![I Destroyed My Garden to Build My Dream One [Here's the Plan]](https://www.allforgardening.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1772507346_maxresdefault.jpg "I Destroyed My Garden to Build My Dream One [Here’s the Plan]")
After 10+ years of gardening, I’m tearing everything out and building my dream garden from scratch — and sharing every step of the plan.
🥬 FREE GARDEN PLANNING PRINTABLE! 🥬
Do you dream of filling your pantry with homegrown staples—at a fraction of what you would pay at the grocery store?
Easily identify what (and how much) to plant to make it happen!
Get the FREE garden planning printable—Staples Garden: What to Plant for a Year:
👉 https://foodprepguide.com/op/staples-garden-printable/
GET OUR BOOK:
Food Prep Guide: A Plan for Money-Saving, Self-Sustaining Abundance in Hard Times -https://foodprepguide.com/sp/food-prep-guide-print-or-digital/
OUR AMAZON STOREFRONT:
✅ https://www.amazon.com/shop/foodprepguide/
BROWSE ALL OF OUR TUTORIALS BASED ON TOPIC!
✅ Canning Instruction: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq2MiMI-edEqRP_CDWwXVyr4iEeIYC72Z
✅ Dehydrating Tips & Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq2MiMI-edEpc5kyXOONgdg3wP46xK9jN
✅ Building & Managing Your Food Storage: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq2MiMI-edErsv43g1nCa4bo8_O9cFDAI
✅ Gardening for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq2MiMI-edEpJ_80k_3ErRJrMF7tXtcVN
✅ Frugal Pantry Meals: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq2MiMI-edEo9bOMiMBtJkYWFjBThDEXA
SHOP OUR FAVORITES BELOW:
✅ Stay Fresh Freeze Dryer: https://stayfreshfreezedry.com?sca_ref=9254100.MWAYwJ6DzH
✅ Harvest Right Freeze Dryer: https://affiliates.harvestright.com/3010.html
✅ Vego Garden Raised Beds: https://glnk.io/vzw5/1me
(Get $10 off with code: FOODPREPGUIDE10OFF)
✅ Excalibur Dehydrator: https://excaliburdehydrator.com/?rfsn=6906765.5d019f
✅ Bootstrap Farmer: https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1020530&u=3412996&m=72437&urllink=&afftrack=
✅ Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=b9b2e9c1b6
✅ Tools we use in the kitchen & garden from Amazon: https://foodprepguide.com/supplies/
* * *
Affiliate Disclosure: As Amazon Associates, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. We may share referral links for products from other companies as well. However, we have carefully selected the items recommended.
* * *
HANG OUT WITH US ON SOCIAL:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoodFaithFamily
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/FoodPrepGuide/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/food_prep_guide/
38 Comments
I made a compost Ben with 5 pallets that I lined each pallet with hardwire cloth then used one for a bottom, the 3 sides connected. With the front pallet I used bungee cords to hold it in place. Having the front able to come off it made turning and using the compost
Thank you for your honest, vulnerable, inspiring sharing. I'm starting a new this season with a couple raised beds hoping to add a trellis as well. One day at a time!
I certainly understand when you say your back doesn't equal your age 🫂 people DO NOT understand until they live it
Im here with you for the ride!
I reccomend checking out the boom the resilient gardener
The author also suffered from going through different stages of life between caring for her mother during her end of life stage and going through her own health challenges which included chronic fatigue and shares her approach to building a garden/homestead that can help care for itself when we can't or when life goes to lifeing lol 😅
I myself suffer from chronic fatigue challenges, difficulties standing for long periods of time, and other challenges associated with ADHD Combined type
( im in my early 30s )
Single, nvr married, no kids
To say life gets overwhelming would be an UNDERSTATEMENT lol
Despite this reality and 15+ years of struggle to create and live a life worth living I am Joyful to share that God has been Faithful!
And even with my unique tribulations He of course has never left us nor forsaken us sis ❤
This walk Through life in the flesh bit w. Christ isn't always as easy as we would hope
However I can already tell, in particular, with your courage in posting this video and sharing your gardening n homestead journey unfiltered, that even through this God almighty is using you for His perfect will
The walk you have shared w. us from this new starting point is being used For His Good!
It encourages me for sure as a follower that im not alone in my struggles despite my age and that watching you still moving forward in your journey helps to encourage me ,and im sure others, that there is hope, how to move foreward in faith, resiliently, both spiritually and physically, and even this has a purpose in His master plan!
Stay encouraged Sis, Ty for being vulnerable and sharing your walk, & reminding me im not alone and that God is always with us to thrive even through the mire
💕 w. Love! 💙 ❤
🇦🇺 Make sure your walkways are wide enough for your four wheeler to get around with a trailer with compost/ soil, plants, water etc. You could put salt in your paths to help prevent weeds.
I had a broken ankle in May 2015 and went through the same tears watching thousands of sq feet of garden turn into weeds. We recovered it though and you will too. Be patient and kind with yourself.
We have similar size raised beds that you're planning. I recommend not bothering with the metal wire on the bottom. Any animal that you want to prevent from burrowing underneath can just as easily climb into the bed from the top. Depressing fact. We mitigate the pests with traps and our dogs (Mountain Fiest are excellent rodent killers, better than cats bc they dont poop in the garden.)
I'd skip the mulch/wood chips for paths inside your larger raised beds. It will be stressful keeping those "paths" orderly and weed free. Just walk in the bed. You may still get a few weeds here and there, but they can be easily raked out. Put slate or bluestone stepping stones if you want a semi permanent path. Woodchips will need replacing every year. I have 2 beds near the size you are describing. By having no "path" in them I can easily switch crops each year.
Ground pathway thoughts… maybe you've see our video of "how our garden changed over 9 years". We struggled with the time wasted maintaining pathways. We tried a few methods (mulch, brick, tarps, weed fabric) and what we finally settled on and LOVE is grass. Seems wrong, but if you have raised beds and you plant a grass less likely to spread by seed then it's perfect. We mow the paths with an electric push mower and the ground is soft for walking in barefoot. I've seen gravel based walkways and they get more weeds than you'd think. You will spill dirt on the gravel and there's no way to get it all up. If I wasnt going to do grass I'd do concrete sidewalks. More cost up front, but permanent. Husband didn't want a lot of concrete sidewalks all over the yard if they garden was ever turned back into lawn.
I second a commenters recommendation to get a trailer that pulls behind the lawn mower. We have made soooo much use of that over the last 13 years.
That's been a lot of unsolicited advice, but if I can share one more thing that has benefited me. My auto immune issues only flare up for 2 reasons… high stress (happens less when I'm eating right) or eating standard American amounts of meat and dairy. The meat I find easy to skip. Traveling from home makes avoiding dairy a little harder, but I can tolerate small amounts. Having it daily for 2-4 weeks creates too much inflammation for me. I recommend looking into Dr. Brooke Goldner's protocal. She has helped many fully recover from autoimmune issues including lupus. (She has mentioned 3 celiac cases that they have reversed in recent years as well.)
God bless you on your journey! Life and health mean so much and there's no better place to enjoy both than working in the garden.
Great tips! I have a huge weed-filled garden that I didn't even plant last year out of sheer frustration. I needed this advice! Thanks and good luck with yours. Hope you're feeling better!
I am along for the ride! I can't wait to see these changes taking place. I too, am suffering from a chronic (progressive) illness, and with that I have had to adjust all things I do in the garden. This last year we raised all of our beds so I only have to bend, not squat. This will make such a difference going forward. I do understand he difficulties and be sending you high energy to help you through this.😘
Fervent prayers for you Jordan. I had no idea you were experiencing the health challenges you’ve experienced. Do some research on good strong antioxidants. They may not cure your issues but they will help your body fight off other infections and help with your energy levels. Take care of yourself as much as you can.
Autoimmune and any chronic problems (or several), are so unfair, I know. I literally feel your pain, physical and emotional. They kick you, bring you low so you nearly lose hope, and then leave you alone long enough to leave you completely off-balance when they rear their ugly heads again. Only YOU know how you feel. You don't need to explain to anyone. I am sure that you get well-intentioned but unhelpful advice, because it seems that everyone has a cure-all, right? They will also question any treatments or medical interventions you find useful, and they may even question your faith; DON'T LET THEM GET TO YOU. Follow your conscience, follow your body, and trust God; He asks a lot of some of us. Prayers for you.
Big plans! I'm excited!
Mine is not an autoimmune issue, but I can relate to the extreme fatigue & not being able to walk from one room to another. It came to a peak after my third round of chemo and I declined the fourth because of it. Thank God my symptoms eased somewhat after it got out of my system.
Hugs & prayers for healing.
God speed sweet gal. I have 2 auto immune diseases and can relate. I have RA and fibromyalgia. I’m 69 yrs old and thankful every day that the good lord made me hard headed. I’m determined to not let my conditions control me. I will control them.
Due to health concerns myself, I have been reconstructing my garden as well. This is so helpful. Thank you for sharing
I'm growing my garden to be a forest, one I can be lazy in, and do as little work as possible, so in 25 years I can just relax
Out of everything that YT allows the few things they don't/won't is things that possibility shared ideas and or med help that one might not know of yet. So sad! I do wish for you the best and will add you on my prayer list of people. I pray that this new design of your garden works extremely well for you to help alleviate alot of the pain from having to lift and or carry stuff.
I suffer from a multitude of health issues my body is riddled top to bottom with both types of arthritis, have severe fibromyalgia for over 4 decades and just this last Sept. for my birthday I got diagnosed with lupus. Blessings and Love Ya!!!
I admire your desicion, sometimes a step backwards is in reality a step forward! I am 70, have a cronically ill husband who slowly is getting worse, we moved to Spain, have to learn a new language, a new bureaucracy and a new culture. I started a small garden on a rented plot of land my first summer and started out full of energy. Little did I know about the expolsive growth in a warm climate! Coming from th3 cold Norway to the Andalucian coast in South Spain, in a periop of draught gave a steep learning curve. So I dodnot need any diseases to become completely exhausted from it all! You are doing a fantastic job, and started fresh will be a great turning point! I have come to the same conclusion this winter, I also have to start fresh. And learningfrom my former mistakes my plans will be different from last time. Thank you for the inspiration! And keep going in YOUR speed!
Thank you so much for sharing this!! I have an autoimmune disease as well!! I love gardening too! Your video is helping me so much!!
Epic gardening on YouTube is very helpful as well!!
Remind me of your name I’m sorry I’ve forgotten and can’t find it. Anyways THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!! So So many of us are dealing with AutoImmmune issues and most times it’s a huge reason we garden or try to – for health reasons – so when those health issues stop us from gardening it crushing all the more!!! You sharing your health issues & journey is So Inspirational!!! It gives hope and ideas. It would be fabulous if you can or want to add more of your health confinements into the growing preserving platform💝 Again such an Inspiration Thank You!! Oh Wonderful Smart Plans!! I’m going to use many!!!
Wow! I wish you well. I’m so sorry about your poor health. One thing, a good thing, it’s going to be better!
I, too, have been struggling with issues (in my case, mobility). For the last year, I have been working on a plan to create a garden that will produce most of the fruit and veg I need each year, and MOST importantly, be designed to help me be successful with my limited mobility. I am planning on raised beds with concrete blocks. I choose blocks because I can buy them in smaller quantities and build one bed at a time. I just need to have a master plan established. It is here I say thank you. Your video brought up a few things I did not consider or did not give enough thought to.
I have AS, EDS, and NMO. I went into a long flare about the same time as you, and I'm in the same garden boat. I am actually planning a fully wheelchair-accessible garden as future-proofing. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic ❤
I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling – my prayers are with you. You’re so sensible to redesign your garden and I’m excited to see what you do. I have chronic illness too, and also have to design my garden with accessibility and energy levels in mind. I’m very interested to see the solutions you come up with, and what I can learn (and implement) from them. Be blessed.
A few thoughts:
Have the underground plumbing in place so that you can add the drip watering system to all your garden beds at a later date if you decide you need to.
Make sure your path widths and corners are sized to allow wheelchair use. Not the sort of wheelchair you push with your hands, but one with outdoor wheels and a battery and motor. Some days walking is just too hard.
Design your bed wall structure so you can make them taller later if you do find yourself needing to stay in a wheelchair while you're weeding and harvesting. Some days even standing up more than once or twice is also too hard.
You have animals. What's happening to their used bedding? Barn animals are great at turning large amounts of very cheap material like wood chips into really good compost. If you need to make your beds taller, you'll want agricultural quantities of compost and it's right there. Small earthmoving machinery is great for cleaning out the barn and moving piles of compost around.
Please be REALLY careful with that auger. If it snags on something and suddenly the business end can't move, the handle will move instead, with full torque and without warning. It's an easy way to injure your hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder and/or back.
I was already subscribed, but I'll be very interested in how this works out and what you learn from it. I don't have your connective tissue problem, but the rest of your symptoms describe me pretty accurately.
I am so sorry you experienced a health setback, but I am so glad you are sharing your strategies for making your garden sustainable and accessible for folks that have health issues or whose age may compromise their energy levels. I garden in a medium sized suburban backyard and I also have issues with energy management and strength. I am always looking for ways to make my gardening practice safer, more efficient, and more productive. Gardening brings me great joy, but I know I'll be able to do it longer if I design it carefully, being mindful of soil building strategies, using perennials, and pollinator friendly crops. Thank you for sharing this very important journey.
I'm so sorry about your health issues. If you can ever afford it, you are the perfect candidate for container gardening! You can cover that whole big area with something to keep the weeds out, and then get the big Vego garden beds. We just bought them a couple at a time, over the last 3 or 4 years!! We got them for our birthday gifts, Mother's Day, anniversary, Christmas gifts, etc. (We only bought when they were on sale.) They have changed our lives!!! We no longer have any of that big weedy mess, and there is VERY little work. You can put them against a fence for the climbing veggies, or you can use a cattle panel. They look beautiful and really produce a ton of veggies and fruits! We put in an easy watering system on a timer, for little money, and we never have to spend time watering or weeding. You can leave the garden for months, and then just pull old plants out of the tubs one at a time. The grass and weeds have not taken over, and you don't have to dig rows, or do a bunch of work!! There is no bending over, at all! It is amazing!! I can't say enough wonderful things about it!! People compliment us on how beautiful our garden is, and I almost feel guilty that I do very little work!! The veggies last longer into the cold weather, and it is easy to clip frost fabric over the tops. We had veggies in the winter! You can also build you some wooden boxes with inexpensive wooden fence picket lumber, but they only last maybe 4-5 years before warping. We built those and gradually added the Vego tubs to replace the warping and splitting wooden boxes. Good luck!
I'm very sorry to hear of your illness, such an adjustment. As an older gardener, I think of arranging a garden not only for illness but also for the inevitable slowing that eventually overtakes us all. I would start at the bottom of the back door steps, nearest the kitchen, run my first path straight out from there (or do some picturesque meandering). Then I'd start digging beds, letting my body's capacity dictate how extensive my garden got (minds seem oblivious to the limitations of body). Incorporate all the ideas you mention, from there. Kitchen herbs, greens etc. nearest the door. Once I was unable to dig for a few years, just kept mulching everything constantly. Worms dug better than I ever had (they preserve the soil's structure while seriously aerating, I could breathe through any clod I picked. If the mulch disappeared, so did the worms and the tilth. When it's time to mow the grass, spread some leaves and mow, straight to mulch (where as you pointed out everything breaks down slowly right there at the roots. I wish you the best, putting your faith in your and God's ability to cope with what comes in a way that grows you in spirit.
You got this girl! Praise God for new beginnings. Good for you in planting perennials.👏
I love her channel! I recently found the channel and subscribed.
I know many people when they go carnivore start to heal from their immune issues, should give it a try if you haven't before, at least for a few months.
Personally fasting has helped me a lot when I went through a period of time where it was a struggle just to go from the bed to the bathroom.
Thank God I was laid off at the time.
As for the back issues, I would suggest you do high rep deadlifts,
Focusing on form 10-15 reps per set 3 sets about twice a week.
Start out with low weight and once you can get 3 sets of 15 reps add some more weight, you want to do at least 10 reps for 3 sets.
That completely fixed my back injuries, although I haven't done it for a year now and they are just starting to come back , so I am going to have to start doing it again.
I spent the last hr typing my suggestions for gardening with a back injury and i lost it all, sorry now I got to go to bed, if your interested let me know AND i WILL TRY IT AGAIN LATER
we are doing long beds no wider than 4 feet wide.
HOW EXCITING FOR YOU!!! It will def be worth it to start from scratch and rebuild your perfect garden. I am excited for you and I am not even there haha. My garden is currently a weed forest as well and I will just tear it down bed by bed ( I use beds for almost all Of it). I just retired from my regular job and farmers market job so plan to give it a bit more TLC than it has had in the past few years. Good for you and better for your health.❤Concrete or stainless steel would def be your best option. I have both and my wood beds are starting to topple.
Im sorry to hear about your autoimmune disease. I have 2 of them & they can take you out. Im still newer to gardening. Started with flowers. Last year I let my front flowerbeds get taken over. I cant be out in the sun as much. It absolutely drained me so this year I will be trying to get them at least presentable. I also had my vegetable garden taken over by a mama rabbit who had babies in my raised bed and a groundhog who brought her 2 babies. Babies didnt touch anything. Both mamas took out brassicas, squash, beans and tops of root vegetables. And those were covered with animal netting. Can't even be mad, love the animals. So focusing on stuff that did grow well last year. Potatoes, onions, garlic, other squash, beans, and tomatoes. I want a trellis like yours but may wait until next year. Want to grow my squash and cucumbers on it. Right now I grow everything in raised beds or grow bags. We rent.
I'll be watching your progress with great interest. I do not have any chronic disease (except heart disease), but I am 76 years old and find traditional gardening back breaking. I also can no longer lift much, bend over and generally spend much time in the garden. In addition because of our location we battle mice, rats, squirrels, gophers and deer. Before your plans are set in stone, you may consider watching the 'survival gardener' with David the Good'. God bless you and your family. My prayers are with you.
Very interested in how you keep burrowing animals out of your garden. I USED to think chipmunks were cute… no more. Thank you.
Instead of removing the sod etc have you considered no dig? Layer of overlapping cardboard (free), topped with thick layer of manure (could get free locally potentially?), and then topped with topsoil or spent mushroom compost. Should be weed free and give you a good base fertility level. Love the idea of the perennials! Only just starting to incorporate these in myself. Such a great way to be sustainable and low maintenance ❤ Wishing you all the best with your redesign and will be following along 🙂