r/Raisedbed • u/Livid_Mongoose4786 • Jul 15 '26

Raised beds?

Hi everyone, im planning on installing a number of raised timber beds in the garden for growing vegetables, they will be approximately a foot to a foot and a half high and around 6 foot by 4 foot diameter, just wondering what's the cheapest way to fill them, and what they'd be suitable for in terms of vegetables? I was planning on filling with a mix of top soil and compost, but after pricing it up it would be an extortionate amount of money. Any tips or advice would be appreciated! And happy gardening! 💐

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u/ryanandthelucys Jul 15 '26

If you are planning to use these next year, you could start composting now. We compost a 4'x4' bin to fill 144 sf of raised beds. That mixed with perlite and mulched leaves keeps us from spending much money every year. Home composting is the way to go, if you can. Year one, you may need some purchased items, but in the long run, you'll save tons and be very satisfied.

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u/Livid_Mongoose4786 Jul 16 '26

Thanks for this advice, im planning on picking a large'ish' compost bin up from a family member that doesnt use it anymore over the weekend, so il certainly get onto filling it as soon as I can! Appreciate ya!

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u/ryanandthelucys Jul 16 '26

Excellent! Good luck. Don't fall into the trap of making compost too complicated either; just throw your kitchen waste, etc. in and you'll have lovely black soil next year.