Use of organic matter in raised vegetable beds

Hello all,
Last year I chopped off a load of branches from a huge Leylandii tree I inherited. These were put through a shredder, and the resultant large pile of chippings placed in a corner of the garden and left to rot away over the last 12 months or so. I have heard that once rotted these can be useful organic matter.

I have recently constructed a series of raised beds from sleepers which will end up used for growing veg. I have yet to fill the beds with anything.

My question is - would I be unwise to place all the rotting chippings in the beds? I am thinking of a layer of chippings then cover up with soil.

Never grown so much as a runner bean before, so any advice gratefully received.

 

There is a method of growing vegetables called the Three Sisters Gardening method, that involves digging a hole and emptying your compost heap (rotted or not) into the hole, laying soil on top of that into which you plant...I tried this last year and grew beans, courgettes and squash with no problem.

So yes...you can do it.

Steve...

 

Hello TotalNovice.
I think it might depend on how much soil you are going to put on top of the chippings and will the roots reach down into it.
Most vegetables like a neutral to alkaline soil and I think leylandi chippings might be quite acid.
Also I believe wood which is not fully decomposed deletes the soil of nitrogen - essential for good growth.
It would be worth getting other opinions before going ahead.

I agree with SteveR about just tipping the compost - rotted or not - into the bottom of the bed and covering with soil. I make a bed like this every year for beans, courgettes and squash. I don't add any potato peelings as they grow :(

 

I think it depends on how well rotted the leylandii chippings are. My guess would be that after one year they are only partially rotted so would contribute little to the soil and might tend to rob the soil of nitrogen as they continue to break down.
I would think it safest to turn the heap and leave it for at least another year