As the main purpose behind having a raised bed is to improve drainage and give plants a free root run there is no reason why you should not use ordinary garden soil, though of course if you enrich it with well-rotted compost, manure or leaf mold that is usually all to the good. It also depends to some extent on what you want to grow there and what is the acidity level. For example if you want to grow brassicas you may have to add chalk.

Silvia, thank you for your insight. Your beds are beautiful. I will check in my area for compost. I'm sure that I can find some.

Yes, wonderful beds! So answer me this folks: What is this nematode you speak of so often? I know what nematodes are-I'm asking what the specific critter is down your way that appears to dictate a great deal of gardening practice there.

More generally, raised beds are simply a great way to grow food plants. I wouldn't go any other way, albeit my experience is up here, not down there. But the difference in terms of health of plants and productivity is amazing. Also equally effective for annual bedding plant growth.

+oM

Thank you Ginger, when you find the compost in your area make sure to inspect it, I even sample with the hand to see the quality and most important I look for bugs because I don't need an infestation in my garden. I heard some city composts are not that good but the community garden in my area got a good one for free.

I always try to grow something different in the beds, some of the beds and how they look now, growing peas, carrots, beets, onions, radishes.

Thank you Tom, as I understand there are two kind of nematodes the good ones and the bad ones, sandy soil has the bad ones and they eat the roots of some crops, they are also more active in the heat and one way to suppress them is adding organic matter to the soil, that is the reason not to mix garden soil with fresh soil. Tom, if you did not meet the nematodes yet, consider yourself a lucky man! :) they do take a toll in the garden...

Silvia

Thanks Silvia. Actually, there's a great many species of nematode. Good old nature-always complex! But I get what you're saying-that in general, there's beneficial ones and harmful ones. Kind of a nice thing that adding organic matter seems to help, since doing so is so advantageous in so many other ways too.

BTW, there are types of nematodes that are now being used to control other pests. This is largely a greenhouse thing I believe, but the technology is spreading. We're gradually moving away from toxic chemicals in crop production towards more sustainable methods. But it takes time to turn a big ship around!

+om