I'd probably add some drainage material, Rob, just to be sure.

Josh

I'd test your soil first. You can do a simple shake test with a jar filled with soil and water. Shake, let it settle for several hours, and you'll see separate layers of sand, silt, and clay. I once tried mixing at least an equivalent amount of gravel into my concrete-like soil, and simply ended up with chunky concrete. I would want very sandy soil before I'd consider using any significant portion of native soil. I'm currently saving all of my used gritty mix and fines from sifting for a possible raised bed. I might add a bit of compost to that, or not. Definitely no native soil. You might get similar results by adding sufficient sand and grit to your native soil, but in my case the native soil would be such a small portion that it's just not worth it. A raised bed gives you the opportunity to use whatever you want, so pick ingredients that you know will work well. I once read a post from a bonsai grower who threw all his old soil in a pile on his property. He said the seeds that sprouted in that pile grew into some of the healthiest looking plants he'd ever seen.

Anyways, these are just my thoughts and limited experience in the matter. I'm no expert, so take it for what it's worth.

-Chris

I agree- NO native soil.. if you are going to go through the efforts and expense of making a nice raised bed, why not use 'perfect' succulent soil, too, then? I had some succulent 'soil' made at a local soil place that does that sort of thing… they delivered 20 yards to fill my back yard full of raised beds and OMG did the plants grow great in that mix!! I grew a lot of stuff in my native soil (amended), too (not in a raised bed) and the difference between the two was amazing. Get a good succulent soil recipe and fill your raised beds with it… if you are going to grow small stuff, you can fill a lot of the lower level of your beds with rocks and boulders (good landscape effect). For big stuff, it will eventually root down to your native soil (depends on the depth of your raised bed of course) but the deepest roots are pretty hardy.

I should have said the native soil is pretty sandy. The soil was sand that's been amended with leaves, grass clippings, and organic fertilizer for a few years. The raised bed is small. 2 feet by 3 feet. The plants will only be in it for 4, maybe 5 months. Last summer, I used 2 pony tail palms, and 2 jades for comparison. The 2 plants that were planted in the ground were noticeably larger.

Palmbob, when you say succulent soil, what do you mean?

Rob, I've rooted cuttings of Jade and Portulacaria afra in my garden for a few Summers now. And previously I Summered a few plants in-ground to size them up. It definitely worked, although the growth would have been even better if I'd planted them in looser soil.

Josh

I put the plants in the ground Memorial Day weekend. The first week was nice and hot, but we've had nothing but rain. Lots of rain with more rain in the forecast......... I hope my PIG'd succulents are enjoying the bath.