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30 Comments
Thank you! This is a timely video as we need to fill a new raised bed! Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have a LOT of moss. Any reason why I can’t include moss in the bottom of my raised bed along with the leaves, branches and logs? Thanks!
I use decayed logs and branches, bundles of newspaper, and aged woodchips. The Chip Drop I got this year contained a lot of aged woodchips at the bottom, so I sifted them out and used them to fill some tire raised beds.
Unfortunately, I think the arborist may have accidentally ground up some poison ivy with the tree, as it got all over me when I was sifting it. Always be careful when working with woodchips from an unknown source.
Luke, I really appreciate how you are always considerate of those who need to save money. May I suggest you show people how to build a raised row garden bed. You can't get much cheaper than that. Thanks for being my garden friend for so many years!
I learned the log trick from my BMX jump building days😂
As kids, we would build jumps by the riverbed and just collect every fallen limb we could find to save us having to dig so much
Bury your raised bed??? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of a "Raised" bed?
We built 2- 36" tall raised beds last year bcs we are getting older. We filled the bottoms with pine logs, thin pine branches, tons of leaves, and then compost and soil. I have bags and bags of leaves still from last year and bales of straw
I bought fire pit galvanized rings these last few years for the blueberry bushes.
These and our shorter raised beds I put a thick layer of leaves down before laying down the soil mix.
I saw Canada!!!
Hi Luke! 😊 I love your cheerful disposition. I am battling a nasty health challenge that robs me of my usual spark and energy. Watching your videos is like pouring fuel in my carbeurator. Thanks for being the Kick Start that turns this old engine over. My package from Urban Farmer just arrived. I'm going to test drive their new root trainers now that my motor is running. Never under estimate the positive effect your vibrant personality produces. Thank you Luke 😊
If you bury your raised bed would you still use potting soil or would you use garden soil?
A pickup truck of compost is about $10 or $150 if you have it delivered by a landscaping company. It's worth it to get a topsoil and compost blend delivered if you dont have a pickup though.
Dandelions are FANTASTIC! I do understand but if you get rid of them use the roots flowers stems and leaves for salads, skin balms, vinegars, tea, mixed greens dehydrated mix on and on and on – one of the most nutritional useful plants (not a weed) They DO NOT compete w/plants but have a huge taproot which brings minerals up from down deep which makes beautiful soil.
I'm in this situation right now. What do u think about using a combination of compost and top soil and then mixing pronix potting soil into the top say six inches or so? Some advice would be appreciated.
I was told our local cemetery offers free dirt people should consider contacting their local cemetery!
Don't know about other places but a cubic yard of dirt filler is not expensive. Neither are yards of compost or topsoil. Bags of compost and dirt are a huge ripoff and only make sense if you need small amounts. Try splitting what is needed with neighbors and you save tons with bulk deliveries.
Looks great. Logs, leaves, grass, branches, some nitrogen chicky-doo pellets- makes for an excellent bottom layer. Question, did you put wood chip mulch over weed suppressing fabric in your new raised bed garden area? Or, is that just edging I see? I won't comment on my experience doing that other than it was wasn't pleasant. BUT, there was some good that came of it when I removed the fabric.
Can I put a layer of peat moss over the tree branches & help with water retention? We are in a cedar forest so no leaves. 15in deep bed and it will be getting cabbage & cucumber on the trellis end this first year.
Great advice!!
Do you ever have aphid problems when using the pro mix ?
Update in Michigan if you find some commercial grow facilities, they throw all their dirt away and it’s pro mix potting soil. I got like a couple truckloads for free.
Our city has yard waste pickup and a composting facility. As a resident, you can go and get a truckload a day of compost. That's how I fill my beds each year. I have grown in 100% compost since the 2021 season. I wish I had the ability to make compost myself but my yard is not conducive to that unfortunately.
Thank you for this info
Soooo….your saving money on soil after spending hundreds on that raised bed! Get real!!
Maybe those packs of PROMIX are cheaper in MI, in our state PROMIX and budget are not used in the same sentence. I just don't understand how they can sell those bales for $65 when the same manufacturer (Premiere) sells the same bale of peat moss for $25. Does anyone know the difference between these two?
Where do you get your metal beds from?
I don't know how many cities do this, but mine has a public "brush dump" where people can take their twigs, pruned material, leaves, etc. If you need to fill your raised beds and your city has something similar, it's a great resource (and FREE)!
Oh snap I mixed leaves in my garden beds, now how do I fix it???
How do I search for a compost facility in my area? I tried searching and got some strange results. LOL
Great advice! I have an in-home composter machine and that material needs more work to be "real" compost, so it would be perfect for the lowest level.
So I was looking for organic soil for my beds. Can't find it in bulk so filling 10 beds (old logs in the bottom) with bagged organic was going to cost me 6000.00!!!! OMG!!! After building a new home and getting about 8000.00 in gravel for multiple applications on the driveway I'm suffering from sticker shock lol. I found a non-organic local bulk dealer and verified where the soil came from so I'm using that with organic amendments. There is no ROI with this and I'm only doing it to grow healthy food. I'm so excited to really get things going even with the crazy high price of things.
Luke, You are so correct! I have a new garden space this year. I am burying my raised metal beds, then logs from apple trees I had to trim back this winter. I ordered 10 yards of soil, and 6 yards of compose. 760$. Not Cheap at all!!!! But first year….so, I did it. Plus fertilizers. I had to do all this at our old house 18 years ago. So it wasn't a total shock. Our soil here is pretty good, needs some amendments, but can be ground planted for many things. My grow room is filled with plants itching to get out there, BUT they have to wait for last frost date. You always have great info for gardeners. Thanks!!!