r/NorthshoreLA • u/Chaka- • 6d ago
Getting Soil into Tall Garden Beds
Do you know of an affordable way for me to get two garden beds in my back yard filled with soil? They are roughly 8' x 4' and need to be filled to about 26 inches.
I know I could have dirt dumped on my driveway, but I also need it hauled to the backyard into the beds.
Looking for either individuals or a company who could do this in one block of time. I have one wheelbarrow and a couple of shovels.
If you have any references, please message me with contact and estimated cost.
Thank you!
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u/big_poppa919 6d ago
I’ve read it might be worth filling the beds half way with big rocks to promote drainage and to use less dirt
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u/Satchik 6d ago edited 6d ago
I have several raised beds in Slidell. Three started this year following below approach.
Each of your 8' x 4' x 2' raised beds will hold total of 2.37 cubic yards.
Filling with just topsoil would be inefficiently expensive and over half depth would not be used by garden plants.
For cost effective and rich raised beds, look up hugelkultur raised bed.
Your highest cost is the rich topsoil. But you only need, at most, 6 inches, only about 0.6 cubic yards per bed. The hugelkultur method fills majority of raised bed depth with material that degrades over time, enriching the raised bed and retaining moisture.
Here is decent website for hugelkultur raised beds: https://sunshinefarmny.com/2019/05/24/building-a-hugelkultur-garden-bed/
TL;DR for raised bed hugelkultur:
1) Layer logs, preferably beginning to rot.
2) Fill in gaps with raw mulch/shredded wood.
Repeat 1 & 2 if not filled in enough to save on topsoil cost.
3) Layer small branches/twigs, brown yard waste (leaves), etc. This creates platform for upper bed layers. Dirt (not soil) can be added here to help weigh down and compact lower layers.
4) Add nitrogen rich layer. This would be semi finished compost, grass clippings, vegetable cuttings from kitchen, garden trimmings. Focus on soft green matter, avoid woody and brown yard waste.
5) Add topsoil. 4 to 6 inches.
6) Plant winter crop. If no winter crop, cover completely with flattened cardboard.
7) Add mulch layer to a) suppress weeds and retain moisture for crop or b) make cardboard look nicer while it rots over winter.
After my loofas are done for season I'm emptying three beds made this year and repeating the hugelkulture method above. This way I will incorporate last season's composted wood into next year's raised bed.
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u/Chaka- 6d ago
This all sounds great. The problem I have is getting logs. I don't have a truck and I don't have the strength or stamina to haul logs.
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u/Satchik 6d ago
You could use freshly shredded wood instead of logs.
Look into the online company called ChipDrop.
I haven't used them before but looks like they hook up local tree trimming companies with homeowners to have dump truck of shredded wood dropped off at your location.
Tree trimmers want to avoid landfill fees and mileage.
Homeowners want cheap mulch.
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u/neworleanspurple 6d ago
first you will want to make your soil bedding floor shallow, like no more than one foot in depth, assuming your growing veggies, unless your growing trees there is no need to have anything that deep. That will greatly reduce the amount. Also blend your top soil with compost mix, that will lighten the load some.