Just retired through ill health and I have read your raised bed wiki page, complete beginner.
I am using the corner of my garden to build a greenhouse, a raised bed, compost area and 'junk' zone including a hedgehog friendly plot.
The raised bed will be approx 3.5 feet by 6 feet with a height of 8 inches..
Because the area is on a mild slope I was going to move the soil (mixture of turf / border soil & rotted down lawn clippings from over 7 years harvesting that's full of worms) from the top into the raised bed.... now I read that this may not be optimal.
What 'soils' should I use in my raised bed?
&
The raised bed is on a lawn, do I have to dig that over too?
Thanks
Well if it was me I wouldn't read to much and just go for it.I would fill it with whatever I could get me hands on(not to much grass though)with a top layer of soil.and sticking it on a lawn no need to dig the lawn up I would have thought
I made a useful bed on top of grassland and weeds by following the advice to put thick layers of cardboard on the grass and covering it up with everything you can lay your hands on. Grew lots of tomatoes and corn and squash etc in it for a couple of years. Then I have to admit that the couch grass and bindweed eventually pushed through the cardboard, but by then the soil was so friable they were relatively easy to pull out. Your lawn probably does not have these weeds.
What you have there, "full of worms", sounds perfect. Google "lasagna beds" eg: http://organicgardening.about.com/od/startinganorganicgarden/a/lasagnagarden.htm
I also have to admit that dragging sacks around of all these materials was about as hard work as simply digging.........
ok - I have filled it with the rotten stuff (worm city) and topsoil thanks.
working from the bottom my 'lasagne' is approx ....
3 inches regular border soil, 2 inches garden waste , 2 inches regular border soil with 2 sacks of grit mixed in.
I am thinking of buying some better quality topsoil to finish it off, that ok or a waste of time/money?
Some of the rotted down clippings had some white powdery stuff in it - I guess that's just 'leaf' mould right?
& I still have some of the 'white stuff' left and can add more if you think it would be beneficial.... I guess I just don't know where the balance is.