Shocked how much one small head of cabbage cost last year, so I pulled out my thinking cap and purchased galvanized steel raised beds on sale in January. Old and using a cane, every day I refuse to give up. I know my family thought I was crazy, but viewing every video helped me learn not to waste money I didn't have much of. Purchased seeds online, used everything laying around the house to make trellises. My 'Gone with the Wind' promise is to feed my family who now understands growing food is not only good for the body but also a blessing from God.
We live in a home where the past owners had a traditional garden for 17 years. The soil here is so rich and fertile because of their practice that raised beds is unnecessary. I like the idea of improving the soil over time instead of skipping over it.
I really like the idea of setting up raised beds year-by-year rather than trying to do everything in one shot. Much more realistic for those of us with jobs and families and other responsibilities.
You can do the same with traditional gardening. Work on an area this year, add an area next year, etc The main problem with getting into gardening is that some people suddenly think they want to turn their entire growing area, into a growing area, right away that same year. In reality, it's easier and better to start small and keep adding more growing area as the years go.
Great tips. We tried growing in our greenhouse but the plants are doing very poorly. So now we are in the process of making raised beds and looking forward to great produce grown organically. 😊
Another advantage I've noticed is in the case of low level flooding. We get up to 10" of water that flows through our back yard once or twice a year. The raised beds keep the soil surface above the water.
I have asked about this on numerous videos, and am curious as no one really talks about it. I think it is an issue, at least where I am, I have seen critters, but I am planting trees, long term growth, which I will eventually make Bonsai trees with. but still curious about critters getting at roots and whatever else. moles and voles esp.
Gophers burrowed up into my raised beds the first year. I took the beds out, put 1/2" Hardware Cloth (galvanized wire) under the beds and filled them with the soil again. Many years later, no more gophers or other varmints in my raised beds.
I’m so happy to have found your channel. What an amazing way for your children to grow up! This has always been a dream of mine. Until I buy a house I’ll just learn as much as I can with your amazing videos.
I just moved to a new house out in the country and I did have a small 18 x 15 traditional garden. You have changed my thought process from traditional gardens to raised beds. I’m looking at building two this winter and having them ready for spring. Thanks and God bless man. Thanks for all the videos.
I've been watching tons of videos about starting a raised bed garden, and this one has been the best, most concise one I've found. You've convinced me to abandon my traditional gardening methods and to start a raised bed. Thanks a bunch! Happy gardening! :)
Thanks for all this information. I have always wanted to get into growing my own food. I started last year with some herbs. some grew some didn't but I just tried without any knowledge on what I was doing. Now with this virus and people being crazy buying everything and hoarding it. I decided this is the year I am doing everything and making sure stupidity can not effect my family in the future.
I've watched the videos leading up to this and its so satisfying to see how everything has come in. Just beautiful! Your hard work has really paid off.
Look up ruth stout method.. No till, no fertilize, no water methods.. :) That work, and only improve over time. I'd never go raised bed, too much work and have to keep adding nutrients.. Same with "normal style" .. Weeding shouldn't even be necessary if done correctly..
Excellent information I am slowly converting to container and raised bed gardening and am having excellent results. Thank you so much for sharing this information.
In Florida we have sand, lots of sand. We find composting and raised beds are the only way to have an effective healthy garden. We started with one raised bed and added one per season until we had the full garden we could manage. We control the quality of the soil and with a layer of hay we have almost no weeds. Raised beds combined with composting is perfection.
Mulch is a miracle solution to so many problems. Great to keep soil splash-back to a minimum, to moderate water levels and temperature, to keep weeds down.
I have raised beds as well as this year my dads buddy gave me a bunch of half barrels ( the plastic blue and white food grade type ) I typically use triple mix and in the fall I turn in newer horse manure and then in spring I’ll turn in well rotted horse manure. The yield at harvest time is huge. Also this year we will be adding a hop design to extend our season here in Ontario Canada. I stand by my raised beds.
not tilling the soil is the best way to avoid compaction. I just put compost on top of the soil and the soil stays really good, even if you walk on it. In the winter I put compost on the soil and I cover with tarp. No worries about weeds and really healthy soil in spring. learned it from charles dowding.
I've gotta call BS on you. You can put 6 inches of compost on top of a compacted yard, and you've got 6 inches of soil at best. Less over time. It's better to break up the soil and work in compost as you do it. This return to Eden method is a fad. You might find some success, but I'd put my yearly tilled garden output up against any no-till hippy bullshit.
@@18deadmonkeys first try stuff before you try to down someone. I tried both and both have advantages and disadvantages, but telling me that I only have 6 inches of soil because I only put compost on top, that's the real bs. Try to put compost on compacted soil an try to dig in a year later, you'll be astonished. And maybe, try to watch charles dowding's video's. You'll see what I mean and maybe you could learn something about it. btw, no-dig is not back to eden. But I guess, I should have known your reaction reading your name.
@@carrytheworldnonprofit2883 lol, did I hurt your feelings? Result to personal attacks because of account names. Aren't you a delicate one. I bet if I mentioned Trump you'd start literally shaking.
Great information. I put 2 rsised beds in in the spring and had s great growing season. Another benefiit to raised bed is the option to add a bit of chicken wire along the top To keep the wildlife out... Something got into one of my raised beds and snipped 50% of my corn off an inch above ground 1 night. I put a bit of chicken wire around the bed and the critter never returned. I was able to lean over it to harvest as needed but the critters couldnt get in
Dingfelder Smurfalot ...you make an excellent point. A wooden framework gives you something to work with for any and every kind of customization...trellises, plastic for hotbeds, hoops, scarecrow, whatever.
Fabulous video! we built raised beds by digging down a foot then placed patio stones we got cheap on sale end to end. fast and efficient and does not rot like wood. just placed them in end to end and filled the open box up with soil. 12' long x 4 feet wide.
The last few years on my homestead I've experimented with traditional gardening, back to eden, hugelkultur, but I think, as the end of the day, raised beds and container gardening is the best.
Thanks for the excellent video. I've done both methods in my 25 years of gardening. What I do now, is a partial traditional garden. I only till every other year, and only till the roe where I plant. I dig really deep and wide holes for the tomatoes(about ten to twelve inches deep, at least two and half feet diameter. Then I mix about 3 to one 1 ratio of my own compost to the dirt from the hole I just dug. I plant tomatoes really deep(up to nearly the top canopy of the plant). I make a ridge around the plant with the leftover dirt from the hole(like a volcano look). Now I have a plant sitting in a rich, deep 3 to 1 mix of compost to dirt, in a volcano like ravine. I've found that this deep in ground planting method here in mid Missouri, keeps the roots cooler in our treacherous near 100 degree July and August days. With the volcano like planting method, I have to water much less, and the plant soil stays loose all summer. Also as the vine stem grows taller, I just add compost around it. I put grass clippings in the rows for weed control and a natural gradual mixing into the rows as they get walked on. Those rows will be the eventual planting spots every two to three years for rotation purposes.
Honestly, you did convince me. I'm going to put in a raised bed this coming summer. All of your pro's were spot on and living in New Mexico, the land of drought, I need to use my water wisely. Thanks!
Raised beds are definitely the way to go. For years, wherever I have lived, whatever climate it is, I've used concrete blocks, two high. The cost is a little more, and you want to have a topper on them to allow you to sit on top, but they never ever need to be replaced or repaired. You can sit on them and sow, weed, or whatever you need to do without having to bend over or squat down. I use the square foot method so for my grid, I make a watering system out of pvc pipe. Just drill tiny holes in the pipe, cut them to make into a 1' grid, (the connectors are very cheap), put on a timer, and you have an almost work-free system. Once set up, it's beautiful way to garden.
If you save all your old compost bags etc you can line the walls on inside before filling with soil. It will extend their lives and cut down on what goes to landfill
Great information. You compared the difference between the two, raised beds vs garden beds very well. I loved it. Let's get ready to garden. Thank you.
Thank you for your earlier video on constructing a pallet-based raised bed. One more advantage is for handicap accessibility. You touched on the reaching, all-sides access so you covered it. My partner cannot bend down or stand too long, or get onto the ground for not being able to get up. Os course suspending a bed is whole another deal but raised bed is a good start!
7:01 Very true about the cost.. I too use pallets (9'L X 4'W x 10"depth)...chicken wire on bent saplings (keep out pests) Raised bed #1 = 5 different lettuces ...carrots... cucumbers...in one raised bed Raised bed #2 = Eggplant, tobaco, oniions,, cherry tomatoes, garlic, celery, spinach Raised bed #3 = Corn, Beans, Squash Raised bed #4 = Sweet Potatoes , white Potatoes Raised bed #5 = Herbs costs me about 30$ for the chicken wire
A way to start a similar setup less expensively is what I call permanent bordered beds. 17 years ago, I tilled my garden area, made 3' X 10' rectangles out of 2X6 and laid them out with 2' space (enough room for my garden cart) between them. Then I shoveled the loose soil from the paths into the bed area. For the next three years I did a spring loosening of the soil in the beds with a digging fork (broad fork would have been much faster) but never used a tiller. And there was no cost to fill the beds. The first advantage I noticed, even during the years of forking the beds, was that garden prep time was 1/5 of the traditional till and make beds every year style. Now I just take out established perennial weeds in the spring, cover the bed in two inches of sifted compost and plant!
I did the raised-bed method except I didn't use raised beds. I just created 4x12 foot beds right in the ground separated by 2 foot wide pathways which I simply allowed to remain lawn & clover (bees like the clover). I enhanced the soil, and after the first year went no-till. The only real reason to raise the beds is to enhance drainage and I have no problem with drainage at all. Lots of leafmold mulch means hardly any weeding either.
This past spring I did a raised bed because I had to many irons in the fire. No tilling. One of my best crops yet. Just using 2 , 4x4 planting raised beds and cattle fence for cucumbers. Go vertical not horizontal.
Great comparisons with pros and cons of row vs raise bed gardens. I've also noticed increased worm populations in raised beds.s depending on the crop, you need for buying fertilizers is either eliminated or minimized.
I'm using concrete blocks for mine … they provide a nice spot to sit while working, can be covered with 36x72 plexiglass early in the year to direct sow, hold a 14' cattle panel neatly in place for trellising, and never have to be replaced or repaired.
This has been one of the best videos I have watched on gardening! I am new to gardening and would like to give it a try this year. I have some seed starts going in my mini green house. But I am getting nervous on preparing the space outside for them. It is still too cold at night here in NM but your video has given me a better idea on how to go about preparing my space. Thank you for sharing!
Hey, Kat, you might want to acclimatize your seedlings. I had a problem with environmental shock. I solved it by taking trays of plants out in the day and putting them back in the greenhouse at night for a few weeks before transplanting. Just a thought. Good luck!
"Here, Here!" Well stated. Make your "raised beds" out of tossed pallets...and the wood is free! Add heavy twigs, stumps in bottom...and you've got years of carbon in the "system". Each year...cover the "beginning growth cycle to 'kill weeds'; done by shunting sunlight. Then...no weeds. Each year add some fresh compost; done. Especially good for bad knees and back backs.
i aggree with repurposing pallets. but for anyone thinking about using them for edible vegetables, just beware of the chemical treatment that the pallets may have gone through. they are stamped with the type of treatment they recieved. id stay away from anything with colors on it. i imagine they would last at least a few years or more. cedar is the best wood for outdoor beds, but how can you beat free pallets?!
I got got my hands on a dozen pallets to make a fence but decided to go another way. Never though to tear them apart for raised beds thanks for the idea!
get four pallets and a saw zaw/circular saw (which i used but took a little more planning)...remove the planks by cutting out the middle pieces. I made a 10x12' and 12" deep with 50 or so planks and the middle pieces to connect them.
this year i decided that next year i'm doing raised beds i'm sick of rototilling every year and i just think its going to be better for us for all the reasons you said another grate video keep up the good work
Thank you so much for sharing this video with us! Your bed looks fantastic! For many reasons, I ended up buying wood but don’t mind spending $32/bed that will last 5-10 years! It’s a good investment!
I think it should take up as much space either way, if the ground garden's soil is amended well. Other than that, agree with all the points. I'd add that using raised beds makes it easier to control weeds in the pathways because you can just add deep wood chips or other mulch, and not worry about the nitrogen levels. In fact, wood chips ADD nitrogen to the soil by the time the wood chips are almost converted to compost. Then just shovel the composted wood chips from between the raised beds into the beds. Win-win!
I have learned the same thing over the years. I started out with a crown garden and slowly but surely it's been being taken over by above ground garden beds. Last year out of one 5 by 20 raised bed I harvested a 150 lb of sweet potatoes. It was incredible. This year I believe I should have about 200 pounds of sweet potatoes. They stayed fresh in my basement up until just a few months ago. Sweet potatoes will definitely stay good through the winter. My favorite crop
Watched this video. Decided tomorrow to build a 4x8’ raised bed. Soon someday we all will need to learn these grass root skills. (No pun intended). Since we have the 30 day quarantine, its a great project to do with the family and spend quality time. May the LORD bless us all and keep us with a surrounding hedge of angels.
I will be putting in raised beds this fall/winter. Two thoughts. 1st in regards to treated wood - I'm going to burn my lumber (sawn 2" thick from trees on my property) first before setting. Its suppose to protect it. If it adds a couple of more years before needing replacing, great. Don't know how well it'll hold up to being buried though. 2nd in regards to vermin - I'm also putting 1/2" metal cloth on the bottom to keep moles out but allow worms thru.
I find that with my Traditional gardens , 1) I have to deal with erosion, from constant raining .... 2) I have to deal with w/ compaction (2:05) and weed control (2:32 ) 3) I have alot of wild animal pests whom tear up my Ground garden With my Raised bed : a) I have more control of my ammendments & Space for growing. b) I can cover my R-bed in all weathers (winter/ thunderstorm/ pests) c) I like that I can control the growth direction of my vegetables...(cucumbers/ squash/pumpkins etc) d) physically it is better for the elders back pains.
Can you touch upon the animal pest management with raised beds? I am debating if I should put a metal grate down first or something else, or its not needed cause the pests don't like r.beds perhaps.hoping of course? thanks for any/all answers? im inn zone 6, Mass.
I eliminated my traditional garden in favor of raised beds. We built our beds of varying sizes, shapes and styles. We put wire mess on the bottoms because we have ground squirrels in our area and the little critters like to dig under my beds! My garden space is 21 ft X 24 ft. My beds have posts on the inside corners that are 2 feet higher than the highest point of the frame. We did this so I could plant earlier in the season and cover them with clear plastic for a greenhouse type of effect. The posts are part of the structure and when covered with plastic I can have plants in there almost 3 feet tall. This allows me to warm the soil earlier, plant younger plants and protect them from frost when covered! It also, gives me an opportunity to lay chicken wire frames we built over and around the beds to keep regular tree squirrels, birds and cats out until my plants are established and stronger. I also have trellis on several so I can grow vertically. My tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and melons I grow on string, no cages needed. Raised beds are an investment initially. If you don't have good soil and land to dig on then you have to purchase it. Let's face it, it is expensive. Buying in bulk is cheaper, but for one or two beds its hardly worth the trouble. I started slow a couple beds a year. Now my space is cram packed full of raised beds and containers. Your building materials are also an investment. I had lots of materials I was able to salvage so my costs are minimal compared to others. Raised beds have NO weeds, the soil stays light and fluffy, no large tools or equipment required. The maintenance is minimal taking minutes rather than hours. I have a gravity fed 5 gallon bucket watering system on each one I installed last year. I just fill up a few buckets with the hose a few times a week and walk away. This watering system is also an awesome way to fertilize. Just mix it up with your water in your bucket. It drips very slowly and waters deep! No splashing dirt and water on the plants or disturbing the soil. I also grow in old thrown out black rubber pots from the plant nursery. The large ones that they have trees planted in. I drop by ask if they have any and if so, they are free! I have 12...I installed a gravity fed bucket watering system on these too. My garden is always evolving from season to season. I add something new every year..While I was still gardening in a traditional garden, by June, I was wore out and wished I hadn't planted it. Because of the maintenance involved. Weeds, grass, compacted soil, flooding, erosion, tilling, critters, etc! It was never ending and non stop and became a chore and no longer fun! I have thoroughly enjoyed my raised beds and practice the square foot gardening method and grow enough food to feed a small army! It's my sanctuary and I look forward to spending time out there each season watching plants grow instead of working like a dog to keep it up! I installed a bench out there last year with a shade cover over it. Happy gardening!
Hello! Assuming by your name your in warmer climate, where as I contend with winters. none the less, for what im doing(growing out trees for future bonsai), I have been using ground for first few seasons, then when I get closer to the trunk thickness, I will transfer to raised beds for more control. However, I thank you for confirming my thoughts on raised beds and the pros to them. I am curious about the gravity watering, and plan to experiment with it next season. I fully understand and have realized myself that the "growing" is ever-evolving, and adapting with each season. I plan to begin growing some food next season as well. I was able to get large wooden shipping containers from my work, and have adapted a few for planting and growing trees in them as well. again, always evolving. I will be using them alot for propigation as well. Again I am able to control the substrate, which for those and most my growing is more inorganic, for the free drainage needed. So again, thanks for sharing and the tips . Happy, healthy growing to you and yours.!
@@berealrelentless6237 I'm in zone 7b - 8, West Texas. Screaming hot, long humid summers, mild winters. We do get lots of ice and have an occasional hard winter but not every year. The wire mesh will work under your raised beds if you have critter problems underground. I've been set up 4 years and never had a problem. I actually watch the little stinkers attempt to dig under and into the beds and so far, they cant, fingers crossed! Happy gardening! I learned about the gravity 5 gallon bucket watering system on here, youtube! Just search it and you will find many examples. It works flawlessly as long as you have your buckets high enough and ventilated! Good luck
@@berealrelentless6237 I feel that the really small size chicken fence is good, or even better, the heavier stuff that is called hardware cloth. I saw items made with the hardware cloth sold for potting in the ground around small trees. One drawback there is that the gophers, or whatever you have, can dig under it Also, you can buy the hardware cloth and make your own I have resorted to using mostly containers and raised beds. Plus whatever I can use, like a salvaged bathtub. I have a tub that I have used for 3, or is it 4, seasons so far. Filled with dirt mixed with sheep pellets, as well as the same with goat pellets, did great, Just add more each year and maybe mix it in. Grew green onions and tomatoes, then onions and an eggplant that turned into a tree almost, with a ton of eggplants on it. And sweet 100 cherry tomatoes this year, plus onions. I used fence posts and long sucker rod along the outside to use for support when the tomato plants got tall. I did leave the drain open, sitting on thje ground, so the soil will drain. I also used a half plastic barrel for even longer, just add more soil, with sheep and goat pellets, to it each year. I wound up putting a plastic lid from a barrel under the bottom. Need a way to keep the gophers or whatever out. Won't do much for ground squirrels, as they simply go over the top. Had those when I was in Rosamond california. Rats with slightly bushy tails is what they are. All in all, raised beds with something under them to deter the critters is virtually a muct, if you have them around.
I built my raised beds with concrete wall blocks @ 90¢ a piece. They should last longer than me. Something to consider if you’re putting in raised beds, they work excellent.
the concrete block was not produced to be used as flower pots meaning the amount of lead and other heavy metals are much higher then the safe levels you should be around. When you water your plant the water leaches the chemicals from the blocks and its absorbed into your veggies. I strongly suggest using wood, firewood, pallets, anything that's going to break down.
This is great info. I've been leaning toward in-ground beds (AKA traditional) just because the investment for my size of growing area would be pretty significant. However, I do have some existing raised beds on my property, so I'm excited to do a video later comparing the difference in my in-ground vs. my raised beds. All in all I think I'll be fine for 2 years in ground, then make the investment for raised beds. Thanks for the video!
I watched your great video more for confirmation of what I already believed, rather than to be informed. I am about to start gardening again, after a 20 year hiatus, and when I did it before I did raised beds. My kids mom was in a wheelchair and wanted to be a gardener. All I wanted to do was grow Asparagus. lol. So since she couldn't bend over, (and I wasn't really fond of it either) I bought some used cross ties that were not landscaping grade. I think they cost me 4 bucks a piece and they were 8 feet long and about 8 inches thick. I cut a few of them into 4' pieces with a chainsaw so I could lay them sort of brick style. I built four beds that were each 16' long and 3' wide and on the inside of the gaps between the ties, I just nailed some used roof shingles that I got a roofer to give to me. That sort of made a barrier to keep the moisture and soil from leaching out the gaps. In the end, our beds were about 16 inches high and very easy to work with for a person in a sitting position. And as you said, I had no waste of water, fertilizer or good compost and soil. (And I had one whole bed for my own asparagus and by the end of the second summer we were literally giving bag fulls of asparagus to all our neighbors for free. I must have had 50 pounds a day all summer once it just went crazy on me.
Right on Bud. Raised beds is the only way in my opinion! I do cap it at 2 feet wide though. I just hate reaching across those 3 and 4 foot beds! Its ok if you can get around the entire perimeter though I guess!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Well, in my case, I wanted my kids mom to be able to roll down between the beds, and I actually dug up soil and laid 3 cross ties at grown level in between the beds as a firm walkway. An able bodied person wouldn't have to do that. But then she could roll off the side walk (or I could walk) in between each bed and so really we were only needing to reach half the bed from each side.
I use raised beds as well and fill them with old straw in the bottom/center (core gardening) and a combination of garden soil and compost up to a couple inches from the top. I battled with fungus affecting the leaves of many plants so I started adding about two inches of sterile ProMix to the top surface and not mixing it in (Menards is selling 35 lb bags for about $13 right now.) It seems to prevent some of the fungal issues from transferring from the soil to the bottom leaves when it rains. I have three bags that I just got in the garage for next year.
Roadside skids from your local industrial areas are a great source of cheap (free) planks to get started. You can replace the skid plank beds over time then as they rot out or just keep using skits to patch them up.
The mm major reason I don't use raised bed is the soil temperature swings on the edges where I live is semi desert it gets really hot and really cold every day.
We decided to go with raised beds initially because they're just easier for me. I'm disabled and can't get up and down off the ground like I used to. With raised beds, I can sit and still garden!
Soil mixture: compost and peat moss, not bad. Suggested soul mixture: mix biochar with worm castings and rock dust. The biochar will prevent nutrients from leeching to lower levels in the soil. Plus, it will encourage growth of soil bacteria and fungi. Then add compost and peat moss and manure.
A few years ago I went through a lot of trouble to set up about 4-4X10-12 foot raised beds. Got some good soil mixed it all up and went to town. However, I noticed pretty quick that the soil would dry out faster than I could keep it watered. I rigged up a fancy drip watering system with PVC too. Maybe it's just here in West Texas but it seemed that the soil being sorta up in the air caused the Sun to really dry it out. I like the idea, and I have been toying with trying again.
How do you prepare the raised bed. Do you have to lay down weed mat before the soil? If not then how do you prevent weeds. We get an excess of thistle weed in our raised beds that are not easy to control and have taken over the garden. We even dug out all the old soil and brought in new topsoil and we still get them.
Thanks for a good video. I've turned to container gardening this year as our soil is clay and hard to manage and I'm getting great results. I do have some pallets that I was going to use for raised beds, but I think I'll invest in some untreated lumber instead. One thing I would like to say is that peat compost isn't very eco friendly and can be prone to mould, especially in dampier climates.
I agree with your pros and cons. Good video I watched all the way to the end before I commented. I did two gardens this year. My first in ground gardens in years. the first was a traditional style but was mulched in early and very deep with fresh cut lawn grass(no sprays or chemicals on this lawn) just lots of weeds all chopped up with a 20" mower. Zero weeds all summer! my fall garden is a semi traditional slash raised bed in rows, straw for temp. mulch between the rows. this is a temporary garden that will be picked up and moved 30 yards west. at the end of the season.this works ( for now) but leaves little room for a small farm tractor or skidster to move around the south end of the greenhouses
Awesome. I love your videos. They are realistic and you aren't trying to mimic Joel and trying to sound like some yuppy that in actually has no clue what they are doing. I hate how some are so obsessed with vlogs that they are trying to teach what they don't know and use words which they don't know what they mean. I love your tractor videos as well. Nice tractor. It's very realistic.
I really found your explanation really good! I was watching a video with tons of ideas for backyard gardening and got courious that mos of them had raised beds... now I understood why!!!
I like both methods. As an older gardener raised beds are the way of the future for me as a homesteader...but I like to grow large crops of pumpkins, squash, sunflowers & other large plants that require much more garden space but they don't need any help from me at all once planted or in windy areas supported. The number one issue for me is overwhelming weed pressure in SW Ohio & issues with creeping ivy taking over beds. As I age I'll probably lean more towards Hugelkulture higher raised beds for ease of working. Good video thanks :)
OR... You can always dig a trench and fill it... kind of like an inverse of a raised bed. Similar to double-dig gardening, but instead a trench of compost+manure (soil mix). Cons of raised bed: They dry faster and use a lot more water since they are raised above the ground. Where the wood meets the soil (and corners) are great pest/insect habitats. Depending on the wood, you may have to replace it after 5 years. Some recycled wood material maybe contaminated, treated and not suitable for a garden bed.
That is a good alternative. Dig the soil out of the rows and put it on the bed. In the lowered path area between the beds put in wood chips. That's what I do with excellent results. Sort of a modified raised bed.
Can you grow Corning them? Do you keep and use the same soil bedding every year or change it out? Will those work for growing, peppers, carrots, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, squash,?? Can I mix regular dirt, peatmoss, potting soil, compost to fill them up? Rookie here.
Same. We need answers lol. I live in Canada its still winter but in spring im going to grow corn, beans, peas, radish, beets, zucchini, cucumber, lettuce
Disadvantage to raised beds, especially if they aren't big enough, is they get hotter and colder. I live in a place that sees bigger fluctuations in climate and especially in the hot dry summer the raised beds get much hotter soil that in the ground. The ground can help insulate the roots from big temperature changes.
Did you mention time saving? I have good native soil and had been tilling the ground every year to prep it for planting. 15 years ago, I tilled the garden area, laid down frames made of 2X5 were I wanted the beds to be, shoveled the loose soil in the pathways into the beds and raked it level. Every year I top dress it with compost and mulch it during the season. What took one week roto tilling and remaking the beds every year, takes one day preparing the bordered permanent beds.
EcoCentric Homestead I do something similar. I just put fresh horse manure/straw on top in the autumn and it’s ready to plant in the spring. Just an occasional bit of hoeing. The trick is to make the beds narrow enough for easy reach. For new beds I splashed out on foot deep treated timber and tall solid stakes so I can easily add another row. I put cardboard down on top of the weeds and grass and piled the manure on top. Most stables are happy for you to come and take away their manure.
I just love your videos... Very informative with the pros and cons... Been watchin your chicken videos as well... Same thing there too.... You've definately earned this subscriber...
You should consider trying digging another foot deeper under where you are putting your raised beds and planting a whole fish 2 oysters and a whole corn, pack the dirt in good around it, keep the deeper soil dense so water doesn't go to far add some worms , then fill in your dirt, you can even build a slower water draining bed with a few more pieces of wood, making your bed look like a boat with a slight opening at the bottom
I do similar except that I leave the lawn between my wide-row beds (4'X25.) I never walk on the beds, and don't waste compost, etc. on the grass walkways. I don't have to freshen any wood chips between the beds because it's lawn, etc. Without wooden borders, I do have to keep a keen eye for when the lawn starts intruding into the beds and thus have to edge the bed back out, but then again I don't have any lumber edges to rot out and replace either. Over time as I've amended the beds, they do stand a bit taller than the surrounding lawn, but not as much as a true raised bed.
@@beltrams I'm planning to do the same in a few weeks, though I'm going to use 2x6 border to hold in the compost and shredded leaves that I'll be topping them with every fall.
@@beltrams I plan to try that, too! Extend the growing season. Picking a salad in the winter would be so cool. I'm in Michigan, though, so we'll see....
I remember working at a strawberry orchard, and thought how it would be a lot better if they weren't planted in the ground, as you are bending over all day when picking them. Why not have them raised right up on shelves or something, that way you could just walk along a pick them and also maintenance would be much easier.
It's also easier to stagger your crops. You don't have to do much to the soil after one crop is done. You might put a bit of organic slow release fertilizer on there before you plant the 2nd crop but that's it. You also don't have to rotate your crops the next year if you amend you soil over the winter. The soil will never get depleted.
I made a couple videos of my modified wicking garden. Raised beds dry out too much in hot weather. You can get loads on free concrete blocks that are great to sit on. Hope it helps.
Shocked how much one small head of cabbage cost last year, so I pulled out my thinking cap and purchased galvanized steel raised beds on sale in January. Old and using a cane, every day I refuse to give up. I know my family thought I was crazy, but viewing every video helped me learn not to waste money I didn't have much of. Purchased seeds online, used everything laying around the house to make trellises. My 'Gone with the Wind' promise is to feed my family who now understands growing food is not only good for the body but also a blessing from God.
You were doing so well until you invoked your imaginary friend. They are a blessing from you.
We live in a home where the past owners had a traditional garden for 17 years. The soil here is so rich and fertile because of their practice that raised beds is unnecessary.
I like the idea of improving the soil over time instead of skipping over it.
I really like the idea of setting up raised beds year-by-year rather than trying to do everything in one shot. Much more realistic for those of us with jobs and families and other responsibilities.
You can do the same with traditional gardening. Work on an area this year, add an area next year, etc
The main problem with getting into gardening is that some people suddenly think they want to turn their entire growing area, into a growing area, right away that same year.
In reality, it's easier and better to start small and keep adding more growing area as the years go.
Great tips. We tried growing in our greenhouse but the plants are doing very poorly. So now we are in the process of making raised beds and looking forward to great produce grown organically. 😊
I use hardware cloth on the bottoms of my raised beds ,it keeps under ground rodents out of my plants. great video.
super123steve ditto
Another advantage I've noticed is in the case of low level flooding. We get up to 10" of water that flows through our back yard once or twice a year. The raised beds keep the soil surface above the water.
you can lay wire fencing down before placing your raised bed to keep burrowing pest from your produce.
I have asked about this on numerous videos, and am curious as no one really talks about it. I think it is an issue, at least where I am, I have seen critters, but I am planting trees, long term growth, which I will eventually make Bonsai trees with. but still curious about critters getting at roots and whatever else. moles and voles esp.
Gophers burrowed up into my raised beds the first year. I took the beds out, put 1/2" Hardware Cloth (galvanized wire) under the beds and filled them with the soil again. Many years later, no more gophers or other varmints in my raised beds.
@@berealrelentless6237 Generally trees are gonna be fine. Nature has been at it for eons.
Thats what I did
OhioGardener excellent point! I’m about to start mine too so I’ll definitely be getting some today
I’m so happy to have found your channel. What an amazing way for your children to grow up! This has always been a dream of mine. Until I buy a house I’ll just learn as much as I can with your amazing videos.
I just moved to a new house out in the country and I did have a small 18 x 15 traditional garden. You have changed my thought process from traditional gardens to raised beds. I’m looking at building two this winter and having them ready for spring. Thanks and God bless man. Thanks for all the videos.
I've been watching tons of videos about starting a raised bed garden, and this one has been the best, most concise one I've found. You've convinced me to abandon my traditional gardening methods and to start a raised bed. Thanks a bunch! Happy gardening! :)
I was already pretty much on the raised bed train, but this video sealed the deal for me. Time for a Home Depot run...
same here. i'm determined to try this weekend. we have lots of moles/voles in our area, but i'm encouraged by this video and the folks on it.
That a boy just what they want.
Thanks for all this information. I have always wanted to get into growing my own food. I started last year with some herbs. some grew some didn't but I just tried without any knowledge on what I was doing. Now with this virus and people being crazy buying everything and hoarding it. I decided this is the year I am doing everything and making sure stupidity can not effect my family in the future.
I've watched the videos leading up to this and its so satisfying to see how everything has come in. Just beautiful! Your hard work has really paid off.
great explanations! i knew my beds were great but now I feel like they are the only way to go thanks.
Look up ruth stout method.. No till, no fertilize, no water methods.. :) That work, and only improve over time. I'd never go raised bed, too much work and have to keep adding nutrients.. Same with "normal style" ..
Weeding shouldn't even be necessary if done correctly..
Excellent information I am slowly converting to container and raised bed gardening and am having excellent results. Thank you so much for sharing this information.
In Florida we have sand, lots of sand. We find composting and raised beds are the only way to have an effective healthy garden. We started with one raised bed and added one per season until we had the full garden we could manage. We control the quality of the soil and with a layer of hay we have almost no weeds. Raised beds combined with composting is perfection.
Sharon Gaver can you give some more details about your composting?
Keep adding more hay every season, you'll get really good soil.. Don't even need raised bed for it..
Sharon Gaver lol yea. For the past two years, my garden has suffered. Even in the big bend, 30 min away from the beach it is sand sand sand.
Mulch is a miracle solution to so many problems. Great to keep soil splash-back to a minimum, to moderate water levels and temperature, to keep weeds down.
I have raised beds as well as this year my dads buddy gave me a bunch of half barrels ( the plastic blue and white food grade type ) I typically use triple mix and in the fall I turn in newer horse manure and then in spring I’ll turn in well rotted horse manure. The yield at harvest time is huge. Also this year we will be adding a hop design to extend our season here in Ontario Canada. I stand by my raised beds.
not tilling the soil is the best way to avoid compaction. I just put compost on top of the soil and the soil stays really good, even if you walk on it. In the winter I put compost on the soil and I cover with tarp. No worries about weeds and really healthy soil in spring. learned it from charles dowding.
I've gotta call BS on you. You can put 6 inches of compost on top of a compacted yard, and you've got 6 inches of soil at best. Less over time. It's better to break up the soil and work in compost as you do it. This return to Eden method is a fad. You might find some success, but I'd put my yearly tilled garden output up against any no-till hippy bullshit.
@@18deadmonkeys first try stuff before you try to down someone. I tried both and both have advantages and disadvantages, but telling me that I only have 6 inches of soil because I only put compost on top, that's the real bs. Try to put compost on compacted soil an try to dig in a year later, you'll be astonished. And maybe, try to watch charles dowding's video's. You'll see what I mean and maybe you could learn something about it. btw, no-dig is not back to eden. But I guess, I should have known your reaction reading your name.
@@carrytheworldnonprofit2883 lol, did I hurt your feelings? Result to personal attacks because of account names. Aren't you a delicate one. I bet if I mentioned Trump you'd start literally shaking.
@@18deadmonkeys, lol, I love trump
@@carrytheworldnonprofit2883 you had me until the last.
🙄
Great information.
I put 2 rsised beds in in the spring and had s great growing season.
Another benefiit to raised bed is the option to add a bit of chicken wire along the top To keep the wildlife out...
Something got into one of my raised beds and snipped 50% of my corn off an inch above ground 1 night. I put a bit of chicken wire around the bed and the critter never returned. I was able to lean over it to harvest as needed but the critters couldnt get in
Attaching things to the bed, like brackets to hold pipes, etc., is definitely much easier in raised beds than in the ground!
Dingfelder Smurfalot ...you make an excellent point. A wooden framework gives you something to work with for any and every kind of customization...trellises, plastic for hotbeds, hoops, scarecrow, whatever.
Fabulous video! we built raised beds by digging down a foot then placed patio stones we got cheap on sale end to end. fast and efficient and does not rot like wood. just placed them in end to end and filled the open box up with soil. 12' long x 4 feet wide.
The last few years on my homestead I've experimented with traditional gardening, back to eden, hugelkultur, but I think, as the end of the day, raised beds and container gardening is the best.
have you tried the Ruth Stout method?
Did you try ruth stout method?
Thanks for the excellent video. I've done both methods in my 25 years of gardening. What I do now, is a partial traditional garden. I only till every other year, and only till the roe where I plant. I dig really deep and wide holes for the tomatoes(about ten to twelve inches deep, at least two and half feet diameter. Then I mix about 3 to one 1 ratio of my own compost to the dirt from the hole I just dug. I plant tomatoes really deep(up to nearly the top canopy of the plant). I make a ridge around the plant with the leftover dirt from the hole(like a volcano look). Now I have a plant sitting in a rich, deep 3 to 1 mix of compost to dirt, in a volcano like ravine. I've found that this deep in ground planting method here in mid Missouri, keeps the roots cooler in our treacherous near 100 degree July and August days. With the volcano like planting method, I have to water much less, and the plant soil stays loose all summer. Also as the vine stem grows taller, I just add compost around it. I put grass clippings in the rows for weed control and a natural gradual mixing into the rows as they get walked on. Those rows will be the eventual planting spots every two to three years for rotation purposes.
Honestly, you did convince me. I'm going to put in a raised bed this coming summer. All of your pro's were spot on and living in New Mexico, the land of drought, I need to use my water wisely. Thanks!
Look into Olla farming. Can help save a ton of water.
I live in new Mexico as well and I'm with you on the water. Thinking about using some sort of liner to keep as much water in as possible
Raised beds are definitely the way to go. For years, wherever I have lived, whatever climate it is, I've used concrete blocks, two high. The cost is a little more, and you want to have a topper on them to allow you to sit on top, but they never ever need to be replaced or repaired. You can sit on them and sow, weed, or whatever you need to do without having to bend over or squat down. I use the square foot method so for my grid, I make a watering system out of pvc pipe. Just drill tiny holes in the pipe, cut them to make into a 1' grid, (the connectors are very cheap), put on a timer, and you have an almost work-free system. Once set up, it's beautiful way to garden.
If you save all your old compost bags etc you can line the walls on inside before filling with soil. It will extend their lives and cut down on what goes to landfill
Great information. You compared the difference between the two, raised beds vs garden beds very well. I loved it. Let's get ready to garden. Thank you.
Thank you for your earlier video on constructing a pallet-based raised bed. One more advantage is for handicap accessibility. You touched on the reaching, all-sides access so you covered it. My partner cannot bend down or stand too long, or get onto the ground for not being able to get up. Os course suspending a bed is whole another deal but raised bed is a good start!
Very informative. Glad I have raised beds which we added yearly because it can be quite expensive when you have about 8 to 10 raised beds.
7:01 Very true about the cost.. I too use pallets (9'L X 4'W x 10"depth)...chicken wire on bent saplings (keep out pests)
Raised bed #1 = 5 different lettuces ...carrots... cucumbers...in one raised bed
Raised bed #2 = Eggplant, tobaco, oniions,, cherry tomatoes, garlic, celery, spinach
Raised bed #3 = Corn, Beans, Squash
Raised bed #4 = Sweet Potatoes , white Potatoes
Raised bed #5 = Herbs
costs me about 30$ for the chicken wire
A way to start a similar setup less expensively is what I call permanent bordered beds.
17 years ago, I tilled my garden area, made 3' X 10' rectangles out of 2X6 and laid them out with 2' space (enough room for my garden cart) between them. Then I shoveled the loose soil from the paths into the bed area. For the next three years I did a spring loosening of the soil in the beds with a digging fork (broad fork would have been much faster) but never used a tiller.
And there was no cost to fill the beds.
The first advantage I noticed, even during the years of forking the beds, was that garden prep time was 1/5 of the traditional till and make beds every year style.
Now I just take out established perennial weeds in the spring, cover the bed in two inches of sifted compost and plant!
I did the raised-bed method except I didn't use raised beds. I just created 4x12 foot beds right in the ground separated by 2 foot wide pathways which I simply allowed to remain lawn & clover (bees like the clover). I enhanced the soil, and after the first year went no-till. The only real reason to raise the beds is to enhance drainage and I have no problem with drainage at all. Lots of leafmold mulch means hardly any weeding either.
This past spring I did a raised bed because I had to many irons in the fire. No tilling. One of my best crops yet. Just using 2 , 4x4 planting raised beds and cattle fence for cucumbers. Go vertical not horizontal.
Very systematic and comprehensive explanation.Thank you!
Great comparisons with pros and cons of row vs raise bed gardens. I've also noticed increased worm populations in raised beds.s depending on the crop, you need for buying fertilizers is either eliminated or minimized.
I'm using concrete blocks for mine … they provide a nice spot to sit while working, can be covered with 36x72 plexiglass early in the year to direct sow, hold a 14' cattle panel neatly in place for trellising, and never have to be replaced or repaired.
This has been one of the best videos I have watched on gardening! I am new to gardening and would like to give it a try this year. I have some seed starts going in my mini green house. But I am getting nervous on preparing the space outside for them. It is still too cold at night here in NM but your video has given me a better idea on how to go about preparing my space. Thank you for sharing!
Hey, Kat, you might want to acclimatize your seedlings. I had a problem with environmental shock. I solved it by taking trays of plants out in the day and putting them back in the greenhouse at night for a few weeks before transplanting.
Just a thought. Good luck!
Raised beds are great when you live in a subdivision, you are very limited where you can dig because of underground utility and water lines.
Great video. I agree, raised and elevated raised beds for gardening seems to have many advantages.
Thank you for your honest advice/expertise.
to keep the wood from rotting where then '' nails / screws '' are, get them as galvanized.
awesome video !!
1000 thumbs up !!
Yup, I agree.....just get coated screws. I have 84 raised beds.....some over 8 years old and I've never replaced a screw.
"Here, Here!" Well stated. Make your "raised beds" out of tossed pallets...and the wood is free!
Add heavy twigs, stumps in bottom...and you've got years of carbon in the "system". Each year...cover the "beginning growth cycle to 'kill weeds'; done by shunting sunlight. Then...no weeds. Each year add some fresh compost; done. Especially good for bad knees and back backs.
i aggree with repurposing pallets. but for anyone thinking about using them for edible vegetables, just beware of the chemical treatment that the pallets may have gone through. they are stamped with the type of treatment they recieved. id stay away from anything with colors on it. i imagine they would last at least a few years or more. cedar is the best wood for outdoor beds, but how can you beat free pallets?!
I got got my hands on a dozen pallets to make a fence but decided to go another way. Never though to tear them apart for raised beds thanks for the idea!
Great explanation of the pros and cons of both systems. Thank you!
I’m abigfan of raised beds. So much easier to maintain, water and harvest. You did a good job.
get four pallets and a saw zaw/circular saw (which i used but took a little more planning)...remove the planks by cutting out the middle pieces. I made a 10x12' and 12" deep with 50 or so planks and the middle pieces to connect them.
Very Good idea of raised bed with wood pallets , thanks!
this year i decided that next year i'm doing raised beds i'm sick of rototilling every year and i just think its going to be better for us for all the reasons you said another grate video keep up the good work
Good decision. You won’t regret it.
Thank you so much for sharing this video with us! Your bed looks fantastic!
For many reasons, I ended up buying wood but don’t mind spending $32/bed that will last 5-10 years!
It’s a good investment!
I think it should take up as much space either way, if the ground garden's soil is amended well. Other than that, agree with all the points. I'd add that using raised beds makes it easier to control weeds in the pathways because you can just add deep wood chips or other mulch, and not worry about the nitrogen levels. In fact, wood chips ADD nitrogen to the soil by the time the wood chips are almost converted to compost. Then just shovel the composted wood chips from between the raised beds into the beds. Win-win!
We're going to do a raised bed garden. Planning on making them out of logs from our property. Thanks for info!
I have learned the same thing over the years. I started out with a crown garden and slowly but surely it's been being taken over by above ground garden beds. Last year out of one 5 by 20 raised bed I harvested a 150 lb of sweet potatoes. It was incredible. This year I believe I should have about 200 pounds of sweet potatoes. They stayed fresh in my basement up until just a few months ago. Sweet potatoes will definitely stay good through the winter. My favorite crop
Eat the greens of those too
And the garden looks better, more orderly, with raised beds.. Thank you!
I raised my bed to 10ft crops were huge! man it cost 1000$ in custom dirt and I fell off the ladder twice. But it was great expieriance watering.
I need to build me some raised beds for next year. Especially for my strawberries.
Gonna build some this Friday. Cannot wait
I went from a traditional garden to raised beds 3 years ago and never looked back. Nice video.
Watched this video. Decided tomorrow to build a 4x8’ raised bed. Soon someday we all will need to learn these grass root skills. (No pun intended).
Since we have the 30 day quarantine, its a great project to do with the family and spend quality time. May the LORD bless us all and keep us with a surrounding hedge of angels.
Awesome video! Thanks for the advice! I’m starting a brand new garden this year for the first time. I’m super excited about it!
Amen. I like the verse at the end of the video. :) newbie organic gardener here. Your content is n inspiration to my UA-cam channel.
I will be putting in raised beds this fall/winter. Two thoughts. 1st in regards to treated wood - I'm going to burn my lumber (sawn 2" thick from trees on my property) first before setting. Its suppose to protect it. If it adds a couple of more years before needing replacing, great. Don't know how well it'll hold up to being buried though. 2nd in regards to vermin - I'm also putting 1/2" metal cloth on the bottom to keep moles out but allow worms thru.
look up the 'no dig' method! Tillig is a bit old school now- no dig is easier and great!
I find that with my Traditional gardens ,
1) I have to deal with erosion, from constant raining ....
2) I have to deal with w/ compaction (2:05) and weed control (2:32 )
3) I have alot of wild animal pests whom tear up my Ground garden
With my Raised bed :
a) I have more control of my ammendments & Space for growing.
b) I can cover my R-bed in all weathers (winter/ thunderstorm/ pests)
c) I like that I can control the growth direction of my vegetables...(cucumbers/ squash/pumpkins etc)
d) physically it is better for the elders back pains.
Can you touch upon the animal pest management with raised beds? I am debating if I should put a metal grate down first or something else, or its not needed cause the pests don't like r.beds perhaps.hoping of course? thanks for any/all answers? im inn zone 6, Mass.
I eliminated my traditional garden in favor of raised beds. We built our beds of varying sizes, shapes and styles. We put wire mess on the bottoms because we have ground squirrels in our area and the little critters like to dig under my beds! My garden space is 21 ft X 24 ft. My beds have posts on the inside corners that are 2 feet higher than the highest point of the frame. We did this so I could plant earlier in the season and cover them with clear plastic for a greenhouse type of effect. The posts are part of the structure and when covered with plastic I can have plants in there almost 3 feet tall. This allows me to warm the soil earlier, plant younger plants and protect them from frost when covered! It also, gives me an opportunity to lay chicken wire frames we built over and around the beds to keep regular tree squirrels, birds and cats out until my plants are established and stronger. I also have trellis on several so I can grow vertically. My tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and melons I grow on string, no cages needed. Raised beds are an investment initially. If you don't have good soil and land to dig on then you have to purchase it. Let's face it, it is expensive. Buying in bulk is cheaper, but for one or two beds its hardly worth the trouble. I started slow a couple beds a year. Now my space is cram packed full of raised beds and containers. Your building materials are also an investment. I had lots of materials I was able to salvage so my costs are minimal compared to others. Raised beds have NO weeds, the soil stays light and fluffy, no large tools or equipment required. The maintenance is minimal taking minutes rather than hours. I have a gravity fed 5 gallon bucket watering system on each one I installed last year. I just fill up a few buckets with the hose a few times a week and walk away. This watering system is also an awesome way to fertilize. Just mix it up with your water in your bucket. It drips very slowly and waters deep! No splashing dirt and water on the plants or disturbing the soil. I also grow in old thrown out black rubber pots from the plant nursery. The large ones that they have trees planted in. I drop by ask if they have any and if so, they are free! I have 12...I installed a gravity fed bucket watering system on these too. My garden is always evolving from season to season. I add something new every year..While I was still gardening in a traditional garden, by June, I was wore out and wished I hadn't planted it. Because of the maintenance involved. Weeds, grass, compacted soil, flooding, erosion, tilling, critters, etc! It was never ending and non stop and became a chore and no longer fun! I have thoroughly enjoyed my raised beds and practice the square foot gardening method and grow enough food to feed a small army! It's my sanctuary and I look forward to spending time out there each season watching plants grow instead of working like a dog to keep it up! I installed a bench out there last year with a shade cover over it. Happy gardening!
Hello! Assuming by your name your in warmer climate, where as I contend with winters. none the less, for what im doing(growing out trees for future bonsai), I have been using ground for first few seasons, then when I get closer to the trunk thickness, I will transfer to raised beds for more control.
However, I thank you for confirming my thoughts on raised beds and the pros to them.
I am curious about the gravity watering, and plan to experiment with it next season.
I fully understand and have realized myself that the "growing" is ever-evolving, and adapting with each season. I plan to begin growing some food next season as well.
I was able to get large wooden shipping containers from my work, and have adapted a few for planting and growing trees in them as well. again, always evolving. I will be using them alot for propigation as well. Again I am able to control the substrate, which for those and most my growing is more inorganic, for the free drainage needed. So again, thanks for sharing and the tips . Happy, healthy growing to you and yours.!
@@berealrelentless6237 I'm in zone 7b - 8, West Texas. Screaming hot, long humid summers, mild winters. We do get lots of ice and have an occasional hard winter but not every year. The wire mesh will work under your raised beds if you have critter problems underground. I've been set up 4 years and never had a problem. I actually watch the little stinkers attempt to dig under and into the beds and so far, they cant, fingers crossed! Happy gardening! I learned about the gravity 5 gallon bucket watering system on here, youtube! Just search it and you will find many examples. It works flawlessly as long as you have your buckets high enough and ventilated! Good luck
@@berealrelentless6237 I feel that the really small size chicken fence is good, or even better, the heavier stuff that is called hardware cloth.
I saw items made with the hardware cloth sold for potting in the ground around small trees.
One drawback there is that the gophers, or whatever you have, can dig under it Also, you can buy the hardware cloth and make your own
I have resorted to using mostly containers and raised beds. Plus whatever I can use, like a salvaged bathtub. I have a tub that I have used for 3, or is it 4, seasons so far. Filled with dirt mixed with sheep pellets, as well as the same with goat pellets, did great, Just add more each year and maybe mix it in. Grew green onions and tomatoes, then onions and an eggplant that turned into a tree almost, with a ton of eggplants on it.
And sweet 100 cherry tomatoes this year, plus onions. I used fence posts and long sucker rod along the outside to use for support when the tomato plants got tall. I did leave the drain open, sitting on thje ground, so the soil will drain.
I also used a half plastic barrel for even longer, just add more soil, with sheep and goat pellets, to it each year. I wound up putting a plastic lid from a barrel under the bottom.
Need a way to keep the gophers or whatever out.
Won't do much for ground squirrels, as they simply go over the top. Had those when I was in Rosamond california. Rats with slightly bushy tails is what they are.
All in all, raised beds with something under them to deter the critters is virtually a muct, if you have them around.
I built my raised beds with concrete wall blocks @ 90¢ a piece. They should last longer than me. Something to consider if you’re putting in raised beds, they work excellent.
The holes in the cylinder blocks are perfect for growing onions and carrots in 😉
Right Wing Christianity,
Where did you purchase? The cheapest I've found is Home Depot at around $1.50.
Except they may be toxic.
the concrete block was not produced to be used as flower pots meaning the amount of lead and other heavy metals are much higher then the safe levels you should be around. When you water your plant the water leaches the chemicals from the blocks and its absorbed into your veggies. I strongly suggest using wood, firewood, pallets, anything that's going to break down.
Super interesting, thanks for taking the time to create this.
This is great info. I've been leaning toward in-ground beds (AKA traditional) just because the investment for my size of growing area would be pretty significant. However, I do have some existing raised beds on my property, so I'm excited to do a video later comparing the difference in my in-ground vs. my raised beds.
All in all I think I'll be fine for 2 years in ground, then make the investment for raised beds. Thanks for the video!
I watched your great video more for confirmation of what I already believed, rather than to be informed. I am about to start gardening again, after a 20 year hiatus, and when I did it before I did raised beds. My kids mom was in a wheelchair and wanted to be a gardener. All I wanted to do was grow Asparagus. lol. So since she couldn't bend over, (and I wasn't really fond of it either) I bought some used cross ties that were not landscaping grade. I think they cost me 4 bucks a piece and they were 8 feet long and about 8 inches thick. I cut a few of them into 4' pieces with a chainsaw so I could lay them sort of brick style. I built four beds that were each 16' long and 3' wide and on the inside of the gaps between the ties, I just nailed some used roof shingles that I got a roofer to give to me. That sort of made a barrier to keep the moisture and soil from leaching out the gaps. In the end, our beds were about 16 inches high and very easy to work with for a person in a sitting position. And as you said, I had no waste of water, fertilizer or good compost and soil. (And I had one whole bed for my own asparagus and by the end of the second summer we were literally giving bag fulls of asparagus to all our neighbors for free. I must have had 50 pounds a day all summer once it just went crazy on me.
Right on Bud. Raised beds is the only way in my opinion! I do cap it at 2 feet wide though. I just hate reaching across those 3 and 4 foot beds! Its ok if you can get around the entire perimeter though I guess!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Well, in my case, I wanted my kids mom to be able to roll down between the beds, and I actually dug up soil and laid 3 cross ties at grown level in between the beds as a firm walkway. An able bodied person wouldn't have to do that. But then she could roll off the side walk (or I could walk) in between each bed and so really we were only needing to reach half the bed from each side.
Great info, the pallets are a great way of saving money. Compost from municipalities is cheap or free but sometimes it has toxins.
I agree - Raised beds are the way to go.
I use raised beds as well and fill them with old straw in the bottom/center (core gardening) and a combination of garden soil and compost up to a couple inches from the top. I battled with fungus affecting the leaves of many plants so I started adding about two inches of sterile ProMix to the top surface and not mixing it in (Menards is selling 35 lb bags for about $13 right now.) It seems to prevent some of the fungal issues from transferring from the soil to the bottom leaves when it rains. I have three bags that I just got in the garage for next year.
Roadside skids from your local industrial areas are a great source of cheap (free) planks to get started. You can replace the skid plank beds over time then as they rot out or just keep using skits to patch them up.
The mm major reason I don't use raised bed is the soil temperature swings on the edges where I live is semi desert it gets really hot and really cold every day.
,they work for me. I get bindweed and it makes it easier to control as I can turn over the 18 inches of soil getting rid of them.
I have all raised beds. Including an old iron bath tub. I love them.
I have access to a bathtub I’m thinking seriously about using for this myself. Have you had good success?
Great explanation. Raised bed it is for me. Thanks
We decided to go with raised beds initially because they're just easier for me. I'm disabled and can't get up and down off the ground like I used to. With raised beds, I can sit and still garden!
Soil mixture: compost and peat moss, not bad.
Suggested soul mixture: mix biochar with worm castings and rock dust. The biochar will prevent nutrients from leeching to lower levels in the soil. Plus, it will encourage growth of soil bacteria and fungi. Then add compost and peat moss and manure.
Great video! Thx for the scripture verse at the end 🙌🏻
A few years ago I went through a lot of trouble to set up about 4-4X10-12 foot raised beds. Got some good soil mixed it all up and went to town. However, I noticed pretty quick that the soil would dry out faster than I could keep it watered. I rigged up a fancy drip watering system with PVC too. Maybe it's just here in West Texas but it seemed that the soil being sorta up in the air caused the Sun to really dry it out. I like the idea, and I have been toying with trying again.
Try some mulch on the top to help keep the moisture in
@@TacklingTheGiants thanks for the suggestion. I may try this if I try a raised bed again. I am thinking of building one just like yours 👍🏼
How do you prepare the raised bed. Do you have to lay down weed mat before the soil? If not then how do you prevent weeds. We get an excess of thistle weed in our raised beds that are not easy to control and have taken over the garden. We even dug out all the old soil and brought in new topsoil and we still get them.
Thanks for a good video. I've turned to container gardening this year as our soil is clay and hard to manage and I'm getting great results. I do have some pallets that I was going to use for raised beds, but I think I'll invest in some untreated lumber instead. One thing I would like to say is that peat compost isn't very eco friendly and can be prone to mould, especially in dampier climates.
I agree with your pros and cons. Good video I watched all the way to the end before I commented. I did two gardens this year. My first in ground gardens in years. the first was a traditional style but was mulched in early and very deep with fresh cut lawn grass(no sprays or chemicals on this lawn) just lots of weeds all chopped up with a 20" mower. Zero weeds all summer! my fall garden is a semi traditional slash raised bed in rows, straw for temp. mulch between the rows. this is a temporary garden that will be picked up and moved 30 yards west. at the end of the season.this works ( for now) but leaves little room for a small farm tractor or skidster to move around the south end of the greenhouses
Awesome. I love your videos. They are realistic and you aren't trying to mimic Joel and trying to sound like some yuppy that in actually has no clue what they are doing. I hate how some are so obsessed with vlogs that they are trying to teach what they don't know and use words which they don't know what they mean. I love your tractor videos as well. Nice tractor. It's very realistic.
I really found your explanation really good! I was watching a video with tons of ideas for backyard gardening and got courious that mos of them had raised beds... now I understood why!!!
I like both methods. As an older gardener raised beds are the way of the future for me as a homesteader...but I like to grow large crops of pumpkins, squash, sunflowers & other large plants that require much more garden space but they don't need any help from me at all once planted or in windy areas supported. The number one issue for me is overwhelming weed pressure in SW Ohio & issues with creeping ivy taking over beds. As I age I'll probably lean more towards Hugelkulture higher raised beds for ease of working. Good video thanks :)
That is a great point, for large vining crops like pumpkins raised beds are not the optimal choice!
OR...
You can always dig a trench and fill it... kind of like an inverse of a raised bed.
Similar to double-dig gardening, but instead a trench of compost+manure (soil mix).
Cons of raised bed:
They dry faster and use a lot more water since they are raised above the ground.
Where the wood meets the soil (and corners) are great pest/insect habitats.
Depending on the wood, you may have to replace it after 5 years. Some recycled wood material maybe contaminated, treated and not suitable for a garden bed.
That is a good alternative. Dig the soil out of the rows and put it on the bed. In the lowered path area between the beds put in wood chips. That's what I do with excellent results. Sort of a modified raised bed.
I did that in Colorado... to keep my 'trees' from getting too tall. ;-} It works great.
Can you grow Corning them?
Do you keep and use the same soil bedding every year or change it out?
Will those work for growing, peppers, carrots, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, squash,??
Can I mix regular dirt, peatmoss, potting soil, compost to fill them up?
Rookie here.
Same. We need answers lol.
I live in Canada its still winter but in spring im going to grow corn, beans, peas, radish, beets, zucchini, cucumber, lettuce
Disadvantage to raised beds, especially if they aren't big enough, is they get hotter and colder. I live in a place that sees bigger fluctuations in climate and especially in the hot dry summer the raised beds get much hotter soil that in the ground. The ground can help insulate the roots from big temperature changes.
A+ video! Best comparison I’ve seen!
Did you mention time saving? I have good native soil and had been tilling the ground every year to prep it for planting.
15 years ago, I tilled the garden area, laid down frames made of 2X5 were I wanted the beds to be, shoveled the loose soil in the pathways into the beds and raked it level.
Every year I top dress it with compost and mulch it during the season.
What took one week roto tilling and remaking the beds every year, takes one day preparing the bordered permanent beds.
EcoCentric Homestead
I do something similar. I just put fresh horse manure/straw on top in the autumn and it’s ready to plant in the spring. Just an occasional bit of hoeing.
The trick is to make the beds narrow enough for easy reach.
For new beds I splashed out on foot deep treated timber and tall solid stakes so I can easily add another row. I put cardboard down on top of the weeds and grass and piled the manure on top.
Most stables are happy for you to come and take away their manure.
I just love your videos... Very informative with the pros and cons... Been watchin your chicken videos as well... Same thing there too.... You've definately earned this subscriber...
Great info as I get ready to make my raised bed this weekend her on my Mesa Urban Homestead 😎
My first time checking out your vids. I dig it.
I've never tried a raised bed before but I think it's time to try although I will consider a smaller version to get the hang of it.
You should consider trying digging another foot deeper under where you are putting your raised beds and planting a whole fish 2 oysters and a whole corn, pack the dirt in good around it, keep the deeper soil dense so water doesn't go to far add some worms , then fill in your dirt, you can even build a slower water draining bed with a few more pieces of wood, making your bed look like a boat with a slight opening at the bottom
T Y fer yer efforts & time, to explain this.
I’m going to have a raised bed in my new house and plants some fruit trees on the other part of my property. Thanks for the info 🙏
Plant fruit trees near beds for part-sun plants ;)
Cool, video but everything he said about the raised bed I do for my traditional bed. I just but a rock border around it and treat it the same way
I will use old straw to do the job!
I do similar except that I leave the lawn between my wide-row beds (4'X25.) I never walk on the beds, and don't waste compost, etc. on the grass walkways. I don't have to freshen any wood chips between the beds because it's lawn, etc. Without wooden borders, I do have to keep a keen eye for when the lawn starts intruding into the beds and thus have to edge the bed back out, but then again I don't have any lumber edges to rot out and replace either. Over time as I've amended the beds, they do stand a bit taller than the surrounding lawn, but not as much as a true raised bed.
@@beltrams I'm planning to do the same in a few weeks, though I'm going to use 2x6 border to hold in the compost and shredded leaves that I'll be topping them with every fall.
@@myjunkmail007 Since my earlier comment, I did frame 2 beds in 2x6's and put a hinged hoop row over them.
@@beltrams I plan to try that, too! Extend the growing season. Picking a salad in the winter would be so cool. I'm in Michigan, though, so we'll see....
I also think a huge advantage of a raised bed is avoiding soppy wet folded gardens after a heavy rainy period. Thanks
I remember working at a strawberry orchard, and thought how it would be a lot better if they weren't planted in the ground, as you are bending over all day when picking them. Why not have them raised right up on shelves or something, that way you could just walk along a pick them and also maintenance would be much easier.
It's also easier to stagger your crops. You don't have to do much to the soil after one crop is done. You might put a bit of organic slow release fertilizer on there before you plant the 2nd crop but that's it. You also don't have to rotate your crops the next year if you amend you soil over the winter. The soil will never get depleted.
I made a couple videos of my modified wicking garden. Raised beds dry out too much in hot weather. You can get loads on free concrete blocks that are great to sit on. Hope it helps.