Hey everyone! I've been working on my vegetable garden for a year now and as I head into my second season, I've noticed that the soil level in my raised beds has dropped by about 2 inches (or 5 cm). I totally get that this happens since I'm not planting directly in the ground, but I'm curious about what this means for my future in-ground garden. Will the soil keep shrinking? And if so, how can I fix it? I can't imagine experienced gardeners are constantly adding tons of soil every year. Is lasagna gardening a good method for dealing with this since it adds layers over time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated—sorry if these questions seem a bit silly, but they've been on my mind! 😊
3 Answers
At the beginning of each gardening season, I like to top off my raised beds with compost. It not only brings the soil level back up but also gives my plants a nutrient boost at the same time!
Soil shrinkage is pretty normal, especially if you're raking things each season. I'd say it's not really something to worry about. Just make sure to plant cover crops or add leaf litter as mulch. It helps keep things healthy! In my experience, it's never been a real issue.
I deal with soil loss by removing a few wheelbarrows full of soil from my raised beds every year to make room for compost and manure. I even have a local farmer who drops off composted manure for me each year, which is a game changer! I then use the leftover soil on other parts of my garden, like my corn and squash patches.