Many people have raised beds that are filled with organic matter and have good results, although they need to add more organic matter every year because those beds "shrink", the organic matter gets digested by the Soil Food Web. Others build up the soil in their raised beds with the mineral portion of soil and add enough organic matter to make a mix with 6 to 8 percent OM in it and they have good results. While these people also need to add more organic matter every year, we all do, it is not nearly as much as those that use only OM in their raised beds.
A good soil, Loam, is composed of about 45 percent sand, 25 percent clay, 25 percent silt, and 5 percent organic matter. While you cannot make Loam you can make a soil closely approximating that or you can take a large volume of what ever mineral soil component you already have and amend it with organic matter to make a good healthy soil to grow plants in.
My experience is that foods grown in containers, including raised beds, with only an organic matter base do not have the flavor of foods grown in balanced soils.

You did not say the dimensions of your bes wxlxh by depth of soil.

What do you grow?

Just dig in a few inches of leaves and some manure, a few weeks before planting and you should get your yields back.

Or if you don't grow over the winter, just add several inches of leaves mixed with manure on top. The worms will do all the mixing for you.

"I'm just bummed at how my production has dwindled! "

Are you rotating the crops? Some will decline if they are grown several years in the same spot.

The beds are 2 @ 4x8, 4 @3x6, 2 @ 3x3. All are 8-12" high.
I rotate most things each year. The peppers and eggplant usually stay in their own bed, but I can certainly move them next year!
The 2 smaller beds I use for winter get topped with a bag of compost if I don't have any ready.
Spring beds are topped and mixed in with a couple of inches of compost and I usually get a truckload of garden mix every other year (that's when I usually add a new bed or repair an existing one)and top off all of the beds.
Maybe I'll add in some organic fertilizer next year and see if it helps. Nancy

Another idea would be to grow a cover crop of small legumes over the winter and then turn them under in the early spring. They will add both N and OM among other benefits.

we have never had soil to start with so our beds are all based on mushroom compost and anything else we can lay down first.

see bale garden presentation.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens straw bale garden

Len, that all looks great, but it also looks expensive.
I'm trying to improve my beds and yield at little or no cost due to my DH's layoff.
What is available for free is UCGs, leaves, aged horse manure, kitchen scraps.I use all of these in my home made compost, but have had smaller yields than in the first few years.
Today I spent a couple of hours with my leaf shredder at a neighbor's house. I think I now have enough to cover all of the beds that are not going to be in use and will soon have enough to keep in the shed for winter use in my bins.
Another neighbor approached me and hinted that his Oak tree will be shedding it's leaves soon! LOL Nancy

What is under the beds for soil?

RpR, she said the soil underneath was clay and that it was broken up before the raised beds were filled.

I always take notice when someone is adding lime every year but has no information on the soil pH to know whether it is needed. It doesn't sound like you're adding a lot, and honestly I don't know what your local soil pH is to begin with, so it may not be a problem at all. But you're shooting in the dark without any test data.

I think you might want to get a soil test. I would composite a sample from all the beds, or maybe divide them into two groups. If you're doing pretty much the same thing to each bed each year (adding compost etc.), they are probably not going to be massively different. You may find a significant problem with a particular nutrient that you could correct.

Testing costs $ but what is the poor production costing you?

nancyjane,

who's mentioning price we are passing ideas around, you don't need any edges at all so you will need to come outside the box and use lateral thinking or you may miss the point.

our top soil here is red clay, with some red and brown clayey loam. but the reason for raised beds is to work above what you have cuts the toil and disappointments.

our latest beds using corrugated roofing as edges have produced edibles in under 2 months, yes the new roofing we bought was not cheap about $70AUD a sheet and star pickets at $4AUD each, but we had to find the funds to get started.

now we have found second hand corrugated 8 meters long will be a whole lot cheaper than new stuff, the going rater for second hand metal is .50centsAUD a kilo'

and over here mushy' compost in 1 tonne bags costs around $55AUD. you need to shop around see what is available where you live, most people can access for free that recycled composted material from the rubbish dump. collect neighbourhood leaves and grass and prunings.

take another open eyed look, look behind the picture, read between the lines. what works for us may work for others.

len

Tox you are correct and I some how missed that sentence.

Eight to twelve inches is not very deep are there any worms in the bottom, or are worms rare out there?

How old are the beds?

If they are eleven years old, and only eight to twelve inches deep, they should raise as the compost turns to dirt, do you change out the contents?

I don't think "only" 8-12" lift is so small. I've been adding compost and even bags of topsoil and sand to my garden for 20 years, and it's only about 3-6" above the surrounding ground. It takes a lot of organic matter to achieve significant fluff by itself.

RpR the soil is heavy clay under the beds with many gophers! Each bed was broken up before building the bed adding 3-4 " of aged HM, then the wire and boxes, then organic vege mix from our landfill (certified organic)
Tox- I was told to add Calcium carbonate to the soil to help prevent "cat smiles". This was from a local nursery owner that was doing some work for us. I usually just add to the planting hole or give a small sprinkle around the bed. Maybe I'll shoot for one combined test.
Len- using organic vege mix that we get from our local dump (highly rated organic soil)
Rpr The beds are anywhere fron 2-8 years. As the gopher wire breaks down, I need to re-do them. So they probably get re-done every 6 years or so????
Len- you talk about thinking outside the edges, then talk about your edges????? Are you being figurative or literal????? My Physical boxes are made from mostly railroad ties and other wood sides, with (very much needed) gopher wire linings. Again, I top with my own compost usually in the spring, have lots of OM to add to my compost/dormant beds.
Have I answered all of the questions that have been asked and asked again?
I think I do a pretty good job. I was just hoping for some help. I feel like I'm being hammered! I'm just a simple small time gardener doing the best I can! Nancy

Hi Nancy!

If it were me, I would like to add as many different kinds of free organic matter as I can get my hands on. Assuming you only garden in the warmer months, then as soon as you are done with this season's garden go ahead and dig into your beds the shredded leaves, manure, and used coffee grounds you mentioned having access to. The manure and coffee grounds will supply the bed with nitrogen and the leaves will supply carbon.

I don't think there is one definite recipe you have to follow for the proportions of each.

If you just put the organic matter on top, the worms should work it in deeper over time, but since the beds aren't that big if you can dig the organic matter in with a shovel and let it break down over the cooler months you'll be in better shape for next spring.

When you're digging, keep an eye out for earth worms. Lots of earth worms are a great sign that you have healthy happy soil. In my experience the used coffee grounds really seem to make them come running.

Hopefully, next spring when you start digging again to plant your veggies, the organic matter you added will have led to an increase in the number of worms hanging out in your beds.

One thing that you didn't mention having access to that would be great would be ground up tree limbs. Although it breaks down a bit slower than other things, shredded tree branches pack a lasting punch as organic matter. If your town/county/power company sends out crews to your area to trim back the trees, it's worth asking for a load of wood chips. I've always gotten them free, since it saves them the gas they would use hauling it to the dump and keep them from paying a dumping fee to boot.

Also, as has been mentioned, rotating which bed you plant your veggies into year after year is a good idea. Diseases and pests that attack certain plants can overwinter in the soil and pop back up the next year if you put the plant they like right back where they are lying in wait.

I think people are recommending a soil test because they are worried that adding calcium carbonate every year is shifting your soil's PH to a level more and more unhealthy for plants.

You can pick up some inexpensive PH testing strips at a big box store, and that would let you know if this is the source of your decline in production more cheaply. They aren't as super duper accurate as a soil test, but sometimes when life throws a budget at you, cheap is better than super duper accurate.

Good luck on DH finding a job he enjoys and have fun gardening

If you are using railroad ties,(I use them also to border vegetable and flower gardens), next time you make a new bed, dig out the dirt to the depth of at least one tie.
Put the wire, possibly attached to the bottom tie, in and then refill the bed, to the top of the first tie, with a mix of compost and dirt.
When filled to the top of that tie or a ittle higher, roto-till carefully, avoiding the wire, and then add a second level of ties and fill to desired level with what ever mix you use.
This will give you a base of mixed compost and dirt under your growing compound and give you a much better base.
See how that works.

I'm not familiar with 'cat smiles', can you elaborate?

nancyjane,, Since you say that you are not happy with your garden results, I would then make some changes. Perhaps you don't need more lime. I would definitely use some organic fertilizer for sure. I do and I also use some "inorganic" [so called] too. I also use leaf mulch and leaf compost, aged horse manure with hay/straw in it, and I use green crops, leave and return all residue on the soil. I chop it up and till these amendments into the soil a bit. I also have moderately remineralized my gardens and have also amended the texture with local peat moss and coarse sand.

So how is it going for me? I love the results. Repeat, I love the results.

nancyjane, Perhaps something I have listed would be of a help.

@ Tox - Cat smiles probably is another name for catfacing. Catfacing is more likely caused by low soil tempratures than a missing nutrient. As for lime... usually when I hear people complain about worse results than previous years, lime is also mentioned somewhere in the conversation. I think the lime myth was started by neighbors that would rather see grass than gardens. Unless you get a soil test and the PH is under 5, don't use it.

OK, I'll cut out the calcium carbonate (anyone know what to do with about 49 lbs of the stuff?) and really turn in the OM. I'll top it with my home made compost in the spring and layer on the leaves for the worms to chomp on this week.
I think I'll add some fertilizer when I turn it in the spring too.
Here's hoping for decent weather next year! Nancy

49 lb of lime isn't all that much if you have a lawn, or a neighbor does. Or put it at the curb with a FREE sign on it.

But do get the soil test first so you know exactly what's going on.

I looked up catfacing, it seems similar to or may be the same thing as blossom end rot? Catfacing seems to have a lot to do with ambient temperature at pollination, erratic watering, etc. I was always told blossom end rot was related to magnesium deficiency, but my tomatoes seem to get it only in the spring, and I have plenty of nutrients, so maybe mine have catfacing because of cool spring temps.

Blossom end rot is literally rot at the blossom ends of tomatoes (and I've seen it on peppers too). Lots of folks say it's a calcium deficiency, but it's really more a problem with the vascular system of the plant and often as the season progresses the plant "grows out of it". Keep soil moisture levels consistent helps, but some varieties are just going to get it at the beginning of the season - mostly the paste types.

Catfacing is a different problem, though it's also more apparent on the blossom end. Again, some varieties (heirlooms) are more prone to it than others. It is caused by fused blossoms and/or incomplete pollination, often due to cool temperatures during bud formation and pollination. You can see a reduction as the season hits its peak (at least in cool climates), but often (if you're growing susceptible varieties) you're just gonna have some all season long. Some say too much N can cause catfacing, but if you're really got too much N, you won't get any blossoms/fruit. I don't know that it really causes malformed blossoms.

Cracking is yet another issue - some varieties tend to form radial cracks at the top, others concentric cracks, and that is due again to inconsistent moisture levels, and maybe temps. Pick your fruit before watering (or a rain) and you'll get less cracking.

Check out the Tomato Forum for more info on all of these.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato forum

Thanks for that info, apparently I know more about compost than what I'm trying to grow in it. :-p

I grew 140 tomatoes of 12 different varieties this year, in 3 different spots as well as some in pots. Only got BER on 1 Speckled Roman paste tomato, but had a lot of catfacing and some cracking - mostly the Brandywines and Black Krims.

I have been using 12" high raised beds of 100% compost (adding more every season to fill up the boxes in the fall and/or spring) since 2007 and my production has gotten better each season. I am thinking that the content of your compost might be the problem. Let me explain. Several years ago I read an article about a guy who buried several buckets of food scraps he brought home from the school lunchroom and then planted his tomato plant right over it. The plant grew over 10 feet tall and he had bushels of tomatoes from it. Well this got me to thinking about using all (I mean ALL! meat, bones, fish, dairy, oils, breads, leftovers, as well as the usual fruit and veggies) our kitchen scraps in the bottom of my raised beds. To facilitate this, I have buried a full sized rubbermade trash can (with holes drilled all around for drainage and a tight fitting lid to seal in the odors) up to the rim. I then empty our kitchen pail into the it until it is completely full. At that point in time, I dig down in a raised bed at least 12", spread in the decomposing kitchen waste and bury it. I never plant a root crop in that bed until the following year but all the crops grow like crazy due to the rich nutrients in the food waste being trench composted in this way. Never have had a critter problem because it's buried deep enough and when I turn the soil the following season, the only remnants are some of the bones - but they break down eventually adding bone meal to the soil.

asma- Thanks for the info

Mid town.....WAY too much info! I'm just a regular composter! You kinda scare me!
Others, I wasn't talking about BER
Oh I'm tired! Going to bed!
I'll be planting greens tomorrow!