Mike asked, "More experienced PBS members have told me that beds eventually start to decline and have to be dug out and renewed. I'd like to hold that off for as long as possible.Is there any maintenance or other work I should be doing to keep the beds viable? Any thoughts on how long I should expect a raised bed to thrive without intervention?" I tried using direct planting in raised beds (under a roof) instead of plunged pots. For the first 3 years the bulbs did better, but then heavy rains caused groundwater to accumulate for too long under part of one bed and many bulbs rotted. I decided to change that area and eventually the entire bed (one of two) to a plunge for pots, having raised the level of the base about 6 inches. The other bed, which doesn't have a low spot so doesn't get too wet, has subsided as Mike describes, but the plants in it -- all xeric species -- are mostly doing well. I will have to lift some of them, mostly Narcissus cantabricus and N. romieuxii, because they have increased far too much (watch the BX!). I fertilize these plants in fall and spring with Miracle-Grow "root and bloom" formula and one year I topdressed both beds with a little composted cow manure, having observed in nature that many bulbs grow especially well in pastures. I also have an open raised bed built 2 years ago especially for species tulips, and it also has some Oncocyclus hybrid irises that have survived, though looking rather ragged in winter; the fill for this bed includes a high percentage of coarse ground pumice and some composted manure as well as coarse sand, and I threw some limestone chips on top. So my opinion is that most of the species we like to grow do best if given a free root run, but you have to be careful about what is happening at the lower level of the bed. Also, if you live where there are weeds in the vicinity, they will grow furiously once their seeds blow into the raised beds. It's also important not to put very small things into the bed, because the larger plants will overwhelm them. Now I'm growing all my young bulbs in pots (I grow almost all my bulbs from seed) for the first few years, and tiny species stay in the pots. Jane McGary Portland, Oregon, USA _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…