You're probably going to need some sort of fertilizer - primarily for the N. It's hard to say what a good Ca/Mg source would be w/o a soil test, but if you want to be sure Ca and Mg are available, you could use dolomitic lime or gypsum + Epsom salts or MgO. Any idea what the pH of the topsoil is? I just can't make a reasoned recommendation w/no knowledge of the pH w/o leaving more than I'm comfortable with to chance. When I made my beds I incorporated dolomite at 5 lbs/yd, but I had a larger organic fraction than you. Forced to GUESS, I'd probably incorporate 2-3 lbs of dolomite per yard. 2 lbs if you go with 75-80% mineral soil & more if you go with a larger organic fraction. Again, that's a guess based on the fact that the larger than usual organic fraction will provide some pH buffering. You can add/incorporate some bark if you want and it won't hurt anything - though it will add somewhat to the degree of shrinkage over time and probably add a little to the amount of N supplementing you'll need to provide for best growth. 2-3 years down the road you'll be glad you did. Al

The eight patio blocks I used are those big flat square blocks, I think they are 18" squares, though might be bigger. I have two squares of 2 blocks x 2 blocks and use them for square foot gardening as well as having long narrow ground level beds surrounding the two raised beds with a path between. Sorry I don't have any photos in my account to post but I will check my computer files and if I don't have anything there I will try to get photos this weekend. Will also take some measurements. I must say that I am very thrifty and will not spend huge amounts of money on concrete blocks if something else will work. My first square foot raised beds were 4' x 4' made with cedar dog eared boards. Very inexpensive. I used those for many years, though they do rot after a period of time. I have seen beds made from stacking large rocks. Do you have lots of rocks around? Or access to someone who does? Many farmers have rock piles at the ends of their fields and are often happy to have someone take them away. Alas, all my farmer friends live in SD and I do not have a pickup or van to haul rocks. Bobbie

I wouldn't worry about the steer manure. Fresh manure may contain e-coli but the stuff you buy in bags has been composted or dehydrated and won't be of any risk. I've used it before myself with no problems. Even if by some chance it wasn't composted properly and there was still e-coli present it can only survive in the soil for about 90 days. So by the time you harvest veggies in the fall there will be no risk. IT may have even been sitting in those bags for longer than 90 days. If you have some early veggies you'll be eating sooner just wash them well. No need to throw out all the soil. The reason the potting soil says not for containers is that the garden soil mix will not drain as well. It's not such a big deal in the ground as all the existing soil, microbes,worms, roots, etc. allows for drainage but can become an issue in containers where the soil compacts and prevents proper drainage. Do your raised beds have a non-porous bottom (like wood or being constructed on top of cement)? If so you might have some drainage problems with that mix. If you bed were built on top of existing soil or lawn you'll be fine. You could return the unopened bags and buy something intended for containers if you're really concerned. Adding vermiculite would also help (if you buy a container or potting type soil most often it'll already have vermiculite mixed in). You might also want to find some variety of manure if you can. Maybe return the other 2 bags of steer manure and try to find some other types. If that's all you have available then go ahead and use it.

Jbest123, No one is doubting that compost is high in nutrients. This is why it makes up 1/3 of the mix. The other 2/3's are strictly for structure and water retention. Your test shows compost is "above Optimum" so this addition would surely put you right in the middle of "Optimum". But as I mentioned before, to each their own. Mel has even pushed the 100% compost in areas of the world that don't have access to peat and vermiculite. It is definitely cheaper to do it that way so there really is no wrong way.