at some point you'll need to fill those beds with
actual garden soil. decomposed straw bales can be a
part of that, but you'll also want some other components
of topsoil (sand, clay, loam).

i don't know why you say it would be expensive to
fill them. i can find sand for $10/cubic yard
delivered up to 7 yards for about $100-200 depending
upon company. screened topsoil is usually more
(20-40/cuyd) i would not add clay until i saw what
the other components were like, but i always pay
attention to it because it helps hold soil moisture
and nutrients...

if you are willing to do the work yourself you can
often find fill for free or nearly free if you have
a way to move it. just have to look around and ask.
make sure it is clean fill from areas not along a
roadside or near an industrial site or in the cities.
if in doubt, pass... sometimes new construction
sites will have extra and you can ask for them to
deliver it instead of them having to haul it away.
just depends, but not impossible.


songbird