I made these two years ago. Although I used the 8' long metal instead of the 12'. I had limited space where they were going. I have heard from other ppl that anything over 8' long does require the reinforcement beams to prevent bowing. I also used deck wood. It is cheaper and looks really nice. It is treated but the metal covers the wood so no soil is touching it. I also lined the inside with landscape fabric for added protection of using treated wood. I also filled mine like he did. I am short, 5'2" so they come to mid hip which means I have no bending over at all. I have a really bad back. Being only 8' long I just hopped inside and was able to lift and carry them where I needed to as they are really light weight. 2 years later in the blazing Florida sun and massive rainfalls they are holding up like a pro built them. I'm a 58 yr old women that has never built anything even close to these beds. So if I can do it anyone can 😁. I must say those 12 footers he built looks very nice. Wish I had more room. I also made a couple of 4' x 4' boxes for herbs. Although I grew carrots last season in one. Happy gardening 😊. Oh...and I did use those fabulous screws with the star bits. The drill grips them so wonderfully. I did not use that pocket drill jig thing tho. I made a small pilot hole and then angled where I needed to.
I recently built some of these raised beds with metal panels. I, too, used pocket holes. @ 15:19, you mention that you do not need to use pocket hole screws and that regular construction screws will work in the pocket holes. IMHO, this is a bad mistake and I hope you correct it. Regular screws can split the pocket hole and pull through easily. The pocket hole screws are designed specifically for pocket holes and have self tapping drill ends and a flat washer sized head to prevent the screw from being pulled through the pocket hole. If you are going to spend all the time and money to make these great raised beds, spend an extra dollar or two and get the correct pocket hole screws to keep everything together for years. I am very happy with my metal panel raised beds, saved a lot of money, but please, use the correct screws for the pocket holes if you want the build to last.
@@R.L.U. My main point is that I think it is a mistake to go cheap on the screws that will hold this project together. FWIW, I did not use the regular pocket hole kit for my build, I used the HD (Heavy Duty) Pocket Hole kit which uses even thicker HD screws for dimensional lumber. The HD kit and thicker HD pocket hole screws may be an overbuild in this case, but I tend to over build on most of my projects. If someone wants/needs to save a little money using regular screws and bulk washers/lock washers, I would suggest joining a few pieces of scrap wood together first and make sure your joint holds. Again, these are great raised beds and you want them to last for years.
I actually built nearly identical beds 4' x 8' before watching this video . I also decided to skip the Kreg brand screws, in favor of generic exterior #8 x 2" screws. Reasoning was that there should be minimal force on the vertical joints, plus the steel skin will guarantee no movement. One additional thing I did was include a little Titebond 3 in all the joints, since Kreg recommends using glue with pocket hole joints. Since glue joints are stronger than wood itself, pocket screws in one sense can be thought of as clamps for glue.
11:25 A simple Cap Plate , 1x4 2x4 etc, run perpendicularly to the bowed board below . James Prigioni from The Gardening Channel has a GREAT example of this application 😁 I went cheap, all pine. But coated on the inside with Teak Oil 👍 one year later still good Beautiful Garden ❗
similar to mine, except no pressure treated. Burn the bottoms. if you prop the bed up on small bricks, and have the inner roofing slightly lower than the bottom of the wood, it will prevent dirt to wood direct contact somewhat, helping keep your wood from rotting as quickly. Also something to consider is adding a mesh on the bottom of the raised bed if you have ground tunnelers!
Always enjoy your perspective. Consice, educational, entertaining and most important, to the point. Thanks for your composting videos. We're making our 1st batch of hot compost and using Bokashi for kitchen scraps
Steven, where can I find your box build plans for your raised beds? We want to make them this month before planting next month. They’re so pretty and my back needs them desperately!
Drip tape into the beds saves time and water which is money. Love your beautiful beds. We are farmers that plant lots to sell! But getting some of these for older years ! Thanks!
Hi there, I was watching Self-sufficient Me and saw a video from a few years ago where someone was interviewing you and came to your channel to check it out. I see you have moved to a new place with more room, I think that was a good idea. I am an American living in Thailand and will be building a house next year and plane to have a garden that will be about 1/2 acre. Do to having had 4 back surgeries and now being an old fart I want to do the raised bed method of gardening. I do like your raised beds but I think I'm gonna be using the Birdies raised beds like Mark has done. He mentioned in a recent video that he has one bed that he has had for over 15 years and no rust or anything else wrong with it. I am impressed with that. I watched Mark put one together that was 12 feet I think straight out of the box and it took him about 30 minutes. I really like that. I enjoyed watching this video so I subscribed to your channel and look forward to seeing where you go with your garden. One question I do have is how has this virus effected your business, have you lost customer's or has your business increased? I would think some people don't want to go out and get around other people so if you would do home deliveries that would go over great with those types of people. Looking forward to seeing your next video.
I build this style of beds down in Florida. Mine is different in the fact that the boards on my frame are 90 degrees off yours. I also reinforced the top with a 2 x 6 top rail. Works great. Thanks for all your info.
First time watching one of your videos.I would like to say you have a lovely place there and I must admit I'm a little jealous. This has got to be the most informative video I've seen on UA-cam great job!
Thank you for all of the wonderful information that you share. I am in middle TN and curious if you have any suggestions on how to start a garden on a slope/hill? I’m thinking raised beds like these would be more ideal, but my slope is more steep 🙃 if you have a video to direct me to, I would appreciate it!
I built 6 of these last fall that look just like yours. Mine are 8' x 3' long (I should have gone 4' wide but already had 3' hardware cloth to add underneath lol, so it is what it is)and to keep them from bowing I used water heater straps in the middle from one side to the other. I attached with screws, but in hindsight I should have probably drilled straight through and attached with bolts, because the as the wood deteriorates I'm sure the screws will pull out. I think these beds look really nice and I even added cattle panels between some for cukes and tomatoes, I love it.
I did almost this exact method BEFORE I saw your video... and I wish I HAD seen it 😭 overall I'm okay with them but they aren't nearly as level as yours, and I really like how you attached them vs how I attached them. Great job and thanks for the tips!
all thread rod... instead of weed mat I use discarded carpet... free at almost any carpet place...I have had the same carpet on my driveway (20 degrees slant for erosion control ) for 28 years! Does the hose reel have a drain cock for winter drainage?
Do you not get a lot of weeds cropping up in the beds? Doing it again, would you recommend something that separates the natural ground from the bottom of the bed? Thank you so much for this! I feel empowered to build myself a little veggie garden!!
The first Garden bed I built 5 years ago, I put a lot of effort into giving it a good soil and gave it another good layer of compost the second year. I haven't had to add much of anything since and it still produces quite well. My 2 new beds on the other hand, I put cheap soil in them and it was in 2020 when there was a compost shortage. So lets just say I am already out of fertility and will be making big amendments this year.
hi there thank you for your video I am intrested un building these raised beds I have some wood witch is 4x4 and I wanted to ask what type of screw do you recommend for building the fraime with 4x4 thank you fir your advise in advance
We live in las vegas and temperature here is brutal during summer,was thinking to make like this but because of weather here kinda bummer,i love this idea though
Good job. Looks nice. You might consider also some construction UA-cams. They will commonly show you how to use string lines to layout alignments and make them square. Much much more accurate than a little 6” speed square. 3-4-5 will at least give you square for one corner which would be 10 or more times accurate than the triangle.
Love what you guys are doing! Those beds look neat & tidy, if there is a bit of warping,etc no big deal, you can adjust things along the way if needed, fantastic way to build up the beds inside. We are going to do the same, having seen yours. The mighty pick is an essential tool on our place too. Thank you for the mountains of work you do in sharing your knowledge with us, Cheers from Australia 👍🇦🇺🌺
I have always tried to use logs to fill the base layer of my garden beds (like they do in Hugelkultur) and had good results. Also the need for irrigation was also less. And I like your style of thinking when it comes to the architecture of the garden beds. It always adds to the beauty when you have the right measurements and angles, because gardening is also an art 🙂
I would also like to add if you have access to bamboo they would be another great and cheap alternative to spending all that money on wood! It also gives you a nice natural look😊
OMG 😆 ROFLM@O when the water came out of the hose🤣🤣🤣Gotcha 💦 Love your garden & raised beds🥰. I’m sure you’re feeling so blessed to be in your new home 🏡 I have raised beds & greenhouse… also do hugelkulture👍👍 I’ve been hit & miss with watching YT… being old has advantages & disadvantages 😵💫😵💫😆. Stamina is one 🤪🤪👵🏻👩🌾❣️
Very nice raised beds, we live in the north western part of Tennessee, I was wondering where you got the mushroom compost. I've been trying to find some since we relocated here from San Diego.
Hello from TN! Welcome to Tennessee. I just found you today, August 28, 2022! Watched your chicken coop video too. The next rainy day we get up here on the Plateau, I'm going to get a cup of tea and binge watch some of your videos! Which part of TN are you in? Not looking for exact location, just in general. Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga area? We are near the Big Southfork River and Recreation Park. Does your area have high Humidity ? Lol. Your body will adapt! Hope you enjoy your life here in TN. We have lived in many States. I was born in TN, the Appalachia Mountains are in my genes. We have lived in Oregon, Washington State, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, and visited many more. We have been back in TN for 28 years. Love your videos and wish you happiness at your Tennessee Homestead! GOD bless
Great video, I tried an in ground garden and voles and bugs ate everything by the time it was 4” tall. So I’m going to try raised beds with 1/2” stainless hardware cloth secured on the bottom and see how that works. I wouldn’t recommend using normal construction screws because they rust out and break after 15-20 years. Use coated decking screws
I honestly almost gave up gardening because of my vole and investigation. This spring I got solar powered stake thingies that vibrate every 20 seconds in the ground. It came with four of them but it says they manage a 4,000 square-foot area. It was a last ditch try but they're actually working! If you're still having trouble I suggest looking them up. They weren't that expensive
I actually have a small cattle fence business a couple minutes away that throw away heat treated pallets, barrels and 3x4x4s and 4x4x4s every day. I have about 60 of each. Too bad you don't live closer. Haha I'm super interested to see how you built the in ground beds though! I've been saving up cardboard.
Steven - thanks for making this video. I really like the design of these raised beds. One question for you, how are you able to keep deer out of your garden? Thanks.
Is there a way to build your raised beds on top of existing typical wooden raised beds? I made my beds years ago before by back hurt. Yours look so much more comfortable. Thanks
As long as that original wood isn't treated I'd just build the new beds surrounding the old and let that wood decompose under the soil of the new bed. That would be the least work I think.
You have been working hard, my friend! Wow! Its looking great! This was a super video. I always learn alot from them. And I've taken alot of your advice. I wish you had talked a bit about your landscape fabric. There are alot of choices out there and I'm confused. So I was wondering if you had advice on that topic, for a home gardener.
Hi for a mole problem in vegetable raised beds Do you lay down wire mesh and then the soil? Or wire mesh then landscaping cloth then soil? Thank you for your videos
I’m a newbie, i like the idea of the higher raised beds. For carbon layer, I often see limb or tree clippings people leave for garbage pick up. Any issue sourcing from that? Also I have a lot of pine trees that have left pine needles I’ve blown into a pile . Are those a good medium to use? Seems like if you don’t get this right, you’ll have a uphill battle so want to be sure i’m using the right things…
In our next of the woods, tree trimming companies will drop a load of tree chips for free. Probably the best source. If you know the neighbor’s tree wasn’t diseased, that should be fine. Pine needles might create an imbalance but most leaves, especially if sucked into a leaf blower/mulcher is a great way to start the compost process.
Did you put garden fabric under beds? How long do you have these style bed do you fell the wood might rot at bottom because they are dug in to the ground with you being on a slope
No not under the soil only under the wood. The wood on the bottom is pressure treated to help with that. Only 1 year, we shall see how long they last. So far no issues.
Did you happen to mention the idea of staining the wood to help preserve it? Is there a more natural way to help with that? I love your beds and can't wait to get mine made. Thanks
Galvanized metal does not absorb the heat, it actually deflects it. If you put a thermometer on it during the heat of the day, you will find the metal cooler than the outside ground around it.
Regular, untreated 2x4’s will be okay for years. They’ll grey a bit after 1. If you use like a linseed or other natural penetrating oil, or shou Sugi ban (fire treat) the wood, it will last for years and decades.
It is very how this video stated that raised beds are for small gardens and farm. It says you wont need raised bed. But if you want aesthetics, it will be great. ❤❤❤
Hey Steven and the gardening community, quick question, I'm looking to set up a raised garden bed at my condo and a concrete patio is the only option I have for this. What would you recommend for the lining for the bottom of the garden bed (to prevent leaking of soil outside of the beds)? Thick plastic or high quality landscape fabric? I know both will get the job done but I am concerned about both of these fabrics leaking chemicals into the soil. Are there more healthy alternatives? Any feedback would be appreciated!
Landscape fabric should not leach chemicals into the soil, but it absolutely will leak water out across your patio. With no exposure to the sun or boiling water, the plastic shouldn’t leach chemicals either. IMO, There are several better options for planters on concrete, and primarily using a wicking bed concept. If you are wanting a large size closer to this, you might look for an IBC tote (about 4’ cubed), and cut it in half for 2 wicking beds. I was just reviewing some videos by Leon, LDS Prepper and others. Lower maintenance and more water efficient. If you were really committed to these beds and not have liquid leaking across your patio, you could add a bottom of wood or metal and seal the joints with a silicone caulk. By doing that without a wicking design though, you run the risk of root rot.
We have gophers. We made a hugelkulture mound and then later decided to make a raised bed. We put chicken wire on top of the wood and now the gophers can fit through and destroyed everything. So I didn’t use the correct wire and now I have to redo everything. Do you suggest we start over? I have weeds which I covered in cardboard and mulch so should we put the wire on top and fill it with wood. Sorry I know my questions sound discombobulated. I live in San Diego and it’s the desert here, super dry, no rain, super hot. Zone 10. When you said you’ve only watered twice it boggles my mind because I water every day. Thanks for any feedback
I’ve been building these beds in 4x8 and 4x12 and I use 4x4’s along the long sides. I figured this would stop any bowing from happening. Just my two cents.
It’s so crazy windy in Oklahoma it’s so annoying . Also pests !! Leaf miners went to town last year so I’ve gotten some mosquito mesh to put over my plants but UGH WHY IS GARDENING SO HARD !! I feel like I continually fail and have hiccups and don’t reap much of a reward
Do you have issues with deer or other animals? I had to put an electric fence around my in ground beds and have seriously been considering adding some raised beds a little closer to the house. I had a few grow bags close to the house with peppers and the deer had a nice snack early in the season. Luckily it was early and they came back and are now loaded with peppers(I put chicken wire around them. Do pie tins really work to keep them away. Don't really want to add a fence since that, to me, defeats the purpose of the raised beds. Being easily accessable. Thanks in advance and for all the advice( have put quite a bit of it to use).
So far I have not from any critter and I'm kind of surprised. I do have electric fence running on one side of the property as well as pigs and a dog so I think that deters them a bit too.
I have issues with deer. You can easily install PVC hoops on these raised beds and cover them with bird/deer netting. Bonus idea, you can also use the hoops and cover them with plastic to extend your growing season.
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I made these two years ago. Although I used the 8' long metal instead of the 12'. I had limited space where they were going. I have heard from other ppl that anything over 8' long does require the reinforcement beams to prevent bowing. I also used deck wood. It is cheaper and looks really nice. It is treated but the metal covers the wood so no soil is touching it. I also lined the inside with landscape fabric for added protection of using treated wood. I also filled mine like he did. I am short, 5'2" so they come to mid hip which means I have no bending over at all. I have a really bad back. Being only 8' long I just hopped inside and was able to lift and carry them where I needed to as they are really light weight. 2 years later in the blazing Florida sun and massive rainfalls they are holding up like a pro built them. I'm a 58 yr old women that has never built anything even close to these beds. So if I can do it anyone can 😁. I must say those 12 footers he built looks very nice. Wish I had more room. I also made a couple of 4' x 4' boxes for herbs. Although I grew carrots last season in one. Happy gardening 😊. Oh...and I did use those fabulous screws with the star bits. The drill grips them so wonderfully. I did not use that pocket drill jig thing tho. I made a small pilot hole and then angled where I needed to.
I'm in Florida too, and wondered if the plants would bake in the summer. Happy to know I can use this design.
Are the metal sheets not rusting with exposure to water and soil?
@@MatsobaneKhwinana I'd assume no since they are made to be on roofs
I'm in NW Florida and using carpet under them. Free. I'm a scrounger granma from way back. lol@@MsPenchi
I recently built some of these raised beds with metal panels. I, too, used pocket holes. @ 15:19, you mention that you do not need to use pocket hole screws and that regular construction screws will work in the pocket holes. IMHO, this is a bad mistake and I hope you correct it. Regular screws can split the pocket hole and pull through easily. The pocket hole screws are designed specifically for pocket holes and have self tapping drill ends and a flat washer sized head to prevent the screw from being pulled through the pocket hole. If you are going to spend all the time and money to make these great raised beds, spend an extra dollar or two and get the correct pocket hole screws to keep everything together for years. I am very happy with my metal panel raised beds, saved a lot of money, but please, use the correct screws for the pocket holes if you want the build to last.
If this is a concern to people, you can also buy cheap bulk washers or lock washers would work too which are even cheaper.
@@R.L.U. My main point is that I think it is a mistake to go cheap on the screws that will hold this project together. FWIW, I did not use the regular pocket hole kit for my build, I used the HD (Heavy Duty) Pocket Hole kit which uses even thicker HD screws for dimensional lumber. The HD kit and thicker HD pocket hole screws may be an overbuild in this case, but I tend to over build on most of my projects. If someone wants/needs to save a little money using regular screws and bulk washers/lock washers, I would suggest joining a few pieces of scrap wood together first and make sure your joint holds. Again, these are great raised beds and you want them to last for years.
I actually built nearly identical beds 4' x 8' before watching this video . I also decided to skip the Kreg brand screws, in favor of generic exterior #8 x 2" screws. Reasoning was that there should be minimal force on the vertical joints, plus the steel skin will guarantee no movement. One additional thing I did was include a little Titebond 3 in all the joints, since Kreg recommends using glue with pocket hole joints. Since glue joints are stronger than wood itself, pocket screws in one sense can be thought of as clamps for glue.
Oh my goodness Steven youve done so much hard work on your property. Your raised beds are beautiful!! ❤
11:25 A simple Cap Plate , 1x4 2x4 etc, run perpendicularly to the bowed board below . James Prigioni from The Gardening Channel has a GREAT example of this application 😁
I went cheap, all pine. But coated on the inside with Teak Oil 👍 one year later still good
Beautiful Garden ❗
similar to mine, except no pressure treated. Burn the bottoms. if you prop the bed up on small bricks, and have the inner roofing slightly lower than the bottom of the wood, it will prevent dirt to wood direct contact somewhat, helping keep your wood from rotting as quickly. Also something to consider is adding a mesh on the bottom of the raised bed if you have ground tunnelers!
Always enjoy your perspective. Consice, educational, entertaining and most important, to the point. Thanks for your composting videos. We're making our 1st batch of hot compost and using Bokashi for kitchen scraps
Steven, where can I find your box build plans for your raised beds? We want to make them this month before planting next month. They’re so pretty and my back needs them desperately!
Drip tape into the beds saves time and water which is money. Love your beautiful beds. We are farmers that plant lots to sell! But getting some of these for older years ! Thanks!
You definitely have a passion/ gifting and calling for doing what y'all are doing...Thank you...
Hi there, I was watching Self-sufficient Me and saw a video from a few years ago where someone was interviewing you and came to your channel to check it out. I see you have moved to a new place with more room, I think that was a good idea.
I am an American living in Thailand and will be building a house next year and plane to have a garden that will be about 1/2 acre. Do to having had 4 back surgeries and now being an old fart I want to do the raised bed method of gardening. I do like your raised beds but I think I'm gonna be using the Birdies raised beds like Mark has done. He mentioned in a recent video that he has one bed that he has had for over 15 years and no rust or anything else wrong with it. I am impressed with that. I watched Mark put one together that was 12 feet I think straight out of the box and it took him about 30 minutes. I really like that.
I enjoyed watching this video so I subscribed to your channel and look forward to seeing where you go with your garden. One question I do have is how has this virus effected your business, have you lost customer's or has your business increased? I would think some people don't want to go out and get around other people so if you would do home deliveries that would go over great with those types of people.
Looking forward to seeing your next video.
My husband made me 3 of those. I'm very happy with them.
I was waiting for this video ! I was three months late to look for it. Its never too late ..! Thank you for your work.
I build this style of beds down in Florida. Mine is different in the fact that the boards on my frame are 90 degrees off yours. I also reinforced the top with a 2 x 6 top rail. Works great. Thanks for all your info.
First time watching one of your videos.I would like to say you have a lovely place there and I must admit I'm a little jealous. This has got to be the most informative video I've seen on UA-cam great job!
Thank you for all of the wonderful information that you share. I am in middle TN and curious if you have any suggestions on how to start a garden on a slope/hill? I’m thinking raised beds like these would be more ideal, but my slope is more steep 🙃 if you have a video to direct me to, I would appreciate it!
I built 6 of these last fall that look just like yours. Mine are 8' x 3' long (I should have gone 4' wide but already had 3' hardware cloth to add underneath lol, so it is what it is)and to keep them from bowing I used water heater straps in the middle from one side to the other. I attached with screws, but in hindsight I should have probably drilled straight through and attached with bolts, because the as the wood deteriorates I'm sure the screws will pull out. I think these beds look really nice and I even added cattle panels between some for cukes and tomatoes, I love it.
Beds look great! Looks super similar to ours and we love how tall they are making it so much easier to work in the garden.
Good video. Onward to Beartaria!
Thank you for this information on leveling this is gonna be a lot easier especially where I’m putting mine
i am liking this idea for perennial plants
I did almost this exact method BEFORE I saw your video... and I wish I HAD seen it 😭 overall I'm okay with them but they aren't nearly as level as yours, and I really like how you attached them vs how I attached them. Great job and thanks for the tips!
all thread rod... instead of weed mat I use discarded carpet... free at almost any carpet place...I have had the same carpet on my driveway (20 degrees slant for erosion control ) for 28 years! Does the hose reel have a drain cock for winter drainage?
Definitely recommend Hardware͏ cloth at bottom to keep out Gophers before filling
So glad you did this!! I’ve been eye balling it for awhile. Thanks
Do you not get a lot of weeds cropping up in the beds? Doing it again, would you recommend something that separates the natural ground from the bottom of the bed? Thank you so much for this! I feel empowered to build myself a little veggie garden!!
Hey Steven,
Where do you get your mushroom compost..? Locally or in a Box Store, etc...
Nice job on the raised beds Steven. Videos are looking awesome too. -Your friend, Miranda
What do you think about using 5mm thick polypropylene sheets instead of galvanized steel sheets?
The first Garden bed I built 5 years ago, I put a lot of effort into giving it a good soil and gave it another good layer of compost the second year. I haven't had to add much of anything since and it still produces quite well. My 2 new beds on the other hand, I put cheap soil in them and it was in 2020 when there was a compost shortage. So lets just say I am already out of fertility and will be making big amendments this year.
hi there thank you for your video I am intrested un building these raised beds I have some wood witch is 4x4 and I wanted to ask what type of screw do you recommend for building the fraime with 4x4 thank you fir your advise in advance
Totally love the hose reel that’ll come in very handy
We live in las vegas and temperature here is brutal during summer,was thinking to make like this but because of weather here kinda bummer,i love this idea though
Good job. Looks nice.
You might consider also some construction UA-cams. They will commonly show you how to use string lines to layout alignments and make them square. Much much more accurate than a little 6” speed square. 3-4-5 will at least give you square for one corner which would be 10 or more times accurate than the triangle.
Love what you guys are doing! Those beds look neat & tidy, if there is a bit of warping,etc no big deal, you can adjust things along the way if needed, fantastic way to build up the beds inside. We are going to do the same, having seen yours. The mighty pick is an essential tool on our place too. Thank you for the mountains of work you do in sharing your knowledge with us, Cheers from Australia 👍🇦🇺🌺
Great video!! My Mom's moving to a new home and we'll look at these as an option
Thanks for sharing
I have always tried to use logs to fill the base layer of my garden beds (like they do in Hugelkultur) and had good results. Also the need for irrigation was also less.
And I like your style of thinking when it comes to the architecture of the garden beds. It always adds to the beauty when you have the right measurements and angles, because gardening is also an art 🙂
I would also like to add if you have access to bamboo they would be another great and cheap alternative to spending all that money on wood! It also gives you a nice natural look😊
Do you treat your bamboo at all?
Beautiful garden beds.
I'm digging the beard dude!
I’m thinking of using this raised bed design but make it a wicking bed also, what do you think?
Nice! I love the hose. I will probably get one. Thanks for sharing.
OMG 😆 ROFLM@O when the water came out of the hose🤣🤣🤣Gotcha 💦
Love your garden & raised beds🥰. I’m sure you’re feeling so blessed to be in your new home 🏡
I have raised beds & greenhouse… also do hugelkulture👍👍
I’ve been hit & miss with watching YT… being old has advantages & disadvantages 😵💫😵💫😆. Stamina is one 🤪🤪👵🏻👩🌾❣️
Very helpful! Thx for effort in pushing out to us. 👍
won't the steel get too hot during hot summer months? Did it stress your crops?
Thanks! Just used your link to purchase the Hoselink.
Very nice raised beds, we live in the north western part of Tennessee, I was wondering where you got the mushroom compost. I've been trying to find some since we relocated here from San Diego.
Thane StClair look to see if there are any mushroom farms in your area. You can generally get compost from them. If not Lowes sells it.
Hello from TN! Welcome to Tennessee. I just found you today, August 28, 2022! Watched your chicken coop video too. The next rainy day we get up here on the Plateau, I'm going to get a cup of tea and binge watch some of your videos! Which part of TN are you in? Not looking for exact location, just in general. Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga area? We are near the Big Southfork River and Recreation Park. Does your area have high Humidity ? Lol. Your body will adapt!
Hope you enjoy your life here in TN. We have lived in many States. I was born in TN, the Appalachia Mountains are in my genes. We have lived in Oregon, Washington State, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, and visited many more. We have been back in TN for 28 years.
Love your videos and wish you happiness at your Tennessee Homestead! GOD bless
Very nice. Chatt area :) I was meant to live here, perfect culture and climate for me.
@@NaturesAlwaysRight Isn't it wonderful when you are finally Home. You are a little less than 3 hours South of us. Again, welcome home. GOD bless
Going to Lowes today!
What gauge / thickness is the calvanized steel ?
Great video, I tried an in ground garden and voles and bugs ate everything by the time it was 4” tall. So I’m going to try raised beds with 1/2” stainless hardware cloth secured on the bottom and see how that works. I wouldn’t recommend using normal construction screws because they rust out and break after 15-20 years. Use coated decking screws
I honestly almost gave up gardening because of my vole and investigation. This spring I got solar powered stake thingies that vibrate every 20 seconds in the ground. It came with four of them but it says they manage a 4,000 square-foot area. It was a last ditch try but they're actually working! If you're still having trouble I suggest looking them up. They weren't that expensive
you can put used carpet (free) under raised beds too
I actually have a small cattle fence business a couple minutes away that throw away heat treated pallets, barrels and 3x4x4s and 4x4x4s every day. I have about 60 of each. Too bad you don't live closer. Haha I'm super interested to see how you built the in ground beds though! I've been saving up cardboard.
Plans? I subscribed to the newsletter and want to build these. Where do I get the plans? Thanks.
They look great. Raised beds are the way to go. Weeding is a cinch and you have fewer pests to contend with, like rabbits.
Steven - thanks for making this video. I really like the design of these raised beds. One question for you, how are you able to keep deer out of your garden? Thanks.
Wow so beautiful I love that
Is there a way to build your raised beds on top of existing typical wooden raised beds? I made my beds years ago before by back hurt. Yours look so much more comfortable. Thanks
As long as that original wood isn't treated I'd just build the new beds surrounding the old and let that wood decompose under the soil of the new bed. That would be the least work I think.
How do you protect the edge of the sheets so as not to cut yourself working along the sides of the beds?
This is a fun video to watch for a lot of reasons! 😂😂😂
Good tips, thank you! Oh, and those are Pocket Holes, not pilot holes. They’re great!
Nice video Steven
I Been there cut corners doesn’t always pay but we do the best we can
Thanks I am a single mom and now I will build these!
Love these style...I'll have to try them out.
Thank you for this video
best video ever
You have been working hard, my friend! Wow! Its looking great! This was a super video. I always learn alot from them. And I've taken alot of your advice. I wish you had talked a bit about your landscape fabric. There are alot of choices out there and I'm confused. So I was wondering if you had advice on that topic, for a home gardener.
I use thrown away carpet... free
Hi for a mole problem in vegetable raised beds Do you lay down wire mesh and then the soil? Or wire mesh then landscaping cloth then soil? Thank you for your videos
try used carpet under the beds. free... wire and mesh can get expensive
Is there a link for the downloadable plans? Can't seem to find one...
Very nice looking raised beds!
I’m a newbie, i like the idea of the higher raised beds. For carbon layer, I often see limb or tree clippings people leave for garbage pick up. Any issue sourcing from that? Also I have a lot of pine trees that have left pine needles I’ve blown into a pile . Are those a good medium to use? Seems like if you don’t get this right, you’ll have a uphill battle so want to be sure i’m using the right things…
In our next of the woods, tree trimming companies will drop a load of tree chips for free. Probably the best source. If you know the neighbor’s tree wasn’t diseased, that should be fine. Pine needles might create an imbalance but most leaves, especially if sucked into a leaf blower/mulcher is a great way to start the compost process.
I use them all the time in NW Florida... no issues
They look great 👍
Thank you. Enjoyed the video.
Did you put garden fabric under beds?
How long do you have these style bed do you fell the wood might rot at bottom because they are dug in to the ground with you being on a slope
No not under the soil only under the wood. The wood on the bottom is pressure treated to help with that. Only 1 year, we shall see how long they last. So far no issues.
Pressure treated lumber if rated for ground contact will last for decades. Be careful though, not all PT is rated for ground contact.
Did you happen to mention the idea of staining the wood to help preserve it? Is there a more natural way to help with that? I love your beds and can't wait to get mine made. Thanks
Burn wood surface.
Good detailed video
Galvanized metal does not absorb the heat, it actually deflects it. If you put a thermometer on it during the heat of the day, you will find the metal cooler than the outside ground around it.
Great video.
I live in Texas where it gets really hot. Do you think these will make the plant roots too hot?
I don't believe so, even in the 90s the soil temp on the other side just felt warm. Or just do 2x12' boards works great.
Love this video
Hey how are the non treated 2x4s holding up after 8 months of weather? I just found your channel and subbed.
Regular, untreated 2x4’s will be okay for years. They’ll grey a bit after 1. If you use like a linseed or other natural penetrating oil, or shou Sugi ban (fire treat) the wood, it will last for years and decades.
How long will the metal be decomposed ?
It is very how this video stated that raised beds are for small gardens and farm. It says you wont need raised bed. But if you want aesthetics, it will be great. ❤❤❤
When will the building plans be completed?
Hey Steven and the gardening community, quick question, I'm looking to set up a raised garden bed at my condo and a concrete patio is the only option I have for this. What would you recommend for the lining for the bottom of the garden bed (to prevent leaking of soil outside of the beds)? Thick plastic or high quality landscape fabric? I know both will get the job done but I am concerned about both of these fabrics leaking chemicals into the soil. Are there more healthy alternatives? Any feedback would be appreciated!
Landscape fabric should not leach chemicals into the soil, but it absolutely will leak water out across your patio. With no exposure to the sun or boiling water, the plastic shouldn’t leach chemicals either.
IMO, There are several better options for planters on concrete, and primarily using a wicking bed concept. If you are wanting a large size closer to this, you might look for an IBC tote (about 4’ cubed), and cut it in half for 2 wicking beds. I was just reviewing some videos by Leon, LDS Prepper and others. Lower maintenance and more water efficient.
If you were really committed to these beds and not have liquid leaking across your patio, you could add a bottom of wood or metal and seal the joints with a silicone caulk. By doing that without a wicking design though, you run the risk of root rot.
Is it okay to use grass clippings instead of wood chips?
Grass clippings would be good and provide nitrogen to balance the carbon in the wood. It’s what you would do for making compost.
We have gophers. We made a hugelkulture mound and then later decided to make a raised bed. We put chicken wire on top of the wood and now the gophers can fit through and destroyed everything. So I didn’t use the correct wire and now I have to redo everything. Do you suggest we start over? I have weeds which I covered in cardboard and mulch so should we put the wire on top and fill it with wood. Sorry I know my questions sound discombobulated. I live in San Diego and it’s the desert here, super dry, no rain, super hot. Zone 10. When you said you’ve only watered twice it boggles my mind because I water every day. Thanks for any feedback
Oh my comment on the weeds was about moving the cardboard and mulch or leave it underneath the bed. I don’t want to use plastic.
I am new to,this so please provide materials list and measurements. Only a new person would ask for this😀
Do they have to be so high?
I’ve been building these beds in 4x8 and 4x12 and I use 4x4’s along the long sides. I figured this would stop any bowing from happening. Just my two cents.
Did you at least put the bow inside facing the dirt?
You can get a 40 dollar kreg jig set up with out the clamp and then just use your own clamps.
If the metal gets really hot from the sun is there danger of off gassing?
No
How can I get a copy of the plans? I subscribed to your list but not received
It’s so crazy windy in Oklahoma it’s so annoying . Also pests !! Leaf miners went to town last year so I’ve gotten some mosquito mesh to put over my plants but UGH WHY IS GARDENING SO HARD !! I feel like I continually fail and have hiccups and don’t reap much of a reward
Do you have issues with deer or other animals? I had to put an electric fence around my in ground beds and have seriously been considering adding some raised beds a little closer to the house. I had a few grow bags close to the house with peppers and the deer had a nice snack early in the season. Luckily it was early and they came back and are now loaded with peppers(I put chicken wire around them. Do pie tins really work to keep them away. Don't really want to add a fence since that, to me, defeats the purpose of the raised beds. Being easily accessable. Thanks in advance and for all the advice( have put quite a bit of it to use).
So far I have not from any critter and I'm kind of surprised. I do have electric fence running on one side of the property as well as pigs and a dog so I think that deters them a bit too.
I have issues with deer. You can easily install PVC hoops on these raised beds and cover them with bird/deer netting. Bonus idea, you can also use the hoops and cover them with plastic to extend your growing season.
Am in Chandler would like to see your firm
Where do you get manual. Or do you have some
Measure twice cut once!!
I love your video, ofcourse Im really leaning towards the beard. lol great video!
Why not use raised beds for your seed plots. I take everything to seed, but definitely could use it's smaller area specifically for your go to crops.