Filling a Raised Garden Bed on a Budget

Filling a Raised Garden Bed on a Budget is one of my main concerns as store bought soil can be expensive. In my opinion, layering is an important part of the no dig process. Layering using materials you already have will not only make for better soil but can also save you money. And who doesn’t love to save money. Keep reading below to find out How to Fill a Raised Garden Bed on a Budget.

Use What You Have

My first step in any garden project is always figuring out what I currently have. Before I go out and buy a bunch of things, I want to use what I have. When filling a garden bed, you likely have items lying around your house or homestead that would work perfectly.

Sticks, leaves, grass clippings, newspapers, and cardboard are all perfect examples of things you may already having lying around. Before you go out and buy tons of bags of soil, try to take up some space with other organic things that will break down at the bottom of your raised bed. Then add the expensive stuff on the top where you will be planting.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

The first step in filling a raised garden bed is all about working smarter not harder. One of the perks of having a no dig raised garden bed is the idea of less weeding. I am all about less work, which is why it is important to add weed barrier as the initial layer of your raised bed. Weed barrier will ensure to keep as many weeds out as possible, right from the start.

I like to use a roll of the landscaping fabric to line the bottom of all my raised beds. You could also use dampened newspapers, or even cardboard as weed barrier. This first step is a simple process that will be worth the small amount of extra time. You can thank me later.

Thank You, Next

Now that you have prepped your garden bed, you can start the filling process. First, I like to add a good layer of sticks and twigs because this is what I have most readily available. I try to break down the sticks into smaller pieces and stack them as closely together as possible. In between my layers of sticks I will add handfuls of leaves that I have gathered from my yard.

The leaves are good to fill up the negative space between the sticks and twigs. I like to top my last stick layer with one final layer of leaves. You could also use straw mixed in with your sticks and leaves. Like I said, use what you have.

Keep in mind, you want to have about 12 inches, or so, of good soil at the top to plant in. So make sure to leave room at the top for all those lovely plants, and plan your layers accordingly. Also keep in mind the layers will compact over time.

Grand Finale When Filling a Raised Garden Bed on a Budget

The final step to filling your raised garden bed is the soil. I personally like to mix some of the soil from our garden area in with what I buy from the store. This again, cuts down on cost, but I have good soil in my garden that I know produces good plants. Sometimes the store bought stuff can give me troubles. So if you have good soil in your yard, that is free of grass and weeds, feel free to mix this in.

You want to fill your bed not quite all the way to the top with equal parts compost, and soil. If you do not have compost of your own, you can buy this at the store as well. The last and final step would be to add mulch. I personally do not add mulch to my raised beds, but mulch would be a good option if you were having problems with weeds in your raised bed.

I hope these tips for Filling a Raised Garden Bed on a Budget give you some ideas on how to save money in your garden. If you are looking to build an inexpensive raised bed check out my DIY Cinder Block Garden Bed. As always, keep following along with The Four Acre Farm blog for more Easy Recipes, Gardening Tips, & Budget Friendly DIY.