New to Veg Gardening - Filling raised beds

Can you fill veg beds with peat? Have been offered some at reasonable rate and told is good for veggies. Also have access to some rotted manure.
Many thanks

Asked on 14 Feb, 2009 by

Janegardening

Location: United Kingdom

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raised vegetable plot

Answers

Owdboggy

Peat is absolutely no use for veg as it has no plant food n it at all. It is merely a sterile soil conditioner, but you need soil to add it too.
Now well rotted manure is good stuff as long as it is not contaminated by hormonal weed killers.

14 Feb, 2009

Muddywellies

Peat is acidic. If your intended veggies want neutral or alkaline soil .......
However, if your peat is going for a song then you could use it to 'bulk up' your beds (say 15%) provided its well mixed with something more substantial as OB says.
You could of course use the peat to create a bed for carnivorous plants . . . . . only I wouldn't eat them!

14 Feb, 2009

Bulbaholic

I agree with the no peat comments.
A raised bed would benefit from more than just soil and humus could be obtained by mixing it with well rotted manure, garden compost, composted bark.
At the end of the growing season some straw, bracken, shredded paper could be dug in to rot down for next years crop.
Start a compost bin now for compost for next years beds.

14 Feb, 2009

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