Mel’s Mix – The best soil for Raised Beds (How to use them?)

I’ve been using raised beds for about a month now, and I must say, they’ve been yielding the best results. However, it wasn’t always smooth. I encountered struggles and failed many times. One of the major challenges I faced initially was choosing the right soil for my raised beds.

If you’re considering using raised beds, I don’t want you to go through the same struggles I did. That’s why I’m here to share my experience and guide you on selecting the best soil for raised beds. The choice of soil is important as it significantly impacts productivity.

I understand how difficult it can be to choose the right soil when there are so many options available in the market. To make things easier for you, I’ve outlined the key factors to consider when selecting soil for your plants. So, scroll down, and let’s get started.

Quick takeaways:

• Various gardeners know that Mel’s mix is a great option so you can go for it. If you are a beginner in your gardening field, then it is great to start with the raised beds and use Mel’s mix.
• In this, your plant will get all the essential nutrients required for all the soil types with a proper drainage system. 
• Raised beds are one of the best methods that are being used by gardeners nowadays. They have been using it for the last 20 years.
• It is so that you can easily find the space for the raider’s beds like in your backyard, rooftops, etc. You can make it a beautiful lush garden.

What is Mel’s Mix? 

It is better to understand something before applying it. It is a mixture of the soil types that are being used by the farmers to improve their gardening systems and use any gardening method known as square foot gardening.

The concept came into existence when a person wrote about it in a bestselling book. The name of the person is Mel Bartholomew. This is the reason the oil mixture is called Mel’s mix. Isn’t it amazing? Of course, it is. You should also try this. But before that, you need to know the various benefits of it. 

Mel’s mix is created by 3 ingredients that are composed in equal quantities such as 

• Compost
• Peats Moss 
• Vermiculite

To know more about Mel’s mix you need to continue reading the article which will help you out.

Some of the benefits are: 

• This oil mix gives the best drainage system as it drains the excess water from the soil so it won’t get over the water and the plant can not get spoiled. 

• If you use a good amount of compost, then if any weeds are there, you can easily remove them because of the lightness of the soil. 

• In this mix, roots will spread even faster and also give healthy root systems. 

• You can even bounce back the old used soil and even remove the plants that are dead so that you can reuse that mixture. 

• This soil is lighter in comparison with others as it contains Vermiculite.

Best Types of Compost for Mel’s Mix

You should know about the best compost that you can use as it will help in more productivity and the raised beds. Some of the best types of compost for the men’s mix are:

1. Earthworm Castings

You can use them easily as they are very effective. But they come in a variety of expensive ones that can be bought by the gardener.

If you want this for free, then you have to make your worm box. 

2. Mushroom Compost

Another one is mushroom compost which is less used by gardeners. You can store them in a place where they do not stink.

And also it is kind of struggling to work with it. Your clothes can become dirty and they can give a foul smell. 

3. Chicken Manure Compost

If you are a beginner, then you should use this compost as it is cheap and can be afforded by anyone. It can be bought for about 3$ for a single bag. 

4. Cotton Burr Compost

This compost is very valuable if you want to add volume to your soil as it is good for weight. Gardeners use this type of compost most often and consider it the best. 

How can you Mix Mel’s Mix? 

You might be worrying about how to mix Mel’s mix, if yes, then you are at the right place. So, it is that easy the way you are thinking about it. So, what you need is a tarp and anyone who can help you. 

Then, you have to do: 

• Firstly, you have to take the main components that are involved in the making of Mel’s mix, ie; peat moss, compost, and vermiculite. 

• Then, put all these ingredients on the tarp behind your raised bed.

• Now, you have to fold one side of it over toward the other side.

• Then, you have to repeat it with the other side unless it mixes properly.

Are you worrying because you do not have the tarp? No worries! we are here. You can also use a baby pool for mixing them. You can take the help of any other person too as it will become easier for you to mix them all and then move them to the raised bed. 

Advantages of Mel’s mix:

The following are some advantages of Mel’s mix:

• To provide the plant with the perfect amount of water it needs without overwatering or underwatering it then using Mel’s mix will help retain valuable moisture with excellent drainage.
• Using mel mix in your plants will provide them with all the important nutrients and you don’t need to mix any fertilizer after that.
• For using Mel’s mix you don’t need to dig the ground as after using the mixture it will lose the soil texture and make the plant root grow and expand. So it is easy to apply.
• The ingredients used in Mel’s mix are in a ratio that you don’t need to mix any advanced horticulture; it will maintain the soil PH and nutrients of the soil.

Price of using Mel’s mix:

When we talk about the price of Mel’s mix the ingredients used for making the mix are more expensive if we compare it with the regular soil and compost. But spending here is worth it as the mel mix does stay loose for 7 to 10 years.

Hands after subtracting all the hard work of digging the ground expenses for buying the soil mixture air every year the price of using Mel’s mix is perfect. So to spend money for raising your plant you can start to use a perfectly balanced organic Garden soil named Mel’s mix

Concluding lines

In this guide, you come to know that various gardeners know that Mel’s mix is a great option so you can go for it. If you are a beginner in your gardening field, then it is great to start with the raised beds and use Mel’s mix. In this, your plant will get all the essential nutrients required for all the soil types with a proper drainage system.

Read the article carefully so that you understand that Mel’s mix is the best soil for the raised beds. 

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