Content
- Refill the raised bed - That's the way it works
- Is refilling really necessary?
- Refill the raised bed - step-by-step instructions
- Alternative to refilling
- Tips
The raised bed falls off over time and can be refilled
Refill the raised bed - That's the way it works
Since the filling material of a conventional compost raised bed rotted during the garden year - that is, from coarse materials only compost and later fine compost soil - loses the bed average between 20 and 30 centimeters in height. As a result, the vegetables are then so deep in the flower box that there is no longer enough light and air. Usually advised to timely refilling.
Is refilling really necessary?
So the gardener should fill in the autumn fresh compost material in the bagged raised bed, so that by spring the original state is reached again. Some simply fill in fresh compost from the gardening market or your own composter. In fact, however, this measure only makes sense for ergonomic reasons - that is, for the comfortable working posture on the raised bed. However, replenishment is not absolutely necessary for planting and the plants themselves - nutrients are still abundant in the compressed filling.
Refill the raised bed - step-by-step instructions
If you want to top up your raised bed, you have two options. The simple is to take ready compost soil and simply distribute it as the top layer on the bed. More common, however, is the following method, which is carried out after clearing the bed in autumn:
So the raised bed can rest until spring and then be replanted. So that it does not lose too much height over the growing season, you should mulch it regularly during the summer months - so it fills up practically on its own.
Alternative to refilling
Instead of refilling the raised bed every year, you can just let things take their course - and instead build the raised flower box so that you simply remove individual wooden slats when needed, starting from the top. In this way, adjust the height of the raised bed its level. Particularly practical is the variant, just two such Hochbeet boxes next to each other and to use alternately for planting and filling. For example, one box is used as a composter for one year while the other - filled - is planted. In the following year, finally, exchanged.
Tips
Whether or not you refill the raised bed regularly: every four to five years, the contents must be fully composted and you need to rebuild it from scratch.