The Best Soil for a Raised Garden Bed

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One of the major benefits of gardening in a raised bed is you get to control the soil that goes into it. This is especially advantageous for gardeners with a property that has hard-packed or clay soil, issues with tree roots, or concerns about pollutants. It also comes in handy if you want to place your raised bed on a patio or driveway. Since good soil is the foundation of a healthy garden, you want to make sure you’re setting your vegetables up for success. So, what is the best soil for a raised garden bed? In this article, I’m going to share some advice on figuring out how much soil you need, what to purchase, amending a soil delivery, and more.

Another raised bed benefit is that the soil will remain friable. In an in-ground garden, the soil can become hard-packed over time as you walk between the rows. We know there is a whole web of micro-activity happening in our soil, so it’s best not to disturb it. A raised bed allows you to reach in to weed and plant.

Filling a raised bed will likely require more soil than you think. A soil delivery might make the most sense economically. For my gardens, I’ve put a tarp out on the driveway and had soil delivered in a giant pile that my husband and I work at diminishing over time with multiple wheelbarrow trips. There are some great soil calculators online that can help you figure out the amount you need so you don’t over or under order. Anytime I’ve ordered a bit too much, I’ve added the soil to my other garden beds.

Another option I’ve taken advantage of is a bulk soil delivery in one big bag. This is much better than purchasing multiple