Renewing an old raised garden bed

Sometimes you just have to start afresh. Jan R. gave an old tired raised garden bed a new lease of life, and look at the result!  She took photos along the way, and explains what she did.

1. Completely empty the garden bed

Vegetables had not been growing well in this bed in recent times, mainly because the soil had been in it for too many years, so I emptied the raised bed completely, put some of the tired old content on my compost heap, and finely spread the rest over my garden.

2. Spread blood & bone on the bottom of the bed and water it

This will encourage worms and microbes to enter the bed from below. It creates air pockets which allow water, air and earth to build up heat and begin the composting process

3. Cover the blood & bone layer with thick paper or cardboard and water that well

The cardboard will keep tree roots out of the garden bed for a few years. Over time the cardboard will of course break down. It will then just be a part of the soil in this bed.

4. Add a layer of finely chopped organic matter

The organic matter can be sticks, leaves, lawn clippings, old compost, manure, or shredded paper, anything organic you can lay your hands on, and that you cut or chop into fine bits.

Continue layering up with compostable materials and always water each layer. This layer will compost and become thinner over time, so add as much as possible, leaving some space for what goes over the top of this.

5. Add a layer of well-composted compost or manure

You can add this right to the top of the bed, as the layer underneath will become thinner over time.

6. Mulch this with straw or sugar cane mulch or whatever mulch you use

7. Part the straw, put in some potting mix or well-matured compost, and plant your seedlings.


8. Stand back! The plants will jump out of the bed!

The seedlings in the photo went in very small a month ago and are now thriving. Even better, the blackbirds don’t even attempt destruction!

Happy food-gardening!

Jan R.

Other related Food Garden Group blog posts: Adding a Raised Bed , How to build a wicking bed