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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.
How much soil do you need?
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 small bags of soil. I have simply marked where I want the soil to be delivered and a forklift has deposited it in place. This option is a bit less messy than a traditional soil delivery. The soil is covered and protected from the elements, and there when you need it.
How to save a bit of money on soil
There are some ways to fill in the bottom of a raised bed so you don’t need as much soil to fill it. For example, if you happened to cut out the sod underneath where your raised bed will go, flip the pieces, grass-side-down to fill the bottom. There is lots of soil attached and the grass will break down over time—especially after you cover it in fresh soil. You could also add yard waste, like leaves from a compost pile or big branches and sticks.
Another option is if you’ve moved soil around to create a garden, you can use that for the bottom, provided you amend the soil on top accordingly.
The best soil for a raised garden bed
When I built my raised beds, I called around and ordered what I thought would be a good-quality triple mix. In Ontario where I live, triple mix is generally top soil, compost, and peat moss or black loam. A 50/50 mix seems to be more common in the U.S., which is a blend of top soil and compost.
If you’re ordering a soil delivery, try to find out where your soil has come from. Topsoil is often taken from land being developed for new subdivisions. It might have sat for a long time and can be devoid of nutrients. Make sure what you’re getting is a blend that will nourish your plants.
If you’re purchasing bags of soil, look for labels like organic vegetable and herb mix or organic garden soil for vegetables and flowers.
Whatever soil you end up using, you want to make sure you amend it with compost. All that rich organic matter is an important component that will hold moisture and provide nutrients to your plants. Compost is an essential ingredient in the best soil for a raised garden bed, no matter which mix of ingredients you choose.
I filled my beds with about 3/4 triple mix, and even though it had compost in it, I top-dressed the garden with about ¼ compost. If you don’t have a compost pile, there are all sorts different types of compost on the market. Garden centers sell everything from mushroom or shrimp compost, to composted manure or bags labelled “organic vegetable compost.” Your municipality might even have free compost giveaway days in the spring.
Amending the soil in your raised bed
If you don’t have a compost pile, keep some compost on reserve throughout the gardening season. If you’re pulling out your spent pea plants mid-summer, for example, not only are you removing a bit of earth, but those plants will have depleted the soil of nutrients. Topping up your beds with compost will add nutrients back into the soil to prepare it for whatever you plant next.
I like to add chopped leaves into the soil in the fall. Run them over with your lawnmower and sprinkle them into your beds to break down over the winter. I have a compost pile where all the other leaves go. When they’re ready, I’ll use the leaf mold to spread in my gardens. To maintain the health of even the best soil for a raised garden bed, adding organic matter every year is essential.
In the springtime, I also will amend the soil with compost and/or composted manure. I find the soil levels in my raised beds are usually lower from the weight of the snow. A spring refresh fills them back up to the top, adding lots of fresh nutrients into the raised bed.
Additional soil advice
- Discover the various organic garden soil amendments you can add to your raised bed.
- It’s a good idea to do a soil pH test from time to time, so you can make the necessary amendments that will help your crops to flourish.
- If you have smaller containers to fill, check out Jessica’s recipes in her DIY potting soil article.
- Learn the difference between potting soil and garden soil.
- Growing cover crops is also a great way to add nutrients back into the soil.
- If you are growing berries, like strawberries and blueberries, which like a more acidic soil, you can purchase soil that’s been specially formulated to grow them, or adjust the level with elemental sulfur or aluminum sulfate.
Tips for building and planting raised beds
For more information about starting a raised bed project, check out my book Raised Bed Revolution, and my course, Raised Bed Basics for Savvy Gardening School. Both cover the importance of choosing good-quality soil, as well as lots of other advice.
I bought the organic miracle grow in ground soil by mistake for my raised garden bed is it okay to use it?
Honestly, I’m not sure what’s in that particular type. I would compare its mix of components with the one you intended to buy. The fact that it’s organic is promising!
I appreciated this article. I am new to the game and quite nervous that my veggies won’t grow, so any tips and tricks would be appreciated. Can you buy the PH test at any garden center? Also, I’m in zone 5 and my south exposure raised garden should get at least 6-8 hours of sun per day.
I’m not sure that every garden center will have tests, but sometimes municipalities offer them. I wouldn’t worry so much about a test if you’re starting with a soil delivery. Order good-quality soil formulated for vegetables (not top soil) and top-dress with compost. 6-8 hours is perfect!
Hello, I’m new to this raised bed gardening. I live in Northern Alberta (North of Edmonton), and built 24 inch high bed so I can still garden without having a sore back!
What would you recommend for layers of soil in the beds? 2 feet of topsoil, or do I need to put different layers of various soil types in the bed?
I have built 4ft wide by 40 ft long raised bed in sections.
Thank you for your inspiration.
Hi David, to save money, on the very bottom you could fill it with sticks and dry leaves so you don’t need as much soil. Top soil would work, too. But the areas where the roots of your plants will be extending into (at least 10 to 12 inches down), you want good-quality vegetable soil. You could top-dress this with compost. 🙂
You can also use cardboard (think Amazon boxes or any sort of cardboard box, tape removed) or paper bags for the bottom and then, fill it up. Worms love the cardboard — they literally eat it up and poop it out and you’ll have done no work at all to get those great castings when they defecate.
I’m a newbie and I used more top soil than compost. (Like 95% top soil) It’s been a month since I transplanted my seedlings and I have no growth. Do you think it’s the soil? I regularly water my raised beds and I live in Florida so they are getting plenty of sun. ☀️ I’m searching for answers or maybe I just need patience 😆
Hi Jessica, it’s possible that your soil is lacking in nutrients. You could try adding organic fertilizer. Be sure to read the instructions carefully. 🙂
I bought bags of soil, compost, and peat moss for a 2′ by 12′ by 15″ raised bed, roughly one third of each to reach the recommended 30 cubic feet. How do I layer or mix these in my raised bed?
Hi Ann, you can evenly mix them all in there together. And then don’t forget to top-dress with compost later in the season if you are succession planting, or in the fall or spring before you plant next year’s crops!
I just put down 24 bags of Miracle Grow garden soil in a raised bed that I just made. (4 feet by 12 feet) I am in the process of building another one right now. But, I am thinking, now that I have read these comments, that I should have purchased raised bed soil instead. What would you suggest I purchase for the next raised bed? I could still pull some soil out of the other bed to mix with something else, if that would be best. I read that regular garden soil packs down and I can see that it has. Thanks.
Hi Claudette,
Miracle Grow sells lots of different soil mixes, so it’s possible the one you chose is just fine for growing veggies in raised beds. Any soil that’s formulated for veggie growing will do. To fill my raised beds, I had a delivery of triple mix, which is generally topsoil, peat, and compost. I then top-dressed with about two inches of compost.
we are making 4 raised beds right now. Can we just use compost to fill them up or do I need to add top soil.
Hi Monica, you need to add a blend of soil and compost. A general rule of thumb is 30 percent compost. Where I live, triple mix is generally a mix of topsoil, peat, and compost (in the US, it’s a 50/50 blend). I still added an inch or two of compost once I filled my beds.
I am placing a raised bed over a garden area that I’ve used for years and added compost, etc. I’m wondering why I can’t just use that soil and amend it to make it lighter. What do you think?
Hi Wendy, I don’t see why not, if the soil is nice and loose and friable. 🙂
Thank you for this post. I just started gardening last year and I have a garden bed. I purchased my garden soil from a landscaping company but my vegetables didnt turn out great, I am not sure if it’s the soil or due to lots of rain we had in Edmonton. I added a bit of compost to the garden bed in the Fall and covered up all winter. Would you recommend that I add more compost to it now before planting and what storebought compost would you recommend. Should I also be adding fertilizer to my seeds after planting?. Many thanks
Hi Fola, It could have been the weather. If you amended with compost in the fall, your bed should be ready to go. When I buy compost, I usually grab whatever is cheapest at the time – shrimp, mushroom, compost that says it’s for veggie gardens. I’m not partial to one brand. You could add a slow-release organic fertilizer into the soil at planting time. I usually wait until the veggies get going, and then add organic compost according to the package directions.
I bought several bags of garden soil and filled my raised bed before reading here and elsewhere that other blends should be used. My veggie plants seemed to be doing fine before being completely wiped out by some hungry critters. I’ve started some new seedlings and was wondering if I should replace the garden soil (or add compost or something else) before I plant the new seedlings.
Hi Hayley, I like to amend my soil with compost a couple of times throughout the season to add some nutrients back in. Don’t worry about replacing it! Just keep adding in the organic matter. 🙂