Found out a 4x4 raised bed only needs 8 inches of soil, not 12, and I've been overbuying dirt for 3 seasons

Willow Roberts · 2026-10-11T04:20:04.4546+00:00

I was reading the back of a bag of garden mix at the hardware store in Boise last Saturday and it said 8 inches is plenty for most veggies, which floored me since I've been filling my beds to the top with 12 inches every spring. That means I've been paying for roughly 4 extra cubic feet per bed times 3 beds times 3 seasons, which adds up to a stupid amount of money and wheelbarrow trips. Has anyone else switched to shallower beds, and did your tomatoes or carrots actually care?

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Found out a 4x4 raised bed only needs 8 inches of soil, not 12, and I've been overbuying dirt for 3 seasons | Backyard Projects - Topic Shares