How do you fill your beds?

**c*@mail.com**

In this coastal area most people have pure sand, so the reason to use raised beds is to get some real dirt going above the native sandbox. People use compost (a local turkey farmer makes one type) and loam, which many Massachusetts residents pronounce as "loom". 

Here on Cape Cod the loam is often labeled "off Cape loam" which generally means black sand...it might come from off-Cape, but it's generally from an area that is just as sandy. I usually tell people to put them money into compost and composted manure, not the "loom".  I also tell them that with our sandy soils sometimes it better to just amend with organics at ground level and forgo the raised beds entirely if the loam that they have access to is mostly sand. Coals to Newcastle, in most cases.
all the best,
C.L.

www.gardenlady.com
blog www.wholelifegardening.com
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