Best Soil for Raised Beds: What Works and What to Avoid
When you build a raised garden bed, an elevated planting container that improves drainage and reduces strain on your back. Also known as elevated garden bed, it’s one of the smartest ways to grow food and flowers in the UK, especially if your ground soil is clay-heavy, rocky, or contaminated. But here’s the thing—your raised bed isn’t just a box. It’s a system. And the best soil for raised beds isn’t just dirt you buy from the garden center. It’s a balanced mix designed to hold moisture, drain well, and feed plants for years.
Most people think topsoil is enough. It’s not. Pure topsoil compacts over time, suffocates roots, and leaches nutrients fast. What you need is a blend: compost, decomposed organic matter that adds nutrients and improves soil structure for feeding, coir or peat-free potting mix, a lightweight, airy base that retains water without turning to mud for structure, and a bit of perlite or sharp sand, mineral additives that boost drainage and prevent waterlogging to keep roots breathing. A good starting recipe? 60% compost, 30% coir, 10% perlite. That’s what UK gardeners who get thick lettuce and juicy tomatoes use.
Don’t forget what to skip. Never use pure garden soil—it sinks. Avoid fresh manure; it burns roots and can carry pathogens. And don’t rely on those cheap "garden soil" bags from big-box stores—they’re often just recycled green waste with no real nutrients. The best soil for raised beds is made, not bought. You can even reuse old soil from last year by adding fresh compost and aerating it with a fork. That’s what the posts below show: real people fixing tired soil, layering compost, and choosing the right mix for tomatoes, herbs, or flowers.
Whether you’re starting your first raised bed or trying to fix a failing one, the guides here give you the exact steps—not theory, not fluff. You’ll see how to test your soil, what to add in spring versus autumn, and how to keep it fertile without spending a fortune. No magic potions. Just clear, proven methods that work in British weather.