I have tall trees on the north border of my garden and cannot remove them as they are on the property line and my neighbor loves them. The roots are vigorous and suck the life out of in-ground beds, so raised beds with a weed barrier underneath are the way to go.
There is something satisfying about putting that hardware cloth under the soil winning the gopher war before it begins! We have used stock tanks and washer tanks. They are high enough to minimize back issues.
I use raised beds or containers for all my veggies because my area used to be part of a landfill. That was already over 50 years ago but they still monitor for methane. There hasn’t been any detected in the 25 years I’ve been in my house. I’m also finding it better on my back since my accident a few years ago that caused a compression fracture of my one vertebrae. My beds are all 12 inches deep and I may raise some of then to 15 or 18 inches to make planting and harvesting easier for things other than tomatoes. I don’t want to need a ladder for them lol
Don't forget to advise people to try to be aware of the compost contamination problem and avoid compost including mushroom compost that could be contaminated with wastes from animals fed grass treated with broad leaf pesticides which includes many brands previously thought to be trustworthy. Personally, I'm making my own soil from yard waste and chopped dried leaves and coconut coir, fermented fruit and veg waste using the Bokashi composting method,rabbit manure from a local rabbit farm and also Fox Farms Bat Guano and earthworm castings. I use both the ground and raised beds.
Also you might say, "I'm going to be planting asparagus which needs to be planted deeply."
Been thinking of getting rid of my side yard that is grass (grass and weeds) so this is a video I need to see again …. and I will need to enlist a couple of helpers to do some of the hauling, hammering, etc. Doable — going to keep thinking. Thank you
As long as you have good native soil that’s not a heavy clay, I prefer a 50/50 mix of native soil to compost/potting soil. I also, usually add extra perlite to my mix to help avoid compaction. I used to used 100% organic potting soil only in my raised beds, but found that they suffered this way, requiring more water and the plants were stressed.
I had three bookcases I was ready to give away until I had the thought of using them for raised beds this year. I've only used milk paint on them so I'm guessing they'll be safe for growing crops. Thank you Brian for keeping us all motivated.
Love my raised beds. So much easier to control the nutrients that go into them, and it’s easier to control the weeds all around. For some bigger gardens that I take care of, and the owners don’t want to build standard raised, I’ve built hugelkulture beds. Those are a workout to build, but fun.
I have tall raised beds. Best thing ever, saves my back and knees. My husband made one or two a year with mostly salvaged materials. We were lucky to get our hands on cedar and metal roofing panels. I mulch heavily and I water less than I did in the ground.
I bought a "garden blend" from a local landscaping business to fill two new beds I built last year. It was a mix of compost and top soil. Planted tomatoes i those two beds and nematodes did them in quickly. No problems at all with my older beds, so I attribute it to getting contaminated soil. Is that a fair assumption?
every time I watch your videos, I'm thankful we don't have gophers! My husband built me foot tall beds & then found a little cart called a Garden Buddy. I can roll along my garden and am happy gardener. He hauls construction products & got free 4×10 boards, so ours are mostly that size. To deal with rabbits, a 2 ft tall chicken wire around the inside mostly stops the rabbits.
Good morning! Thank you for all of your great information, as always! A few years back, (2?, 3?), you gave a 4 wk series on gardening basics. In it you gave a link to spring and fall frost dates. I went back and watched the video and went to the garden channel link but am unable to find 'how to find' my frost dates or to get to the spreadsheet that you had developed for starting seeds. Will you help me access that information again? I would really appreciate your help. Thank you.
Oh, I don't use social media other than following some gardening/homesteading YouTube channels, no Facebook.
I was on a large piece of property for years. My garden was on a slope(20×30) started with horse manure. I wanted raised beds after a few years but my husband would do it. Fast forward to 3 years ago, we moved. My garden area was smaller and on the natural soil made with cinder block. We had done some major landscaping last year and we flattened and graveled my garden area. Built pressure treated beds 18 in high. My first layer in the beds was cardboard followed by sticks and logs from a neighbor who cleared their land. I then followed with compost from a company that makes compost and other mediums. I have no issues with the compost. Last year was a banner year! Best harvest I've ever had. After the season, I layered the beds with all the leaves that had fallen in the fall. I will be turning the soil this week to prepare the beds! I have learned a lot from you and will be planting closer together. Thank you for all your helpful tips!!!
box stores have seconds/damaged wood racks, Check for them. For example HD will sell you TREX at 70% off for chipped decking. Lasts FOREVER and is tongue and groove. I got reclaimed wood from a pipe shipping company true 2x6x10' (((OAK))) for $10ea. they strap the pipes to the oak to ship it then discard it. also check out wicking bed and beds with cores of Straw for holding water. I staple copper mesh around the outside of the beds and it discourages slugs coming in from the woodchips.
If you're concerned about using residential pressure treated lumber manufactured after 2003, you should be even more concerned about using linseed oil to preserve lumber. Linseed oil is NOT considered a food safe finish because it is full of metallic salts used as drying agents. I'd also be careful where galvanized metal is used. If the soil is acidic, like you might want it to be for your blueberries, the zinc in the galvanizing will react and create zinc salts.
I grow in raised beds (a couple of them at 3-feet height) because I've had a couple of back surgeries in the past & it's just so much more comfortable not having to lean over so much as you have to at ground level gardening! Also, the wild rabbits can't reach them!
Being 72 yrs old I am converting from in ground veggie gardening to raised container gardening. I collected heavy duty big fish tank stands and just had my son cut wood to add to the bottom shelf and the top. I have some large galvanized containers that we put holes in the bottom for drainage I will be using that for my new planting medium. I intend to fill the bottom third with different size twigs and wood chips so to save on party mix! It will be so much easier to provide shade then before. I had an almost complete failure last summer here in the low AZ desert zone 9b. Hopefully this will be a better option.
30 Comments
Good informative video. Thank you! When will we see the final product;-) ?
I have tall trees on the north border of my garden and cannot remove them as they are on the property line and my neighbor loves them. The roots are vigorous and suck the life out of in-ground beds, so raised beds with a weed barrier underneath are the way to go.
There is something satisfying about putting that hardware cloth under the soil winning the gopher war before it begins! We have used stock tanks and washer tanks. They are high enough to minimize back issues.
Lin seed oil can catch fire as it dries. We still use it, but are mindful of this until everything is fully dried.
Your link to the metal or fabric raised beds doesn't work..
Could you send me the. And of the company that has the fabric plant pots with the plastic liner on top. I love your videos. Thank.
Great info and perfect timing
I use raised beds or containers for all my veggies because my area used to be part of a landfill. That was already over 50 years ago but they still monitor for methane. There hasn’t been any detected in the 25 years I’ve been in my house. I’m also finding it better on my back since my accident a few years ago that caused a compression fracture of my one vertebrae. My beds are all 12 inches deep and I may raise some of then to 15 or 18 inches to make planting and harvesting easier for things other than tomatoes. I don’t want to need a ladder for them lol
Don't forget to advise people to try to be aware of the compost contamination problem and avoid compost including mushroom compost that could be contaminated with wastes from animals fed grass treated with broad leaf pesticides which includes many brands previously thought to be trustworthy. Personally, I'm making my own soil from yard waste and chopped dried leaves and coconut coir, fermented fruit and veg waste using the Bokashi composting method,rabbit manure from a local rabbit farm and also Fox Farms Bat Guano and earthworm castings. I use both the ground and raised beds.
Also you might say, "I'm going to be planting asparagus which needs to be planted deeply."
Been thinking of getting rid of my side yard that is grass (grass and weeds) so this is a video I need to see again …. and I will need to enlist a couple of helpers to do some of the hauling, hammering, etc. Doable — going to keep thinking. Thank you
As long as you have good native soil that’s not a heavy clay, I prefer a 50/50 mix of native soil to compost/potting soil. I also, usually add extra perlite to my mix to help avoid compaction. I used to used 100% organic potting soil only in my raised beds, but found that they suffered this way, requiring more water and the plants were stressed.
I had three bookcases I was ready to give away until I had the thought of using them for raised beds this year. I've only used milk paint on them so I'm guessing they'll be safe for growing crops.
Thank you Brian for keeping us all motivated.
First time trying raised beds this year, hopefully it works out since I built 24
Thank you Brian❣️👏🏻💥
Love my raised beds. So much easier to control the nutrients that go into them, and it’s easier to control the weeds all around. For some bigger gardens that I take care of, and the owners don’t want to build standard raised, I’ve built hugelkulture beds. Those are a workout to build, but fun.
Thank you so much this is right on time.
I have tall raised beds. Best thing ever, saves my back and knees. My husband made one or two a year with mostly salvaged materials. We were lucky to get our hands on cedar and metal roofing panels. I mulch heavily and I water less than I did in the ground.
Wouldn’t putting weed barrier at the bottom of a raised bed prevent worms and other hood guys from getting into the growing soil?
I bought a "garden blend" from a local landscaping business to fill two new beds I built last year. It was a mix of compost and top soil. Planted tomatoes i those two beds and nematodes did them in quickly. No problems at all with my older beds, so I attribute it to getting contaminated soil. Is that a fair assumption?
I grow in raised beds because of my back.
Superbe vidéo bravo 👍 👍 👍 👍
every time I watch your videos, I'm thankful we don't have gophers! My husband built me foot tall beds & then found a little cart called a Garden Buddy. I can roll along my garden and am happy gardener. He hauls construction products & got free 4×10 boards, so ours are mostly that size. To deal with rabbits, a 2 ft tall chicken wire around the inside mostly stops the rabbits.
Good morning! Thank you for all of your great information, as always! A few years back, (2?, 3?), you gave a 4 wk series on gardening basics. In it you gave a link to spring and fall frost dates. I went back and watched the video and went to the garden channel link but am unable to find 'how to find' my frost dates or to get to the spreadsheet that you had developed for starting seeds. Will you help me access that information again? I would really appreciate your help. Thank you.
Oh, I don't use social media other than following some gardening/homesteading YouTube channels, no Facebook.
I use boat motor pallets to enclose my garden beds. Otherwise, the dogs will run thru them.
I was on a large piece of property for years. My garden was on a slope(20×30) started with horse manure. I wanted raised beds after a few years but my husband would do it. Fast forward to 3 years ago, we moved. My garden area was smaller and on the natural soil made with cinder block. We had done some major landscaping last year and we flattened and graveled my garden area. Built pressure treated beds 18 in high. My first layer in the beds was cardboard followed by sticks and logs from a neighbor who cleared their land. I then followed with compost from a company that makes compost and other mediums. I have no issues with the compost. Last year was a banner year! Best harvest I've ever had. After the season, I layered the beds with all the leaves that had fallen in the fall. I will be turning the soil this week to prepare the beds! I have learned a lot from you and will be planting closer together. Thank you for all your helpful tips!!!
box stores have seconds/damaged wood racks, Check for them. For example HD will sell you TREX at 70% off for chipped decking. Lasts FOREVER and is tongue and groove. I got reclaimed wood from a pipe shipping company true 2x6x10' (((OAK))) for $10ea. they strap the pipes to the oak to ship it then discard it. also check out wicking bed and beds with cores of Straw for holding water. I staple copper mesh around the outside of the beds and it discourages slugs coming in from the woodchips.
If you're concerned about using residential pressure treated lumber manufactured after 2003, you should be even more concerned about using linseed oil to preserve lumber. Linseed oil is NOT considered a food safe finish because it is full of metallic salts used as drying agents. I'd also be careful where galvanized metal is used. If the soil is acidic, like you might want it to be for your blueberries, the zinc in the galvanizing will react and create zinc salts.
I grow in raised beds (a couple of them at 3-feet height) because I've had a couple of back surgeries in the past & it's just so much more comfortable not having to lean over so much as you have to at ground level gardening! Also, the wild rabbits can't reach them!
Being 72 yrs old I am converting from in ground veggie gardening to raised container gardening. I collected heavy duty big fish tank stands and just had my son cut wood to add to the bottom shelf and the top. I have some large galvanized containers that we put holes in the bottom for drainage I will be using that for my new planting medium. I intend to fill the bottom third with different size twigs and wood chips so to save on party mix! It will be so much easier to provide shade then before. I had an almost complete failure last summer here in the low AZ desert zone 9b. Hopefully this will be a better option.
GOPHERS!!!!