The Soil DIY Your Raised Garden Bed Is Begging For

Raised bed gardening aims to solve many of the challenges gardeners face when starting out, giving you more control over soil quality, drainage, and fertility. However, without the right foundation, even the fanciest raised bed can lead to stunted growth or waterlogged roots. Poor soil and a lack of good growing space can both be addressed by starting a raised bed garden, which involves filling the bed with just the right type of soil. You can buy garden soil, but bagged mixes get expensive fast, and even high-end blends may not offer the structure and nutrients your vegetables need to thrive.

The ideal raised bed soil is loose, nutrient-rich, and well-draining, with enough organic matter to hold moisture without compacting. For healthier plants and a better harvest, skip the premixed option and create your own DIY soil mix with an equal blend of topsoil, compost, and materials like coarse sand or perlite to help with drainage. This DIY soil mix not only saves money, but also allows you to customize the mix for your climate and soil needs based on what you are growing.

Making the best type of soil to fill your raised beds is easy. Many recipes are available online, each with multiple specific ingredients to address different needs, as well as guidelines for properly creating the mixture. Regardless of the option you choose, the winning recipe will start with good-quality topsoil that's either native (your own) or purchased. This will give your plants a foundation to anchor their roots. Use screened, weed-free topsoil, if possible, and avoid soil scraped from unknown construction sites, which may contain debris or chemical residues. 

The compost portion is where the magic happens. Well-aged compost feeds soil microbes, improves texture, and adds slow-release nutrients. If you are making your own compost, make sure it's finished, dark, crumbly, and free of foul odors or visible food scraps. A popular homemade soil recipe called "Mel's Mix" from Square Foot Gardening Foundation recommends mixing different sources of composted material, such as mushroom, worm castings, or leaf mold, for a more balanced profile. Finally, add perlite or coarse sand to keep the garden soil light and fluffy, adding space between the soil particles and improving water drainage. Mix your ingredients thoroughly in a wheelbarrow or on a tarp before filling your raised bed, then water it deeply to help settle the soil.