STRAW for garden beds

Many People use fillers in raised beds to avoid having to fill the entire box with soil. Filler materials can be gravel, pottery shards, packing peanuts, or even plastic bottles. But don't use these, use straw!!

3 Benefits to using Straw 

• As straw rots, it releases nutrients which feed the plants growing in it.  
•  Straw also adds space in the soil medium, making it easier for roots to stabilize and spread.  
• When the garden bed is watered, the straw absorbs the water and creates a warm microclimate underneath. This helps the moist environment to last longer which feeds plant growth!

​Avoid toxic fillers and instead use straw on the bottom.  It fills the space with organic matter and creates "fluff" in the soil so the plant roots can easily grow.  

Fill the beds 2/3 with straw. Then put 6-10 inches of compost-rich garden soil on the top.
​Filling raised beds all the way up is wasteful, and the plants don't need that much soil. Plus, it takes a LOT of water to saturate all that soil every 2 or 3 days, and that is expensive!  

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**CAUTION**  These are fabulous raised beds that were already installed when I planted them. NOTE: probably the best design for stable terracing. However, they were very difficult to plant in because they were 3/4 filled with gravel. Then, topped with that black landscape fabric, With 6" of soil on the top.
​NO where for plant roots to grow!! 
 For those using this method, know that you'll have to adapt the plants to the available (root) space.....not to mention greatly lessened water retention!!