Topsoil for raised beds..

[blue-kat 10]

thanks for comments. I meant 30 - 40 tonnes.

price from Rolawn for 13 bags about £1,000 ! I appreciate the costs and quality, but it's beyond my budget.

I have no earth in the ground at all, as garden is entirely flagged and cobbled. so far it's all come compost ( e.g. John Innes no 3 on a good day or just multipurpose) from garden centres in my containers.

[Steptoad 12]

thanks for comments. I meant 30 - 40 tonnes.

price from Rolawn for 13 bags about £1,000 ! I appreciate the costs and quality, but it's beyond my budget.

I have no earth in the ground at all, as garden is entirely flagged and cobbled. so far it's all come compost ( e.g. John Innes no 3 on a good day or just multipurpose) from garden centres in my containers.

 

Have you tried looking under the flags?

[blue-kat 10]

yup, and it's not great.

The cobbles are huge have been down 150 yrs. it would cost me a lot in labour to lift them.

I actually need raised beds to make the garden easier to maintain due to disability.

[blue-kat 10]

anyone tried this stuff ? it's bag it yourself compost for £1 a bag from the veolia collection scheme. but it doesn't say how big a bag is.

http://www.greenestate.org.uk/bag_compost

[Thorpist 72]

Taylor wimpy are building houses on farmland at Rawmarsh (near the cricket ground). There is a huge mound of soil that has been dug out, it may be worthwhile trying to buy some of this and then adding a thinner layer from rolawn

[Squiggs 11]

anyone tried this stuff ? it's bag it yourself compost for £1 a bag from the veolia collection scheme. but it doesn't say how big a bag is.

http://www.greenestate.org.uk/bag_compost

 

Oh, excellent! I shall try that as I have some serious soil improving to do and, although I thoroughly dug over the garden that I am working there were a lot of serious root structures (2 weeks ago it was 4 feet high in weeds, and it's been "wild" for as long as I've lived next door to it, over 10 years!) so I am going to still have a fair bit of trouble with weeds, so will be using a fair bit of compost as a light-blocking mulch

 

The pictures suggest it's like a blue rubble sack full - which is much cheaper than even the budget stuff in Poundstretcher!

 

It'll do for my general needs I think

[Steptoad 12]

yup, and it's not great.

The cobbles are huge have been down 150 yrs. it would cost me a lot in labour to lift them.

 

Although you might be able to sell them if they're in good condition. Or offer them free to the person who removes them.

[Chez2 10]

Both.

 

But it makes your brassicas grow beautifully.

 

I'd still want to know the provenance of the top soil though.

 

Sibon is meaningless to know the provenance of the soil, tells you nothing. I haven't looked at the criteria for asessing soil for about 7 years as I don't work asessing landfill enquiries now. Some garden soil can be so contaminated it can't/couldn't go to non hazardous landfill back then. Some old gardens and allotments were built back in the day when soil was not analysed or controlled and I have seen analysis of garden soil that has had to go to hazardous landfill.

 

If you are worried insist on anlaysis or get some compost produces to PAS100 standard.

 

I'm going to need some extra soil as were are filling in a set of steps that cut through our garden and down to the road. I will fill the bottom with rubble then buy some screened top soil. I will mix this with a large percentage of own made compost to 'dilute' any possible contaminants. I estimate we make about 6T of compost per year so we are lucky enough to have a lot to hand. I used to buy a few tonnes of fresh cow manure and build it into my compost heap to rot down when I didn't have enough animals to balance my heap contents but had a lot of garden green waste.

[blue-kat 10]

just called Kiveton turf about Topsoil. I asked a few questions such as what the Ph is and where they get the compost from that they mix in, and the person said 'Oh forget it" and put the phone down.

I'm looking for a LOT of good quality topsoil for 4 large raised beds ( 6m X 1 X 1.5m ) ( + various other sizes).

recommendations appreciated !

thanks

[Hopman 46]

I went along last week and filled a couple of bags (80 by 50 cm approx) at Green Estate. The compost looks good and the bags are sturdy. How much you put in each bag is up to you, but remember you'll have to carry it to your home, so there's the weight problem to consider. They also sell compost in bulk according to their website.

What you might like to try is to buy a few bags at a time, and use the bags in autumn to collect fallen leaves from pavements to bulk out future beds.

 

They also offer a knotweed killing service.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Hopman
Adding dimensions to bag description

[LSFbrickwork 10]

just called Kiveton turf about Topsoil. I asked a few questions such as what the Ph is and where they get the compost from that they mix in, and the person said 'Oh forget it" and put the phone down.

I'm looking for a LOT of good quality topsoil for 4 large raised beds ( 6m X 1 X 1.5m ) ( + various other sizes).

recommendations appreciated !

thanks

 

try a1 turf always seem pleasent and helpful

[vix2000 10]

I went along last week and filled a couple of bags (80 by 50 cm approx) at Green Estate. The compost looks good and the bags are sturdy. How much you put in each bag is up to you, but remember you'll have to carry it to your home, so there's the weight problem to consider. They also sell compost in bulk according to their website.

What you might like to try is to buy a few bags at a time, and use the bags in autumn to collect fallen leaves from pavements to bulk out future beds.

 

They also offer a knotweed killing service.

 

approximately how much in weight can you put in the bags there? Is there a limit to how many you can buy?