Filling a raised bed: order and amounts
A raised bed is filled in layers from bottom to top. That saves expensive soil and feeds the plants for years.
The layers
- Bottom: coarse shrub cuttings and branches (about a third of the height). They keep the bed airy and let water drain.
- Leaves, turf, grass clippings (about a fifth). They rot and give off warmth.
- Compost and soil mix (about a quarter). The nutrient base.
- Top: potting soil (about a quarter). This is where seeds and seedlings root.
Working out the amount
Inner length times inner width times fill height gives the volume. Calculated in centimeters, you divide by 1,000 to get liters. Add an allowance because the material settles. The calculator does exactly that for you.
Tips
- Leave 3 to 5 cm of watering margin at the top.
- You often get branches and leaves from your own garden; usually you only buy compost and soil.
- In the second year, top up soil and compost.
General planning aid, not gardening advice. Actual amounts depend on material, moisture and compaction. Updated: November 2026