What do I need for my boarders/raised beds?

[gingerbreadbiscuits]

My Dad tells me I need to get some top soil for my boarders and raised bed. I have been looking at top soil, general compost etc and I am confused. I am in Aldi/Wilko price bracket for gardening item and I will probably want to put chip bark stuff down on top.

I am enthusiastic but clueless so all advice very welcome. Thanks

Hard to say without looking at it. Why do you need it? To add nutrients, to add volume? What are you growing in these raised beds?

I would buy multi purpose compost. Top soil is of variable quality and you don't tend to buy it in bags from Wilkos.

are you growing flowers or veg

To add nutrients. A mixture of flowers that come back every year, mini daffs, clematis, wall flowers, blackcurrent are a few that I know the names of.

Compost will very quickly reduce down on beds though. Which is why you need some context.

Flowers but I would also like to do some veg pot although I am aware it is getting late but I am in NE.

Why do you need topsoil though? Are the beds empty? Are they in need of nutrients?

They are definitely not empty and I don’t know if they need nutrients. Every year and put some feed on them and the plants are growing well this year so maybe they are fine.

The best use of your finances is to get a cheap compost bin (I get mine from Freecycle) and a box of all round high potassium fertiliser for now. Make your own compost this year and then mulch the beds with it each autumn.

If there is no sign that things are lacking in nutrients, then just carry on. But get a compost bin. :)

I do have a compost bin but is has been a bit neglected recently.

TERFragetteCity thankyou for your help.

Can you recommend a fertiliser?

I struggle with understanding fertilisers .So I've been googling and
have found this

a light scattering of dried poultry manure pellets or the gruesomely named blood, fish and bonemeal will suffice.

Roughly a tablespoonful per square metre works well enough for me, but there is no need for pinpoint accuracy.

Results of my research are -chicken pellets or dried fish ,blood and bonemeal . ( any B&Q or similar sell this stuff in tubs and boxes ) About a tablespoon per square metre .And don't over feed as the plants get tall and floppy .

The three main nutrients are needed by plants for different reasons. Nitrogen promotes leaf growth, phosphorous is for the roots and potassium is needed for flower and fruits.

The amount of each is written on fertiliser packets as a ratio, for instance 6:4:6. Note that the order of nutrients is always the same, ie N, P, K. If the ratios are about the same, it is a general-purpose fertiliser and will aid all round growth

and
Gardeners often assume that poor growth in garden plants is related to lack of soil nutrients and give fertiliser. In fact, results from the RHS Soil Analysis Service show that shortages of plant nutrients in the soil are quite rare. Usually poor growth is due to other environmental factors such as drought, waterlogging and weather damage. Pests and dieases are also responsible for plants making poor growth.

Soils vary in their nutrient levels. Sandy soils and chalky soils tend to be lower in nutrients than clay or loam soils. Soils also vary in the availability of nutrients. Soils that are dry, waterlogged, very acid or very alkaline may not allow plants to access existing nutrients. Correcting these factors (where possible) may be more effective than giving fertiliser, and in fact may be necessary for fertilisers to be effective.

So mulching with chip bark after it's rained and the soil is damp is prob good .

But I am a novice so hopefully others will correct if my advice is wrong .

PS I asked about fertilising/feeding bulbs and rose fertiliser ,which is not an all round fertiliser ,more specialist ,was recommended .