I can just do smaller boxes, 3x3x1.5 instead of 4x4x2. And am considering using Gardner & bloome And/Or Kellogs to amend and mix into the local soil, as well as some super soil to mix in and added perlite. I was planning on using other products for amendments, but they are just too expensive for my budget. I am a little nervous about using G&B and/or Kellogs, I don't know how they will preform with my local soil, or if my plants will like it too much.
I have amended the below ground soil with horse manure, and a little bit of steer manure and perlite periodically since January. I guess I am just going to have to do what I can and hope for the best huh?
so thats 13.5 cubic feet of soil per raised bed. I am hoping to mix the soils in each bed like this:
Start with local soil base of 3 cubic feet
Premix 3 cubic feet of Horse Manure and Llama manure, then add and mix to local base
Then add 2 cubic feet of perlite
Then premix and add 2.75 cubic feet of 1/2 Kelloggs all natural garden soil for flowers and vegetables, and 1/2 Kelloggs all natural garden soil for trees, shrubs, and roses and add
Then add 2.75 cubic feet of super soil (was thinking roots, but am open to suggestions that keep my broke ass in mind)
And that would be the 13.5 cu feet of soil I need per box. So it breaks down like this, doing it in two sets of 12 beds at a time:
12 3x3x1.5 Boxes
13.5 cubic feet per box= 162 total cubic feet soil
3 cubic ft Horse Manure/Llama per box= 36 total cu. ft manure
3 cubic ft local soil per box= 36 cubic ft local soil Free
5.5 cubic ft ½ super soil ½ amends per box= 33 cubic ft SS, 33 cu ft Amend
2 cubic ft perlite per box= 24 total cubic ft Perlite
Manures= $60
Local= Free
Super Soil= $330
Amendments= $160
Perlite= $216
Total Cost for 12 3x3x1.5 Boxes= $775
12 3x3x1.5 Boxes
13.5 cubic feet per box= 192 total cubic feet of soil
3 cu ft Horse Manure/Llama per box= 51 cu ft total manure
3 cubic ft local soil per box= 36 cu ft total local soil
5.5 cu ft ½ super soil ½ amends per box= 33 cu ft SS, 33 cu ft Amend
2 cu ft perlite per box= 18 cu ft perlite
Manures= $60
Local= Free
Super Soil= $330
Ammendments= $160
Perlite= $216
Total Cost for 12 2x2x2 boxes= $775
Total Cost for soil in Raised Beds= $1550