That sinking feeling! (my raised bed...)

Well all of the seeds that I planted 4 weeks ago are now growing. Spinach, spring onions, salad leaves, lettuce, broccoli, radish, rocket...I am SO pleased. The second pair of leaves are now coming through. Sadly, having been out tonight to give the bed a good water (have had it cloched for a while, I noticed that a few of the seedlings appear to be quite flimsy.

As I looked closer, prodding about in the soil as I went, I was shocked at the amount of 'air' that seemed to have suddenly appeared in the soil. In places, I could almost push the seedlings down about an inch, compressing the soil as I did so. They are really delicate, and I feel that if I go prodding too much, they will just snap, or keel over!
My question is (should anyone understand what I have just explained...) Should I just leave well alone and hope the plants strengthen as the root system grows, or should I start over and compact the soil down a bit more. It looks as though the bed is now only half full of soil. It was definitely at the top when I filled it! I left it for a week to settle before planting but am not sure whether this was enough.
Maybe I should pull them up and then refill and stomp down the soil to compact it more, then plant...? The only ones which seem ok are the radish which are now getting quite big. Having just tried to thin my rocket, it appears that as I pull up one plant, the one next to it falls over...
Thanks for any advice

 

There is a phenomenon called 'Frost Heave' that lifts soil, but after all this rain I don't think it is that! The more loose the soil is the easier it is for the seedling roots to push through between the soil particles. I've had raised beds for about 12 years and each year there is room for more manure / soil / compost. Cheers, Tony.

 

I wouldn't worry too much as the plants are growing. A good watering will help compact the soil around the roots if it's as loose as you suggest. One of the principal advantages of raised beds is that the uncompacted soil encourages plants to put down roots deeper than in compacted soils and in theory plants can be grown at closer spacing as the roots don't spread sideways to the same extent. Deeper roots also mean that they have better access to moisture.
The soil in my polytunnel is very loose - I renew the top few inches every year and fork it to a good depth and then never walk on it or compact it (other than a light tamping if sowing seed) and my plants grow very well, though I do have to keep seedlings well watered in their early stages until their roots get down deeper.

 

Organic material tends to disappear, it always does and always will. So you need to add more each year.
But I'm thinking this is more a problem of the soil not being firmed before sowing.
In wet springs it often happens naturally.

But we had a very dry March, and now its raining, the rain compacts the soil, causing it to sink.

It will find its own level, and things will grow on, I dont think its likely to be a big problem.

 

Brilliant...thanks for all of that. I will leave well alone then...and continue to water as normal.