bigboard wrote:
Jules wrote:

I'm about to build a raised bed on top of a concreted floor. Part
of
it shall be growing herbs and the other is for climbers and
perenials. It's about 20 foot long, 2 foot wide and 2 foot high.

In order to fill it, I've gravel for a couple of inches at the
base,
then some dead branches I cut off a clematis last autumn which
have
just been sat out in the rain and snow all winter, then I was
going
to fill with topsoil. I do have a bit of cold compost (the grass
clippings and teabags kind!) but it's not really ready.

Would topsoil alone be sufficient? Does anyone know where I could
buy
worms from?

Buy worms!? What sort? Why?

The soil and compost should be full of them, so no need to buy. Look
under a few stones and things if you want to add a few to your
breeding stock.

Topsoil's fine, even the not brilliant stuff they usually sell you
when you buy it in.

I hope the sides of the raised bed will allow good drainage: if
they're of masonry, they'll need lots of half-brick-sized holes. And
I don't suppose there's any chance of breaking the concrete up a bit,
is there? It would be much better. But, on the other hand, it will
dry out much quicker than an ordinary bed: best to think of it as a
very large container.

Sounds nice: are you going to have things growing out of the sides as
well as on top?

Mike.