I've heard that river silt can be really beneficial for growing crops due to its nutrient content. I recently removed my old raised beds and ordered 4 yards of river silt to fill the new ones. Before I proceed, I wanted to ask if anyone here has experience using river silt in their raised beds. My main concern is whether it retains too much water and might end up flooding the vegetables I'm planning to plant. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
2 Answers
Try filling a clear cup, like a McDonald's one, with the river silt. Since it's transparent, you can see how well it drains. This should give you a good idea of how it'll perform in your raised beds!
It's great that you’re considering different soil types! Generally, raised beds work best with a mix of compost, topsoil (which river silt can substitute), and something like sand or perlite for better drainage. There are many recipes out there, so choose one that fits what you can easily source. I recommend blending your materials and then sending a sample for soil testing before planting.
That's a smart move! I was thinking of adding mostly topsoil with a layer of compost on top. Just wasn't sure how well the silt would drain.