Low Cost Methods to Fill Your Raised Garden Bed

Starting a new raised garden bed can be an exciting endeavor, but one major question arises: how do you fill it without breaking the bank? Purchasing enough topsoil or potting mix to fill a raised bed can get very expensive. Luckily, there are many cheap and DIY methods to fill your new raised bed while still providing the nutrients your plants need to thrive.

Read on to learn cheap techniques like using compost, leaves, cardboard, straw, and more to fill your raised garden bed on a budget.

Using Compost

Compost is one of the best inexpensive options for filling raised beds. Compost provides essential nutrients for plant growth and helps condition the soil. There are a couple ways to utilize compost without spending much money:

• Make your own compost at home using yard trimmings, vegetable scraps, and other organic materials. Composting kitchen and garden waste can take 4-6 months, but will give you rich, free compost.
• Check with local farms, stables, or gardeners to see if you can collect free or cheap compost. Many have extra compost they are happy to share.
• Purchase compost in bulk from landscaping companies or nurseries. Buying in bulk is cheaper than bags.

To fill the bed, mix several inches of compost into the bottom of the raised bed. Then add more compost as you build up layers or mix it with other amended soil. Compost helps aerate the soil and provide vital nutrients for plant growth.

Trying Leaf Mold

Leaf mold is a simple, free raised bed filler you can make yourself. Leaf mold is decomposed leaves that break down into rich, dark compost over time. Here's how to make and use leaf mold:

• Collect leaves in the fall and place them into wire cages or perforated trash bags. Leaves will take 6-12 months to decompose.
• Water the leaves occasionally and turn the pile to create air pockets for faster decomposition.
• Once decomposed into crumbly leaf mold, mix several inches into your raised bed or use as a top dressing.

Leaf mold introduces beneficial fungi, holds moisture, and adds nutrients as it continues decomposing after being added to soil. It's an excellent frugal alternative to buying compost.

Utilizing Cardboard

Cardboard is abundant and makes great raised bed filler. Ways to use cardboard include:

• Gather free cardboard boxes from grocery and retail stores. Remove any plastic or metal.
• Layer cardboard sheets densely on the bottom of beds to block weeds and grass. Wet the cardboard to speed decomposition.
• Alternate thin cardboard layers with organic compost or soil as you fill the bed. The cardboard will decompose over time.

As cardboard breaks down, it improves drainage and adds carbon to the soil. It's free, easy to use, and effective at suppressing weeds when filling a new raised bed.

Adding Straw

Straw makes an excellent insulator and moisture regulator when filling raised garden beds. Here are some tips for using straw:

• Check with local stables, farms, or garden centers for inexpensive or free straw.
• Use wheat, oat, or pine straw. Avoid hay, which contains seeds.
• Layer straw loosely across beds, or mix with manure or compost for added nutrition.

Straw helps soil structure, provides aeration, and retains moisture well. It breaks down slowly, so doesn't need frequent replacement. Straw is an affordable and simple raised bed filler.

Incorporating Wood Chips

Wood chips make great mulch, but also work for filling raised beds. Here are some pointers:

• Call local arborists or tree services to ask for their wood chips for free.
• Use hardwood chips, as they break down slower. Softwood has resins that can inhibit plant growth.
• Mix thin layers of wood chips with compost or manure as you fill the bed.

As they decompose, wood chips improve drainage and aeration in the soil. Their coarse texture helps retain moisture longer too. Wood chips are often free for the taking and great for filling raised garden beds on the cheap.

Using Soil From Your Yard

Digging up and repurposing nutrient-rich topsoil from your yard is another budget-friendly raised bed filler. Here are some tips:

• Test your native soil first to ensure it doesn't contain heavy metals or contaminants.
• Loosen the soil and mix in compost or organic fertilizer to enrich it before adding to beds.
• Fill beds with amended native soil, leaving room to top with quality compost.

Reconditioning and reusing your native soil takes labor but costs nothing. With some TLC and amendments, yard soil can grow thriving raised bed gardens.

Trying Newspaper

Newspaper makes a great weed barrier and filler in raised beds. Here's how to use it:

• Layer newspaper sheets densely on the bottom of beds before filling them.
• Wet newspaper down to hasten decomposition. Top with compost or soil.
• Alternate thin newspaper layers with soil or compost as you fill the bed.

Thick newspaper layers smother weeds and grass before they start. The paper will decompose over one growing season, adding carbon to the soil.

Considering Leaves

Fallen leaves are another free raised bed filler option. Here are some pointers for using leaves:

• Collect leaves from your yard each fall. Chop them first with a lawn mower to speed decomposition.
• Avoid using whole oak or beech leaves, as they break down too slowly. Stick to softer leaves.
• Mix shredded leaves into beds along with compost or fertilizer for added nutrients.

Shredded leaves make great insulation for soil. As they decompose, leaves add valuable organic matter to enrich raised garden beds.

Adding Grass Clippings

Grass clippings can be put to use as an inexpensive raised bed filler. Here's how:

• Allow fresh clippings to dry and decompose for 2-3 weeks before using.
• Mix well-decomposed clippings into soil or compost to fill the bed. They add nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
• Top off beds with wood chips or mulch to prevent matting as clippings finish decomposing.

Well-decomposed grass clippings are an excellent source of nutrients for raised garden beds. Letting them decompose prevents matting and avoids nitrogen stealing as they break down.

Trying Manure

Livestock, horse, rabbit, or chicken manure can provide excellent fertility in raised beds. Here are some tips for using manure:

• Make sure manure has composted for at least 6 months, or up to a year before using.
• Check for free or cheap manure from local farmers, stables, or petting zoos.
• Mix composted manure into soil and compost to fill beds. A ratio of 1:3 manure to compost is ideal.

Well-aged manure provides an abundance of nutrients, organic matter, and biological life to enrich raised garden beds. Ensure manures are fully composted before adding to avoid burning plants.

With a little resourcefulness, raised beds can be filled on the cheap using homemade compost, foraged leaves, gathered wood chips, recycled cardboard, and other waste materials. The key is layering and mixing organic matter as it decomposes to create rich, fertile raised bed soil.

Avoid slick marketing schemes for expensive raised bed kits and soil blends. With one of these frugal filling solutions, you'll save money and gain the satisfaction of building nutrient-packed soil with materials sourced right in your own backyard.