Hey everyone! I just bought two community garden beds for this year, and while they have some existing soil, I'm a bit unsure about its quality. Should I take out all the soil and fill the beds with Mel's Mix, or can I just add a layer of it on top? I'm also making my own soil with Bokashi, which I plan to include in the mix. This is my first attempt at Square Foot Gardening, as per the guidebook. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
3 Answers
I wouldn’t recommend removing the existing soil. It's likely more substantial than you think, and the previous gardener probably used safe practices. Unless you suspect herbicides were used last year, just leave it be. If you’re worried about nutrients, a couple of bags of compost on top should do the trick. Just make sure to start light fertilization about a month after planting.
Just topdress your beds with 1–2 inches of compost, and you should be good to go! That’ll give your plants a nice boost without the need to replace all the soil.
Mel's Mix can get pricey! If you've got decent existing soil, I’d definitely consider just amending what you have instead of going all in on Mel's Mix.