and raised beds are not really much different.
You will probably find that raised beds dry out a lot quicker than level garden beds so be prepared to water more often. To that end a more water retentive soil based mix will probably be beneficial.
I have some difficulty growing plants close to the edges of my raised vege beds -probably due to dry but maybe also heat? - so I would be cautious about planting close to the edges of your new bed.
I'm looking at the list of trees you plan to grow and wonder how many will actually fit in a bed that size. Given that it is only 60cm wide that would mean 2 rows 20cm apart which is pretty close for growing trees. I allow around 50 cm between trees in my grow beds here and the trees quickly fill that much space. A single row of trees down the middle of the bed will allow maybe 3 trees allowing around 40 cm between trees. If you stagger 2 rows along either side you might fit 6 or 8 trees in but root competition may reduce growth a bit.
Of course you could plant closer together but cramming trees close together in a grow bed will probably defeat the purpose.

Good luck with the ground growing.

[treeman]

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[treeman]

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[treeman]

I thought I already mentioned this. Have we forgotten already?

1 part sand
1 part bark nuggets
1 part shredded bark
1 part soft akadama
1 part hard akadama
1 part medium akadama
1 part kanuma
1 part Chinese hill soil
1 part Chinese mountain soil
1 part Cinese plains soil
1 part chinese coastal soil
1 part shreaded sphagnum moss
1 part shreaded sheet moss
1 part volcanic sand
1 part scoria
1 part hardwood charcoal
1 part giant sequoia charcoal
1 part pumice
1 part compost
1 part vermiculite
1 part perlite
1 part rough peat
1 part fine peat
1 part Irish peat
1 part German peat
1 part sedge peat from Russia
1 part ''special peat'' from the former Czech Republic
1 part special ''magic'' volcanic sand from South Georgia Island (near Antarctica)
1 part organic Araucaria leaf mould soil from the East side of the mountain in Central Chile.
1 part black volcanic gravel from Mt Versuvius
1 part red volcanic gravel from Mt Versuvius (sub stratum)
1 part special, secret, root growth exploding ingredient.
1 part trace element mix with all elements currently know to human kind including gold, silver and platinum, uranium etc
1 part diamond dust.
Merry Xmas all!

[TimS]

Mike, how could you forget it needs to be blessed by a shaman and the first watering needs to be equal parts seaweed soaked for a month in Baileys Irish cream and mineral turpentine. Sure it stinks a bit for a while but the results speak for themselves

[Stevie_B]

Mike,
I’m just laughing coz it took you three goes to post it