My husband worked for a garage door company before he retired. People would replace perfectly good garage doors and he would bring the panels from them home. He then constructed raised beds with them. They are powder coated painted metal so they are weathering well, even here in north Idaho. They are two feet high. They look nice. They would have ended up in the dump, we put them to good use.
I applaud your husband! I hate waste, so turning what would have been garbage in a landfill into a useful product is one of the best things a person can do IMO. Two feet seems like a good height for raised beds.
@@FloridaGirl- call your local garage door people. Where we live the garage door company has to pay to dispose of the garage door panels and hardware, if that’s the case they might be happy for you to take them to save on their disposal fees. The things is, if you come to an agreement you need to be “Johnny on the spot” about getting down to their work yard and picking the panels up because they probably won’t have a lot of room to store them waiting for someone to pick the panels up. If it’s more work to give them away than pay for disposal they won’t mess with it. By the way, they are a good place to pick up good pallets and large pieces of cardboard if you use those items in your gardening. Same rules apply.🙂
I am so fortunate to have a son with a sawmill that gives me his cedar scraps to make all my raised beds. Nice thick boards that will take forever to rot.
They look beautiful. Once I get my land I'm going with raised beds because at 53, and disabled, raised beds would be the perfect choice for me especially if I'm gardening alone. I'm excited to see how your raised garden beds turn out once everything you both planned is underway.
There's a guy from Australia (self sufficient me) who has had these type of raised beds for about 10 or 12 years and they look fantastic. His are even taller so no bending to garden.
Or at least lay one of the boxes out underneath where you are working to do the same thing. It's a bummer to get to the last hole and find you don't have enough screws, washers, or nuts left.
You have a nice tractor. Will you fill one at a time so you have access with the tractor bucket? Love the 5 ft between . I have a 50 x 100 in ground except of 2 - 4x 16; I wish I could afford those beds . I have been eyeing them for awhile. I do mostly by myself. I’m 66
I'm so excited to watch your new garden area grow. I love how you don't let adversity stop you. No whining here. You just back up and study ways to conquer the problem. We need more people like you two in this world.❤
I never comment on videos but just wanted to share that I’ve been watching you guys for several years now and I have learned a lot of useful tips from you on our own homestead journey. We recently received great favor from the Lord and He moved us from our 5 acre homestead to a 30 acre farm. We feel beyond blessed to get to grow in this way. I first found you all several years ago when I was venturing into raising meat rabbits. We no longer do that but we still are using your garden recommendation for that black garden fabric. It’s amazing that it lasts year after year and still doing well for us here in Ohio… I definitely learned the hard way to not make the holes bigger than necessary but the work is so minimal using it that I can’t see doing it any other way. I love these raised beds you’ve found though because I have an idea dreamed up for the front of my house and picture some pretty raised beds with perennial herbs and things….I had planned to build with metal and wood but now thanks to your input , I added these to the infamous “save for later” in my Amazon cart 😂 spring will come around again soon enough. Anyone just wanted to pipe up and let you know some random lady in Ohio appreciates you 😅
Mark from Self Sufficient Me has been growing veggies in the tall Birdies raised bed for many years now, I'll have to go back to that video to see exactly how many years. He took out the soil from three of the oldest beds to see if they were rusting. Birdies is galvanized metal with a outside coating of color, Mark found several small places towards the middle of the bed that had rust. I think without digging through his videos to be totally exact he said those beds were 16 yrs old. I'm growing in galvanized metal beds and I'm pretty sure they will outlast me. I have so much back damage and a heart problem and I'm old. I'm waiting for Jesus to call His flock up to be with Him and until then I have to keep going as much as possible.
We’ve been using the 100 gal galvanized horse water tanks for many years. Plus the 150 gal Rubbermaid tanks. It’s so much easier to control the soil, keeps critters away and cover with shade cloth etc..And they drain well! They take a lot of soil at first. We put wood in the bottom third in the beginning. It’s called Hugelkultur. Congrats!
About 30 years ago I started to use raised beds in my garden. The reason was that I had descovered that it was important not to walk on the earth and not disturb the earth where the plants grow. Now you can read about no dig gardening and thats what you get in raised beds to. You just put mulch /soil on top and its important to water the beds. This type of container you chose is perfect ,congrats ! Best wishes from the north of Sweden !
I bought a similar product 2 seasons ago and love it. You won't be sorry. I filled the bottom third with small limbs and twigs and then the next third with clean straw then the last third with soil. It did settle after the first year so i added more compost and soil the next year. It will be fun to see all 21 of them in place. I will be interested to see your drip system in place. Enjoy.
I’m 78 and over the years have tried several options. My cedar option lasted 6 years. The galvanized troughs did much better for small flower garden or peppers and lasted much longer. I sure like your choice and if I stay healthy, I’m going to try the same option. Your research sure is doing me a favor. Thanks. ❤
I have low hemlock raised beds in my garden, they have lasted almost twenty years roughly. I say that as I am not sure when exactly I switched over to raised beds, I also say low beds because I couldn’t afford to make them very high so stuck with 4 or 5 inches high. Just enough to create the form of a raised bed, making it easier to work in the garden and help contain the plants.
I've had cedar 2x6x12 boards, 4ft wide with castle blocks in the corners, gardens, for at least 10 years. No signs of them breaking down? Not sure why mine would last way longer than yours? 18 inch high.
I’m not a homesteader gleaning from your knowledge, but I do love watching the two of you on your homestead. You complement each other and work very well together. I like the direction you are going with the raised beds and (because that’s all I have), I think you will like this change. Thanks again for allowing us into your lives and on your homestead. Love from Oklahoma. ❤
Great job, Guys!!! Looking good!!! Because of your recommendation several years ago, I put down the heavy garden fabric. My main garden area is about 100' by 150', so, in my 70+ year old age, and after several surgeries on my back, knees, hips, etc, I have certainly appreciated not having to get down and weed everything. After laying out my weed fabric, I put up my 16' cattle panel arches, right on top of the fabric, cutting a little 'x' where my t-posts got installed. I dont have the budget to get these nice beds you decided to go with, but over a couple seasons, and garden expansions, I did get big bins that I drilled holes in the bottom, lined them with mylar, and filled them with my 'home grown' mulch/soil. I have left one area open to raw ground, where I usually plant corn and potatoes; and another area, where I built up the soil specifically for my blueberry and aronia berry bushes. Everything else is grown in big tub containers. In tubs, I have elderberry, gooseberry, strawberry, blackberry, various summer/winter squashes, cucumbers, various melons, asparagus, radish, various beans, rutabaga, parsnips, tons of various sweet/hot peppers, tons of various tomatoes, variety of grapes, beets, brussels sprouts, various greens, eggplant, sweet potatoes, varieties of flowers (in my Mom's memory) for the pollinators, etc. I have also grown potatoes in my tubs. Having the cattle panels enables things to spread upwards, and not take up so much ground space. You guys have given me so much inspiration, as I'm also in Missouri, though about 3 hours north of you. I have taught and helped several other young couples to get their gardens set up, and gave them tons of seeds, to get them going. I've also taught them how to preserve what they grow, whether by canning, freezing, dehydrating, juicing, etc. I keep in touch with them, to continue encouraging and tracking their progress. I wish I could afford a freeze dryer, but that's just nowhere in my budget...at all,... as I'm saving up for another surgery. 😕 Keep up the good work!! I appreciate you both!!! 🥰 P.S. My garden is where my dogs head to first, whenever we go out, as they love to play hide and seek among the arches and bins. It's our 'happy place,' for sure!!! 😊
I am SUPER excited to see the first growing season using these raised beds! I think you made a great decision on the raised beds you have chosen. I can tell you that, at 64 y/o, raised bed is the way to go forward! I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited over someone else’s garden! 😂😂
Here in Southeast Texas the problem that I have found with metal beds is that the soil in a metal raised bed heats up too much. This affects the root system. Good luck I hope it works out for y’all.
Yes your right so they should go with 4x8 and stay 10 inches in from the edge which if you put wood at the edge would act as a seat to weed or pick from...🖖
I love the raised growing containers that the gentleman in Self Sufficient Me uses. I know they are now available in USA .They have a very ling life dont rust or come apart or warp
Blessings Kevin &Sarah, I turn 70 years old this November. I am going to ask my wife to order a couple of these for my birthday gift. I think spring will be wonderful gardening in my little raised beds. I really appreciate you guys. Best wishes, 😊.
I'm 72 years old. My husband did the vegetable garden. I harvested daily to feed the family. I've wanted to do raised beds now for a couple years. Thank you for sharing. I'm glad the company is offering a 10% discount.thank you so much.
Hmm, I wonder if you could put cattle panels in an arch from one bed to another. That would give you vertical space to grow various vines and would let you harvest in a shady tunnel. Just a thought.
Millicent, I'm a 68 year old widow and I put together two of these exact same raised beds last summer. If I can do it, so can you! I hope you give it a try. Good luck and God bless you! 🥰
Plan to start filling the beds with your tractor bucket from the center out.. Work smarter not harder! Test, test, test for contamination before filling!!!
I love it! Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the pros and cons of each type of raised bed, and showing so clearly what is involved in setting these up. Your garden is going to look so elegant, and be such a pleasure to work in! 👩🌾👨🌾
Consider testing your soil before you put it in the beds because Jessica from "Roots and Refuge" had a delivery of soil and they found out to late that it was contaminated soil. They ordered organic soil. I love my metal raised beds.
How do you test for contamination? (New gardener here). ETA: Answering my own question after some research. Simply try to grow something in a small pot of the soil. Lol
Quite sure that the two of you have thought all of this out well. 21 raised beds takes a lot of filling and will almost always needs a lot of amendments too. Did the math a actually not all that bad plus we are quite sure that you got a better deal than most of us would get. Thinking that after the ground is more level and installing the fabric cloth then the raised beds kind of one by one. I guess soon we will earn as to how you will be filling them and with what type of filler too. Also the irrigation setup. Raised beds tend to need a lot more water than "traditional" beds. Best of luck!
Treated lumber is now food safe. it is treated with copper, and we could all use traces of copper in our diet. If only... the copper won't move enough towards the roots, anyway. My treated lumber raised bed is still in perfect condition from March 2020.
Just a note, at time code 9:05 you state that these are made of stainless steel but according to the website they are just coated steel. I anticipate that they will last a long time but if they were actually made stainless steel they would last just about forever. Unfortunate that they don't make them of SS because it's not that much more expensive these days and a much better material.
Those stainlessm steel with zinc and magnesium are great - but you need to watch the AUS gardener who used these - and depending on what you grow - they will suck in - deform - and start deteriorating. Just saying. Any magnesium leaching into the soil (like magnesium sulfate - epsom salts) will help with magnesium in photosynthesis and chlorophyll magnesium. A little zinc leaching will also help with anti-bacterial, virus, blight, anti-buggers soil taste. So proper mulch, compost, hugelkultur inside the bed, and clay-lining - and you should be able to have stable metal raised beds for a very long time.
If you have problems with digging/burrowing critters lay down some hardware cloth or babysaver wire to keep them out of your beds. It will save you the frustration of dealing with it later.
We’ve had some of our treated wood raised for a dozen years and they’re holding up well. They actually haven’t used harmful chemicals to treat the wood for quite a few years. Our beds are 12 inches deep. We didn’t use a ground covering under them-after a couple of years the soil we added and the ground seemed to married quite well. I think if you were to try that your ground soil would become enriched by the soil from the nutritious soil you add to the beds and change to good soil. I wish you well.
Agree totally. We have 3, 4'x8'x11" raised beds, above ground treated, not ground contact treated that are 8 years old. No signs of rot. We also put no barrier cloth under them, instead I weed wacked the grass down to almost no grass left and then lined the bottom with cardboard. That stopped any weed growth and as it decomposed drew worms by the dozens into the beds. Also, as you said, over time the nutrients added do leach down into the ground allowing, encouraging plants to reach deeper. As well as for moisture. Not to mention, after gardening for numerous years, I'm 70, have I ever had to dig or pull up anything from a foot deep. This size and depth bed also happens to equal 1 cubic yard of soil/compost to fill. Easier to calculate amount needed. 10 beds, 10 yards to fill. You didn't mention that there is no such thing as a "no bend" garden. I'm 6'2"s tall. No matter how tall the bed is, I have to kneel or bend, and either way reach, to plant, harvest, or weed. Luckily, my knees are still in ok shape so I crawl. I know the whole garden doesn't need to be planted in 1 day, so we plan to plant only 2 beds per day. That way I only have to get back up, once. 😊
We made our raised beds with 8x16 cinderblocks so we can adjust the height, width and shape of the beds. It also has an insulation factor and can easily add pvc pipe “hoops” for a mini greenhouse. Your beds look beautiful and hope you have good luck with them! Blessings!
Based on my experience with raised wooden beds the same size: 1. You may want to add an irrigation system and/or mulch because my wooden beds of the same size and height were prone to drying out in summer heat. The dirt literally shrank away from the sides. 2. I planted 4 tomato plants per bed and as long as I pruned and trained the plants to a fence (vs sprawling), that was adequate room. 3. Love the space you’re putting between rows. I did two feet and it was too tight after plants were big. God bless you both.
If you can reverse the end plates to where they point out and they will still mate up, you could combine several kits into a clover leaf or star configuration. I like the beds. I have plenty of slabs from the mill to build mine with. I build them flat side out, pile them full of brush and start the fire. When the fire gets going good and the brush is gone, wet it down and you have a nice bed of bio-char as well as bio-char on the inside walls to grow in. Good Job
Awesome Choice - cross tie advice - when filling - comoact under and close to the tie bars...if not, when material settles, it will sag tie bars and pull in the walls. Seriously, please....compact under and near....lift a smidgen and cram.soil under. Self Sufficient Me has two or three videos on such....his beds caved in due to settlement and he had to pull the apart and start over. Also, do NOT trust "garden blend" at local CoOp...be careful...first year may be a bust...we added compost on top of settlement the next year and crops grew game busters. Amend, amend, amend....or BLEND...."garden mix" needs (mushroom) compost. One last thing, sprinkle in alfalfa pellets as time release nitrogen for CHEAP....it will help next Spring if you fill in the Fall. Yall are a blessing. I pray these tips bless YOU.
Congratulations on your choice of Vegega raised beds for your garden! Raised beds are awesome. As with your containers in the greenhouse, you will have to add potting mix and amendments to the raised beds. I'm certain you will add drip lines to each container too. Also, you can add t-posts around a grouping of raised beds to make hoop canopies to throw over shade cloths that will help so much with the strong sun and heat in the summer. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised and thrilled. Can't wait to see how your new raised bed garden performs.
I have several of the kind you’re talking about and you just need to watch where the screws are because those sides can pop out because of the dirt pressure (on occasion) or the screw rusts. I buy water troughs now and I just flip them and put a bunch of holes in the bottom. No seems no screws and so far so good👍🏼3 years. Great show👍🏼🇺🇸👏🏻
I found that the center bracing tends to pull the edges inward as you add amendments and dirt over time. Had to dig out mine and release the pressure off the bracing and pull the buckles out, and I had to place wood on each side of the inner bracing to hold the buckles that I pulled out in place. Just know those do pull the sides of the bed inwards after a few years.
Just a thought, when your ready to fill with dirt, probably with the tractor, it would be easier to fill if you do a roll, fill with dirt then back up, set the next row of container and fill them with dirt so it will be less work and you dont need a wheel barrel. I thought about wood but youngave so e great points. Im guessing the coating on the inside is safe for plants, some look pretty out there but not food safe. It will look really nice when done.
Burned my leg bad on a metal bed this year. They get HOT! I’ve had wood in the past. Lined the inside walls with black plastic to help protect the wood which helped with longevity as I didn’t use treated wood. I liked the wood better actually but Vevor has beds very reasonably priced. Way cheaper than any other place I’ve found
I have 6 Vegega beds, love them. I bought the 8x2, but bought 2 extra panels per bed which makes them 3.5x8. I didn’t use the edge tape because their edges are rolled so nicely it wasn’t needed.
We chose the Birdies beds for our raised bed garden. We got them 29 inches tall as we have issues with rabbits and they can't get into them. And because I have sciatica and the height is perfect. I absolutely love them. Makes gardening so much easier. What weeds do grow (and they are few) don't cause me pain because it's like table top gardening. We have very gravely soil as well but with sand so any enrichment we put into the ground quickly leached down out of reach of the plants roots. You guys are going to love your beds! Happy growing 😊
Vegega is a great company, I bought mine a year ago and they are doing great. I bought the 2x8 also, ordered 2 extra flat panels for the ends and extra support rods making them a 4x8 bed. I also used tree limbs on the bottom to save on planter mix, the soil level has dropped about 6 to 8 inches this past year from composting of tree material. Enjoying all of your videos, keep them coming and Thank You for posting.
I know how it is to plant in a "gravel driveway." Our soil has tons of small rocks and it has taken many years to have good soil. You guys, in my opinion, have chosen wisely to make the raised beds. Love your videos!
The spacing makes sence. You Aldo need to have access to fill... then refill and amend the next year. It is also acceptable for the future. In future years you could harvest right from a golf cart or atv if needed. Hopefully that won't be the case... but even if a elderly parent visits with mobility issues... you can get them in the garden and spend time.
Deep homestead with Danny and Wanda said we need to start using this to grow all our food and citrus in pots or Big containers that will be the way of the future. ❤ y’all videos God bless
Here in South Georgia, we have small round iron rocks and red clay soil about 12" under the topsoil. I had to go to raised beds, but discovered the plants to better when in contact with the natural soil here. I saved TONS of autumn leaves and Grazon-free hay, mixed in punky wood by the wheelbarrow load, some manure, some compost tea, and the garden plants grow like crazy!! Note: do not plant sweet potatoes in rich raised bed soil; they will produce only vines.
Can you show us some time what you do with all the old dried plant material, as well as the cleanings from you animal pens? Do you compost that? Burn it? Or make gigantic piles?
Giving yourself 5 feet around each bed, you will also be able to get a wagon in between the beds for easy planting of flats, and harvest time. In the spring we put up a pop up tent 10x10 over the beds while I plant them. I also have a couple of resin chairs that we keep in the garden for working at a comfortable height. You will love having raised beds!! So what kind of fencing are you going to use? And what kind of irrigation are you looking at? Can't wait to see the future developments of your property.
I'm sure this is too little too late, but... If you used a pneumatic pop rivet gun (cheap from Harbor Freight) and stainless steel rivets, you'd get these completed in probably less than 10 minutes. 😉
Mark ,from Self Sufficient Me, had trouble with the middle braces sinking inward and pulling the sides inward. So he put upright bracing under the cross braces, so they couldn't sink
It's great you've found a new way of gardening for your family. It will give you so much more room to grow what you want. Take you all & God bless you all and keep you safe in his loving arms 🧑🌾🧑🌾🧑🌾
I'm 74 and love your RUclips always been a fan. Sarah I cooked my peppers as you did in the oven at broil did good but I missed the recipe for the fettuccini sauce I am still searching,
I’d put screens down first inside those raised beds, then pile wood and leaves on top, then add soil. Critters can dig up under those weed fabrics and eat your veggies
I have been thinking the same thing for the same reasons on our property… soil is horrible. I was thinking of making our own beds since we have so much wood… and I think my husband will like this idea a LOT better😂!
By far the best video on how to put these together with tips that you learned personally. Great camera angle, great detailed instruction. Nice that you told how long it takes to put together. THank you for making this video. Very helpful.
Great planning! Can’t wait to see your new garden in action! Weeds, poor soil, and aging knees have taken all my gardening out of the ground as well. ❤❤
Good job and great choice. I have 8 (32") Vego grow beds. As a Disabled Vet I went to the taller beds so I don't have to bend over. I love them and will be adding 8 - 10 more this next year.
Yep! I bucket garden and container garden for the past 3 years. It works out great for me. Regardless of the heat this summer, my garden was very successful.
I have done raised beds for about 10 years, built out of wood, so some rotting. The one thing I missed was a platform on the edge of the bed to lean on. Hard to harvest and weed when you don't have something to lean on or sit on
Yes! I love my Vego garden beds. They are basically the same. I have 4 and them. They look as good as the day I got them. I bought them for the exact reason when I was researching. Another plus is the rabbits don’t mess with my garden either. They are tall enough they’ve been keeping them out.
My metal beds also have that magnesium zinc aluminum coating and I've been very happy with them. I have a garden area where the roots from nearby trees and a massive native grape vine completely choke the soil and the raised beds were the perfect solution, especially for containing berries that might otherwise spread.
Mark on self sufficient me, has a fix for bowing on those types of beds as the soil settles, that didn't include taking out all of the soil. He digs down to the brace where the support braces are. He's still very happy with his. Your garden is going to be amazing, and I can't wait to see it next year!
They look great. A tip with regards the stabilising rods. Since you have extra rods, put one on the bottom. It'll take a few years but eventually the earth will compact down and start to push out the bottom of the beds.
So how will you put your trellis in so beans grow upwards and also your watering system for drip irrigation. Will look awesome and make life a lot easier.
I'll only use raised beds. My soil socks. I used a combination of cedar (reclaimed from people's decks) and composite deck boards (also reclaimed from deck renos).
Good choice, won't rust and easy to weed and fertilize. I replacing my cedar boxes I made 10 years or so ago, they have served me well but time has taken a toll. I set my first bed up in a 5 x 5 config, and lots of planting room. Made trellises out of netting and PVC pipe for the tomatoes to climb, works great but strings would work as well. Good luck with all you plant next season, and my wife and I love your channel! (wish we lived closer so I could buy some seedlings next year, but quite a ride from Chicagoland!)
I am quite surprised y'all decided to configure them as 8'x2' verses 6.5'x3.5' or 5'x5' due to the loss of available square footage. Roughly speaking, 8x2 is 16sf, but when configured as 6.5x3.5 would be 22.75sf or 5x5 would be 25sf. Maybe you could please explain the decision to configure as 8x2 vs the other configurations? Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
You will need to add support under the braces so that they do not bend from the soil compacting. I had to do that on mine because they started to collapse the sides of the raised bed inward.
Hah! I guessed it! Those are great if one can afford them. I'm using a combination of things, including large oval black polymer horse troughs that have a drain plug in the bottom. Reason I chose those is because they are taller (and I am older) so no stooping. I think maybe they are a bit wider than your metal beds but not as long. I put a layer of big rocks in the bottom to facilitate drainage, then a layer of rotting wood, then soil. So far they are working great.
I’d love too see you building this raised bed garden. I’ve purchase 18 of these and doing the same thing. I’ve put a new layer of weed barrier over the old for the same reason. I started rebuilding my garden this way a couple months ago. I’m loving these raised beds. I think you’ll love them too. No more weeds. I haven’t planted mine yet. Still too hot here in Central Texas. Mid to upper 90’s and still even hitting 100* some days. So sick of this heat. Anyway, I see a ton of positives in going this route. My garden is 34’x60’. Our soil is poor as well. (SAND) We’ve dumped tons of compost to build it up yr after yr.. luckily, no rocks but the compost eventually washing down into the sand. Ugh.
Love it. Going to be beautiful. I switched to raised beds years ago due to knee problems and I can grow more in my raised beds and grow bags than I could in ground. Looking forwarding to seeing progress.
My husband worked for a garage door company before he retired. People would replace perfectly good garage doors and he would bring the panels from them home. He then constructed raised beds with them. They are powder coated painted metal so they are weathering well, even here in north Idaho. They are two feet high. They look nice. They would have ended up in the dump, we put them to good use.
I applaud your husband! I hate waste, so turning what would have been garbage in a landfill into a useful product is one of the best things a person can do IMO. Two feet seems like a good height for raised beds.
I have a neighbor who does that and they do look very nice and are durable.
Thank you
I have thought about this myself. Just haven’t run across any. I think it would be the best! Great recycle resource! 👍
@@FloridaGirl- call your local garage door people. Where we live the garage door company has to pay to dispose of the garage door panels and hardware, if that’s the case they might be happy for you to take them to save on their disposal fees. The things is, if you come to an agreement you need to be “Johnny on the spot” about getting down to their work yard and picking the panels up because they probably won’t have a lot of room to store them waiting for someone to pick the panels up. If it’s more work to give them away than pay for disposal they won’t mess with it. By the way, they are a good place to pick up good pallets and large pieces of cardboard if you use those items in your gardening. Same rules apply.🙂
I also feel as we age, raised gardening is best. Backs and knees grow to hate us at times!
And weeds are 21" above your feet, not under your feet
I am 61 and could not agree more!
@@schex9 but ground level is where you snip and that’s easy. Besides you don’t let them get to be 21” over your head!
Amen!
I am so fortunate to have a son with a sawmill that gives me his cedar scraps to make all my raised beds. Nice thick boards that will take forever to rot.
suggestion lay a tarp down before assembly - that way stray screws, washers etc won't fall through the cracks on your patio floor.
Exactly what I was thinking! We've all been there when screw or washer falls through the cracks.
They look beautiful. Once I get my land I'm going with raised beds because at 53, and disabled, raised beds would be the perfect choice for me especially if I'm gardening alone. I'm excited to see how your raised garden beds turn out once everything you both planned is underway.
There's a guy from Australia (self sufficient me) who has had these type of raised beds for about 10 or 12 years and they look fantastic. His are even taller so no bending to garden.
Lay a tarp on your deck before you start putting these together. It will keep the screws from falling through.
Or at least lay one of the boxes out underneath where you are working to do the same thing. It's a bummer to get to the last hole and find you don't have enough screws, washers, or nuts left.
You have a nice tractor. Will you fill one at a time so you have access with the tractor bucket? Love the 5 ft between . I have a 50 x 100 in ground except of 2 - 4x 16; I wish I could afford those beds . I have been eyeing them for awhile. I do mostly by myself. I’m 66
I'm so excited to watch your new garden area grow. I love how you don't let adversity stop you. No whining here. You just back up and study ways to conquer the problem. We need more people like you two in this world.❤
Put all the cardboard in the bottom of the beds to save a bit on soil. Just a thought.
Agreed. I used my Amazon and Sam's cardboard delivery boxes in the bottom of mine
I never comment on videos but just wanted to share that I’ve been watching you guys for several years now and I have learned a lot of useful tips from you on our own homestead journey. We recently received great favor from the Lord and He moved us from our 5 acre homestead to a 30 acre farm. We feel beyond blessed to get to grow in this way.
I first found you all several years ago when I was venturing into raising meat rabbits. We no longer do that but we still are using your garden recommendation for that black garden fabric. It’s amazing that it lasts year after year and still doing well for us here in Ohio…
I definitely learned the hard way to not make the holes bigger than necessary but the work is so minimal using it that I can’t see doing it any other way.
I love these raised beds you’ve found though because I have an idea dreamed up for the front of my house and picture some pretty raised beds with perennial herbs and things….I had planned to build with metal and wood but now thanks to your input , I added these to the infamous “save for later” in my Amazon cart 😂 spring will come around again soon enough.
Anyone just wanted to pipe up and let you know some random lady in Ohio appreciates you 😅
Thank you so much for the kind words and congrats on your new farm!
Here’s my yard/garden work tip. Use your 10x10 pop up shelter to shade you while you work. It really does make a difference.
I would suggest putting chicken wire on the bottom to prevent moles or voles or snacks from burrowing inside and eat your food. Nancy from nebraska
Mark from Self Sufficient Me has been growing veggies in the tall Birdies raised bed for many years now, I'll have to go back to that video to see exactly how many years. He took out the soil from three of the oldest beds to see if they were rusting. Birdies is galvanized metal with a outside coating of color, Mark found several small places towards the middle of the bed that had rust. I think without digging through his videos to be totally exact he said those beds were 16 yrs old. I'm growing in galvanized metal beds and I'm pretty sure they will outlast me. I have so much back damage and a heart problem and I'm old. I'm waiting for Jesus to call His flock up to be with Him and until then I have to keep going as much as possible.
it was 12 years when he checked that bed. A big reason why I chose Birdies beds. And because Vego is made in China.😊
We’ve been using the 100 gal galvanized horse water tanks for many years. Plus the 150 gal Rubbermaid tanks. It’s so much easier to control the soil, keeps critters away and cover with shade cloth etc..And they drain well! They take a lot of soil at first. We put wood in the bottom third in the beginning. It’s called Hugelkultur. Congrats!
I put cardboard, greenery, shredded office paper, green leaves, more cardboard or paper, etc
Are they less expensive than these? For the size they are using it’s 170$.
About 30 years ago I started to use raised beds in my garden. The reason was that I had descovered that it was important not to walk on the earth and not disturb the earth where the plants grow. Now you can read about no dig gardening and thats what you get in raised beds to. You just put mulch /soil on top and its important to water the beds. This type of container you chose is perfect ,congrats ! Best wishes from the north of Sweden !
I bought a similar product 2 seasons ago and love it. You won't be sorry. I filled the bottom third with small limbs and twigs and then the next third with clean straw then the last third with soil. It did settle after the first year so i added more compost and soil the next year. It will be fun to see all 21 of them in place. I will be interested to see your drip system in place. Enjoy.
I also bought a similar product last year and used the same planting method. It worked very well.
I’m 78 and over the years have tried several options. My cedar option lasted 6 years. The galvanized troughs did much better for small flower garden or peppers and lasted much longer. I sure like your choice and if I stay healthy, I’m going to try the same option. Your research sure is doing me a favor. Thanks. ❤
same ...
You are so right on with the new good beds looks like the way too get r done 👍
I have low hemlock raised beds in my garden, they have lasted almost twenty years roughly. I say that as I am not sure when exactly I switched over to raised beds, I also say low beds because I couldn’t afford to make them very high so stuck with 4 or 5 inches high.
Just enough to create the form of a raised bed, making it easier to work in the garden and help contain the plants.
I've had cedar 2x6x12 boards, 4ft wide with castle blocks in the corners, gardens, for at least 10 years. No signs of them breaking down? Not sure why mine would last way longer than yours? 18 inch high.
I’m not a homesteader gleaning from your knowledge, but I do love watching the two of you on your homestead. You complement each other and work very well together. I like the direction you are going with the raised beds and (because that’s all I have), I think you will like this change.
Thanks again for allowing us into your lives and on your homestead. Love from Oklahoma. ❤
To make it easier, start with the center and move outwards on installing and filling the beds with your tractor and bucket.
Great job, Guys!!! Looking good!!! Because of your recommendation several years ago, I put down the heavy garden fabric. My main garden area is about 100' by 150', so, in my 70+ year old age, and after several surgeries on my back, knees, hips, etc, I have certainly appreciated not having to get down and weed everything. After laying out my weed fabric, I put up my 16' cattle panel arches, right on top of the fabric, cutting a little 'x' where my t-posts got installed. I dont have the budget to get these nice beds you decided to go with, but over a couple seasons, and garden expansions, I did get big bins that I drilled holes in the bottom, lined them with mylar, and filled them with my 'home grown' mulch/soil. I have left one area open to raw ground, where I usually plant corn and potatoes; and another area, where I built up the soil specifically for my blueberry and aronia berry bushes. Everything else is grown in big tub containers. In tubs, I have elderberry, gooseberry, strawberry, blackberry, various summer/winter squashes, cucumbers, various melons, asparagus, radish, various beans, rutabaga, parsnips, tons of various sweet/hot peppers, tons of various tomatoes, variety of grapes, beets, brussels sprouts, various greens, eggplant, sweet potatoes, varieties of flowers (in my Mom's memory) for the pollinators, etc. I have also grown potatoes in my tubs. Having the cattle panels enables things to spread upwards, and not take up so much ground space. You guys have given me so much inspiration, as I'm also in Missouri, though about 3 hours north of you. I have taught and helped several other young couples to get their gardens set up, and gave them tons of seeds, to get them going. I've also taught them how to preserve what they grow, whether by canning, freezing, dehydrating, juicing, etc. I keep in touch with them, to continue encouraging and tracking their progress. I wish I could afford a freeze dryer, but that's just nowhere in my budget...at all,... as I'm saving up for another surgery. 😕 Keep up the good work!! I appreciate you both!!! 🥰 P.S. My garden is where my dogs head to first, whenever we go out, as they love to play hide and seek among the arches and bins. It's our 'happy place,' for sure!!! 😊
What a beautiful statement of a life well lived😊😊❤😊
I am SUPER excited to see the first growing season using these raised beds! I think you made a great decision on the raised beds you have chosen. I can tell you that, at 64 y/o, raised bed is the way to go forward! I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited over someone else’s garden! 😂😂
Yes, indeed. Another Master Class from LTH University. Thank you Kevin and Sarah.
Here in Southeast Texas the problem that I have found with metal beds is that the soil in a metal raised bed heats up too much. This affects the root system. Good luck I hope it works out for y’all.
Yes your right so they should go with 4x8 and stay 10 inches in from the edge which if you put wood at the edge would act as a seat to weed or pick from...🖖
I also have experienced this. I switched back to wood
I love the raised growing containers that the gentleman in Self Sufficient Me uses.
I know they are now available in USA .They have a very ling life dont rust or come apart or warp
Yes, we have several and love them. My only complaint would be that you can't sit on the edge😂
An important advantage for some of the Birdie’s metal beds is that they are manufactured in Australia, not China, like most of the other brands.
We bought 10 of these last spring and grew in them over the summer. I’m thrilled with our decision to go with this type of raised beds.
Blessings Kevin &Sarah,
I turn 70 years old this November. I am going to ask my wife to order a couple of these for my birthday gift. I think spring will be wonderful gardening in my little raised beds. I really appreciate you guys. Best wishes, 😊.
I'm 72 years old. My husband did the vegetable garden. I harvested daily to feed the family. I've wanted to do raised beds now for a couple years. Thank you for sharing. I'm glad the company is offering a 10% discount.thank you so much.
Hmm, I wonder if you could put cattle panels in an arch from one bed to another. That would give you vertical space to grow various vines and would let you harvest in a shady tunnel. Just a thought.
Millicent, I'm a 68 year old widow and I put together two of these exact same raised beds last summer. If I can do it, so can you! I hope you give it a try. Good luck and God bless you! 🥰
Plan to start filling the beds with your tractor bucket from the center out.. Work smarter not harder! Test, test, test for contamination before filling!!!
I love it! Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the pros and cons of each type of raised bed, and showing so clearly what is involved in setting these up. Your garden is going to look so elegant, and be such a pleasure to work in! 👩🌾👨🌾
Consider testing your soil before you put it in the beds because Jessica from "Roots and Refuge" had a delivery of soil and they found out to late that it was contaminated soil. They ordered organic soil. I love my metal raised beds.
Oh, no 💔😬😩
Same thing happened to me. Spent a lot on "organic" mix, filled with pieces of blue plastic and other unexpected pieces of trash. Nothing grew in it.
How do you test for contamination? (New gardener here).
ETA: Answering my own question after some research. Simply try to grow something in a small pot of the soil. Lol
So true. I I was blessed to have a neighbor give me composed horse manure .
@@lisaa3978oh no
These are the ones that we like. They are expesive but, they will last a long time x
Quite sure that the two of you have thought all of this out well. 21 raised beds takes a lot of filling and will almost always needs a lot of amendments too. Did the math a actually not all that bad plus we are quite sure that you got a better deal than most of us would get. Thinking that after the ground is more level and installing the fabric cloth then the raised beds kind of one by one. I guess soon we will earn as to how you will be filling them and with what type of filler too. Also the irrigation setup. Raised beds tend to need a lot more water than "traditional" beds. Best of luck!
We bought the Birdies planters. We love them. I grew tomatoes, lettuce & bell peppers.
Yes they great,but price,not all can afford.
Treated lumber is now food safe. it is treated with copper, and we could all use traces of copper in our diet. If only... the copper won't move enough towards the roots, anyway. My treated lumber raised bed is still in perfect condition from March 2020.
Just a note, at time code 9:05 you state that these are made of stainless steel but according to the website they are just coated steel. I anticipate that they will last a long time but if they were actually made stainless steel they would last just about forever. Unfortunate that they don't make them of SS because it's not that much more expensive these days and a much better material.
Those stainlessm steel with zinc and magnesium are great - but you need to watch the AUS gardener who used these - and depending on what you grow - they will suck in - deform - and start deteriorating. Just saying. Any magnesium leaching into the soil (like magnesium sulfate - epsom salts) will help with magnesium in photosynthesis and chlorophyll magnesium. A little zinc leaching will also help with anti-bacterial, virus, blight, anti-buggers soil taste. So proper mulch, compost, hugelkultur inside the bed, and clay-lining - and you should be able to have stable metal raised beds for a very long time.
If you have problems with digging/burrowing critters lay down some hardware cloth or babysaver wire to keep them out of your beds. It will save you the frustration of dealing with it later.
We’ve had some of our treated wood raised for a dozen years and they’re holding up well. They actually haven’t used harmful chemicals to treat the wood for quite a few years. Our beds are 12 inches deep. We didn’t use a ground covering under them-after a couple of years the soil we added and the ground seemed to married quite well. I think if you were to try that your ground soil would become enriched by the soil from the nutritious soil you add to the beds and change to good soil. I wish you well.
Yes!
Agree totally. We have 3, 4'x8'x11" raised beds, above ground treated, not ground contact treated that are 8 years old.
No signs of rot. We also put no barrier cloth under them, instead I weed wacked the grass down to almost no grass
left and then lined the bottom with cardboard. That stopped any weed growth and as it decomposed drew worms by
the dozens into the beds. Also, as you said, over time the nutrients added do leach down into the ground allowing,
encouraging plants to reach deeper. As well as for moisture. Not to mention, after gardening for numerous years, I'm
70, have I ever had to dig or pull up anything from a foot deep. This size and depth bed also happens to equal 1 cubic
yard of soil/compost to fill. Easier to calculate amount needed. 10 beds, 10 yards to fill.
You didn't mention that there is no such thing as a "no bend" garden. I'm 6'2"s tall. No matter how tall the bed is, I have
to kneel or bend, and either way reach, to plant, harvest, or weed. Luckily, my knees are still in ok shape so I crawl.
I know the whole garden doesn't need to be planted in 1 day, so we plan to plant only 2 beds per day. That way I only
have to get back up, once. 😊
We made our raised beds with 8x16 cinderblocks so we can adjust the height, width and shape of the beds. It also has an insulation factor and can easily add pvc pipe “hoops” for a mini greenhouse. Your beds look beautiful and hope you have good luck with them! Blessings!
Based on my experience with raised wooden beds the same size:
1. You may want to add an irrigation system and/or mulch because my wooden beds of the same size and height were prone to drying out in summer heat. The dirt literally shrank away from the sides.
2. I planted 4 tomato plants per bed and as long as I pruned and trained the plants to a fence (vs sprawling), that was adequate room.
3. Love the space you’re putting between rows. I did two feet and it was too tight after plants were big.
God bless you both.
I have cinder block raised bed they were free 90 of them
If going raised beds.. you should think about hardware cloth on the bottom.... you could use wood.. and burn or scorch the wood as a treating method..
Don't forget to use the cardboard, to line the base of the inside of the bed, before you start to fill them with soil...
If you can reverse the end plates to where they point out and they will still mate up, you could combine several kits into a clover leaf or star configuration. I like the beds. I have plenty of slabs from the mill to build mine with. I build them flat side out, pile them full of brush and start the fire. When the fire gets going good and the brush is gone, wet it down and you have a nice bed of bio-char as well as bio-char on the inside walls to grow in. Good Job
Thank you. Before full placement, I would fill the beds with the tractor, then place the next beds. God Bless and stay safe.
Awesome Choice - cross tie advice - when filling - comoact under and close to the tie bars...if not, when material settles, it will sag tie bars and pull in the walls. Seriously, please....compact under and near....lift a smidgen and cram.soil under. Self Sufficient Me has two or three videos on such....his beds caved in due to settlement and he had to pull the apart and start over. Also, do NOT trust "garden blend" at local CoOp...be careful...first year may be a bust...we added compost on top of settlement the next year and crops grew game busters. Amend, amend, amend....or BLEND...."garden mix" needs (mushroom) compost. One last thing, sprinkle in alfalfa pellets as time release nitrogen for CHEAP....it will help next Spring if you fill in the Fall. Yall are a blessing. I pray these tips bless YOU.
We have a grass here in Florida that grows through that weed fabric then up through the raised beds.
Congratulations on your choice of Vegega raised beds for your garden! Raised beds are awesome. As with your containers in the greenhouse, you will have to add potting mix and amendments to the raised beds. I'm certain you will add drip lines to each container too. Also, you can add t-posts around a grouping of raised beds to make hoop canopies to throw over shade cloths that will help so much with the strong sun and heat in the summer. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised and thrilled. Can't wait to see how your new raised bed garden performs.
I have several of the kind you’re talking about and you just need to watch where the screws are because those sides can pop out because of the dirt pressure (on occasion) or the screw rusts. I buy water troughs now and I just flip them and put a bunch of holes in the bottom. No seems no screws and so far so good👍🏼3 years. Great show👍🏼🇺🇸👏🏻
I found that the center bracing tends to pull the edges inward as you add amendments and dirt over time. Had to dig out mine and release the pressure off the bracing and pull the buckles out, and I had to place wood on each side of the inner bracing to hold the buckles that I pulled out in place. Just know those do pull the sides of the bed inwards after a few years.
Just a thought, when your ready to fill with dirt, probably with the tractor, it would be easier to fill if you do a roll, fill with dirt then back up, set the next row of container and fill them with dirt so it will be less work and you dont need a wheel barrel. I thought about wood but youngave so e great points. Im guessing the coating on the inside is safe for plants, some look pretty out there but not food safe. It will look really nice when done.
Burned my leg bad on a metal bed this year. They get HOT! I’ve had wood in the past. Lined the inside walls with black plastic to help protect the wood which helped with longevity as I didn’t use treated wood. I liked the wood better actually but Vevor has beds very reasonably priced. Way cheaper than any other place I’ve found
I have 6 Vegega beds, love them. I bought the 8x2, but bought 2 extra panels per bed which makes them 3.5x8. I didn’t use the edge tape because their edges are rolled so nicely it wasn’t needed.
We chose the Birdies beds for our raised bed garden. We got them 29 inches tall as we have issues with rabbits and they can't get into them. And because I have sciatica and the height is perfect. I absolutely love them. Makes gardening so much easier. What weeds do grow (and they are few) don't cause me pain because it's like table top gardening. We have very gravely soil as well but with sand so any enrichment we put into the ground quickly leached down out of reach of the plants roots. You guys are going to love your beds! Happy growing 😊
Vegega is a great company, I bought mine a year ago and they are doing great. I bought the 2x8 also, ordered 2 extra flat panels for the ends and extra support rods making them a 4x8 bed. I also used tree limbs on the bottom to save on planter mix, the soil level has dropped about 6 to 8 inches this past year from composting of tree material. Enjoying all of your videos, keep them coming and Thank You for posting.
I know how it is to plant in a "gravel driveway." Our soil has tons of small rocks and it has taken many years to have good soil. You guys, in my opinion, have chosen wisely to make the raised beds. Love your videos!
The spacing makes sence. You Aldo need to have access to fill... then refill and amend the next year. It is also acceptable for the future. In future years you could harvest right from a golf cart or atv if needed. Hopefully that won't be the case... but even if a elderly parent visits with mobility issues... you can get them in the garden and spend time.
Deep homestead with Danny and Wanda said we need to start using this to grow all our food and citrus in pots or Big containers that will be the way of the future. ❤ y’all videos God bless
Best way to go really for now and future
Loving watching
Thank you for the great info. Can't wait to see this project complete and then look forward to next years growing season with you. God bless!
Here in South Georgia, we have small round iron rocks and red clay soil about 12" under the topsoil. I had to go to raised beds, but discovered the plants to better when in contact with the natural soil here. I saved TONS of autumn leaves and Grazon-free hay, mixed in punky wood by the wheelbarrow load, some manure, some compost tea, and the garden plants grow like crazy!! Note: do not plant sweet potatoes in rich raised bed soil; they will produce only vines.
Can you show us some time what you do with all the old dried plant material, as well as the cleanings from you animal pens? Do you compost that? Burn it? Or make gigantic piles?
Giving yourself 5 feet around each bed, you will also be able to get a wagon in between the beds for easy planting of flats, and harvest time. In the spring we put up a pop up tent 10x10 over the beds while I plant them. I also have a couple of resin chairs that we keep in the garden for working at a comfortable height. You will love having raised beds!! So what kind of fencing are you going to use? And what kind of irrigation are you looking at? Can't wait to see the future developments of your property.
I'm sure this is too little too late, but... If you used a pneumatic pop rivet gun (cheap from Harbor Freight) and stainless steel rivets, you'd get these completed in probably less than 10 minutes. 😉
Mark ,from Self Sufficient Me, had trouble with the middle braces sinking inward and pulling the sides inward. So he put upright bracing under the cross braces, so they couldn't sink
It's great you've found a new way of gardening for your family. It will give you so much more room to grow what you want. Take you all & God bless you all and keep you safe in his loving arms 🧑🌾🧑🌾🧑🌾
I'm 74 and love your RUclips always been a fan. Sarah I cooked my peppers as you did in the oven at broil did good but I missed the recipe for the fettuccini sauce I am still searching,
The screws will rust.. i like the vinyl beds. Last fotever, snow and ice here.
I’d put screens down first inside those raised beds, then pile wood and leaves on top, then add soil. Critters can dig up under those weed fabrics and eat your veggies
Kevin, the panels are not stainless steel, Only the hardware, nuts and bolts.
I have been thinking the same thing for the same reasons on our property… soil is horrible. I was thinking of making our own beds since we have so much wood… and I think my husband will like this idea a LOT better😂!
I agree with your spacing 100%. I've also learned from overcrowding beds. My Missouri dirt is also terrible.
By far the best video on how to put these together with tips that you learned personally. Great camera angle, great detailed instruction. Nice that you told how long it takes to put together. THank you for making this video. Very helpful.
I’m always amazed how ppl tell you what you should do. Good luck with your project. Can’t wait to see it finished.
Yeah and at $ 400.00 ea.....nope I ain't got that kinda money to throw around. Good luck if you can afford it.
@@dennislindsey4523 they’re a $169 each plus an extra 10% off 🤷♀️
Great planning! Can’t wait to see your new garden in action! Weeds, poor soil, and aging knees have taken all my gardening out of the ground as well. ❤❤
Good job and great choice. I have 8 (32") Vego grow beds. As a Disabled Vet I went to the taller beds so I don't have to bend over. I love them and will be adding 8 - 10 more this next year.
Yep! I bucket garden and container garden for the past 3 years. It works out great for me. Regardless of the heat this summer, my garden was very successful.
Same
You make great decisions for your homestead. It’s good to plan ahead for when you are older.
I have done raised beds for about 10 years, built out of wood, so some rotting. The one thing I missed was a platform on the edge of the bed to lean on. Hard to harvest and weed when you don't have something to lean on or sit on
Yes! I love my Vego garden beds. They are basically the same. I have 4 and them. They look as good as the day I got them. I bought them for the exact reason when I was researching. Another plus is the rabbits don’t mess with my garden either. They are tall enough they’ve been keeping them out.
AWESOME!!!! I LIKE THEM VERY MUCH...
My metal beds also have that magnesium zinc aluminum coating and I've been very happy with them. I have a garden area where the roots from nearby trees and a massive native grape vine completely choke the soil and the raised beds were the perfect solution, especially for containing berries that might otherwise spread.
Mark on self sufficient me, has a fix for bowing on those types of beds as the soil settles, that didn't include taking out all of the soil. He digs down to the brace where the support braces are. He's still very happy with his. Your garden is going to be amazing, and I can't wait to see it next year!
They look great. A tip with regards the stabilising rods. Since you have extra rods, put one on the bottom. It'll take a few years but eventually the earth will compact down and start to push out the bottom of the beds.
So how will you put your trellis in so beans grow upwards and also your watering system for drip irrigation. Will look awesome and make life a lot easier.
I'll only use raised beds. My soil socks. I used a combination of cedar (reclaimed from people's decks) and composite deck boards (also reclaimed from deck renos).
It will look good when you get it all done.
Good choice, won't rust and easy to weed and fertilize. I replacing my cedar boxes I made 10 years or so ago, they have served me well but time has taken a toll. I set my first bed up in a 5 x 5 config, and lots of planting room. Made trellises out of netting and PVC pipe for the tomatoes to climb, works great but strings would work as well. Good luck with all you plant next season, and my wife and I love your channel! (wish we lived closer so I could buy some seedlings next year, but quite a ride from Chicagoland!)
I am quite surprised y'all decided to configure them as 8'x2' verses 6.5'x3.5' or 5'x5' due to the loss of available square footage. Roughly speaking, 8x2 is 16sf, but when configured as 6.5x3.5 would be 22.75sf or 5x5 would be 25sf. Maybe you could please explain the decision to configure as 8x2 vs the other configurations? Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I have this question as well
Easier to reach to the middle I'd say.
Use an old cookie sheet to put your hardware on. Everything stays on there so it don’t fall through the cracks!
FYI, your gate anti-sag cable is installed backward, top of cable should be on the hinge side of gate
Thanks for the raised bed idea!
You will need to add support under the braces so that they do not bend from the soil compacting. I had to do that on mine because they started to collapse the sides of the raised bed inward.
Hah! I guessed it! Those are great if one can afford them. I'm using a combination of things, including large oval black polymer horse troughs that have a drain plug in the bottom. Reason I chose those is because they are taller (and I am older) so no stooping. I think maybe they are a bit wider than your metal beds but not as long. I put a layer of big rocks in the bottom to facilitate drainage, then a layer of rotting wood, then soil. So far they are working great.
Smart decision, why try to change what is given you to grow in, make it what you want another way and probably less expensive and less toil also ❤!
So happy for you. AT MY AGE i.D.K. but you gave me thinking.
I’d love too see you building this raised bed garden. I’ve purchase 18 of these and doing the same thing. I’ve put a new layer of weed barrier over the old for the same reason. I started rebuilding my garden this way a couple months ago. I’m loving these raised beds. I think you’ll love them too. No more weeds. I haven’t planted mine yet. Still too hot here in Central Texas. Mid to upper 90’s and still even hitting 100* some days. So sick of this heat.
Anyway, I see a ton of positives in going this route. My garden is 34’x60’. Our soil is poor as well. (SAND)
We’ve dumped tons of compost to build it up yr after yr.. luckily, no rocks but the compost eventually washing down into the sand. Ugh.
Love it. Going to be beautiful. I switched to raised beds years ago due to knee problems and I can grow more in my raised beds and grow bags than I could in ground. Looking forwarding to seeing progress.
Check.out Becky, at Acre Homestead, she got 22, raised beds made, tested out different siils, did testing etc, lots of compost.