Do I need to remove weeds from the bottom of my raised bed?
No, you don't have to remove weeds at the bottom of your raised bed, but not removing weeds will allow them to stand still and invade your new bed.
One of the best practices is to simply cover the bottom of the newly raised bed with cardboard to suppress weeds. Cardboard will break down over time, but when it does, the weeds will die.
Can topsoil be used for raised beds?
Topsoil is part of the soil mix used in raised beds, but you can't just use topsoil to fill a new garden bed. Topsoil is a filler; it increases the amount of soil in the garden bed. However, plants need a lot of nutrients, and topsoil does not contain enough organic matter for your plants to grow as needed.
Typically, when you create a raised bed mix, topsoil should make up 10-20% of the mix. You don't want to increase it because your plants need a lot of nutrients.
Can you fill a loft bed with compost?
No, you should never just fill a raised bed with compost. When creating a soil mix for raised beds, it should make up 30-50% of the garden soil. While compost will provide your plants with plenty of nutrients, the soil will drain too quickly, washing away nutrients and starving your plants.
Final Thoughts
Filling up loft beds is an expensive job that makes many people shy away from gardening. Don't let the cost deter you from gardening; try some of these tips for cheaply filling a raised bed. Your plant and budget will be happy.
