A 4-by-8 raised bed that has dropped two inches needs about a fifth of a cubic yard to bring it back, so one cubic yard tops up five beds. Use half compost, half screened topsoil, and keep the fill two inches below the rim. Beverly is 21.7 miles from our Dispatch Office in Dorchester — $100 flat per load.
Why do raised beds drop by July?
Because the soil is working. Organic matter decomposes into smaller particles, irrigation settles the profile and drives out air, and a little soil leaves on every harvested root. None of that is soil washing away, so topping up is maintenance, not repair. An inch or two a season is normal. A bed that dropped four inches started with too much uncomposted material — bark fines, fresh leaf mould, or a bagged mix that was mostly peat.
How much soil does a 4-by-8 bed need?
A 4-by-8 bed is 32 square feet, and the usual formula applies: cubic yards = (square feet × depth in inches) ÷ 324.
| Depth to add | One 4×8 bed | Three 4×8 beds | Beds per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 0.10 yd | 0.30 yd | 10 |
| 2 inches | 0.20 yd | 0.59 yd | 5 |
| 3 inches | 0.30 yd | 0.89 yd | 3 |
| 12 inches (new fill) | 1.19 yd | 3.56 yd | Under 1 |
Most Beverly gardeners with three or four beds need less than a single yard mid-season. There is no minimum order, and soil caps at 6 yards per trip if you are filling new beds.
What should you top up with?
Half Compost at $50 a yard and half Topsoil (Screened) at $55 is the honest default. The compost restores what decomposed; the topsoil restores body so the bed does not become a sponge that dries out in a day. Prefer one thing? Horticultural Soil at $65 or Garden Soil at $70 arrive pre-blended. Compost quality varies more than any other bulk material; the US Composting Council describes what finished compost should look like — dark, crumbly, earthy, no ammonia.
What should you not add mid-season?
- Fill Dirt ($45). Unscreened subsoil for grading and backfill. No organic matter, and it compacts. Nowhere near a vegetable bed.
- Unfinished compost or fresh manure. Still generating heat and consuming nitrogen — what your tomatoes are competing for in July.
- Dyed mulch. Black Mulch is dyed double-ground hardwood, a good product in the wrong place. Around food crops use undyed Hemlock at $63 or Pine Bark at $55.
- Fertiliser mixed into the top-up. Side-dress separately so you control the rate; the UMass Extension vegetable program publishes rates by crop.
How do you top up around living plants?
Work between the rows, not over them. Trowel the mix in around each plant and firm it lightly — do not bury stems, and keep it off the crown of anything low-growing like lettuce. Stop two inches below the rim; that freeboard is what stops water sheeting over the side when you irrigate.
Does Beverly's location affect delivery?
Only in your favour. Beverly is 21.7 driving miles from the yard, inside the 30-mile flat zone, so a load is $100 — and that holds out to Prides Crossing at 24.0 miles. Ryal Side, North Beverly, Beverly Cove and Beverly Farms all price the same. The other advantage is access: established lots with real driveways mean a truck can often get close to the beds. Curbside is still the default, and on-property drops require a signed liability waiver.
Raised bed questions
Can I just add compost and skip the topsoil?
For one season, yes. Do it every year and the bed becomes almost pure organic matter — it holds nutrients but dries fast and slumps. Mineral soil keeps the structure honest.
Should I turn the bed before topping up?
No. Layer the new mix on top and let roots and worms work it down. Digging mid-season tears roots for no benefit.
Is a fifth of a yard worth a delivery?
On its own, probably not — the load fee is the same for one yard or six. Order the full yard, use what the beds need, and tarp the rest for fall garlic and next spring.
Order from raised bed materials or browse all soil and loam by the cubic yard. Beverly details are on our Beverly page, or text your bed dimensions to (617) 286-2740 and we will work out the yardage.
Related reading: How to Rebuild a Lowell Walkway Base That Settled Over Winter and 5 Realities of Bulk Delivery to Chatham, Including the Price.
