"tina" wrote in message
...
Hi,
Is it best to use topsoil or manure (horse or chicken) in raised beds?

what type of soil? whatever you have around to put in it.

I you have a load of topsoil sitting round your property use that. If you
also have various varieties of poop spread that in as well. If you have
compost mix that through as you made the bed. If you have neither topsoil
not poop nor finished compost chuck a load of organic matter in to the beds
and leave it long enough (google "lazanga gardens/ing) and you have soil. If
you have a thinish layer of finished compost or soil use that several inchs
thick as a planting/seeding layer and eventually the bottom layers will
break down. Depending on what you put in, all you need be mindful of is how
nutritious the soil will be after a year or so. If you put in crap soil to
start off you will likely need to manure if after a year of growing. If you
bung in a generous mix of poop or compost it will likely retain nutients for
2-3 years.

Heres what I have used for 7 raised beds (all 300-400 mills high). Whatever
I had on hand or could obtain free/cheap.

earth dug when putting in paths
finished compost, partly finished compost
leaves
twigs
waste coffee grounds
spoilt hay
horse and sheep poop
kitchen waste, food scraps
leaves
grass clippings

it all went in in various combinations. I left some of the beds 3-4 months
and all was nicely broken down. In ones I planted in to fairly quickly I put
a layer 2-3 inchs of soil or compost over the top. I umed and arred myself
before doing it, but having done it the whole thing is straight forward,
just do it. There is no magic rule, it is really simple, don't make it
complex.

It really does not matter too much what you put in. Avoid contaminated soils
of course but anything organic breaks down well. Most important thing, I
reckon at least, is how you continue to look after your soil. Good or bad to
begin with, long term if you keep it supplied with organic matter and
fertilisers (poop, composts, green manures) it will be good earth.

rob