One significant question I have received online is “How can one prepare seedbeds?” Many people have the same query, and I have spoken at some length about this topic. But to take an online class or to lecture on how to prepare a seedbed is like attempting to teach wrestling through mail. However, what we usually recommend is mixing of soil, cow dung, rice husk and coir pith in the proportion of 1:1:1:1. But this depends on the quality of the soil. Soil does not show the same nature everywhere on the planet. In certain regions, it is fine dust. In some others, the soil is rich in dry leaves and organic matter. In yet other places, it is laterite soil. Therefore the proportion has to be altered to suit the nature of the soil.
If you are involved in gardening or farming, you are likely to know how the growth of a plant and the proportion of manure are related. You should choose your seedbed accordingly. The general principle I suggest is that a maximum of 40 kgs of cow dung, coir pith and rice husk mixture may be used in a one-square-metre bed dug in the ground. The minimum quantity I recommend is 10 kgs of this mixture. You may prepare the seedbed, keeping this range in mind, after considering the nature of the soil in your area. It will be best if you arrive at a formula that is best suited to the plants you decide to grow in your patch of land. All I can give you is a rough estimate.