Building A Garden Part 2: Installing And Orienting Raised Beds

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Do you have any big garden projects planned this winter? Let us know in the Comments!

[@JacobSimpson]

Not really do much this winter. But we're building a house right now and will have alot of that pressure treated lumber left over so might be making some new beds. I'm planning on doing as many air layers as possible and trying to figure out cuttings. Been watching a bunch of your and Mike Kincaid's videos on cuttings because I'm hoping to buy a bunch of fig cuttings next winter if I get it figured out! But my final plan is to have a big orchard and most of our yard is probably going to end up being garden because we live in the country and I can pretty much make anything I want as big as I want. Main problem would be keeping the cows out 😂

[@unafilliatedx2310]

I built 2- 40" H x 4'W x 8' L raised beds this fall/winter. Huge project but i will never have to bend over ever again lol. I plan on building 2 more if I can find the time.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Jacob Simpson how much land do you have? That sounds amazing.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

unafilliated x wow that is deep! I imagine filling them in will be some work! That sounds pretty cool not bending. I gave up bending and just get on my hands and knees, now. It does a number on your jeans.

[@JacobSimpson]

@@TheMillennialGardener nearly 1000 acres. Then my family owns almost all the land next to me and everyone else near is pretty much family we know them so well

[@garfieldnate]

Really inspiring to look back and see how plain and ugly your yard was and the Eden that you've turned it into in 4 years!

[@boinerz]

You will have a fine looking, well-laid garden when you're done. You've done a beautiful job of it, not only in the construction but also in planning. I can't wait to see the finished product, And now, dammit, you have me rethinking my whole garden area!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

boinerz thank you. That’s my goal of putting this little video series together on my garden expansion. I want to motivate everyone that wants to improve their own garden but have put it off for one reason or another to take the plunge. It is definitely work up front, but once it is done it’ll pay huge dividends for years. Maybe even decades.

[@helenerickson8455]

Are you not concerned about using pressure treated wood for growing edibles? I wouldn't want to use that.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Helen Erickson why? Modern pressure treated wood uses copper, which is entirely non-toxic. Organic fruit tree sprays typically use copper as an active ingredient, which is safe to spray all over your fruits themselves. Why would tiny amounts of copper in the soil concern you?

[@helenerickson8455]

@@TheMillennialGardener We were just talking about this among some master gardeners. We concluded that it was best not to use pressure treated for edibles. I read that if you do, root crops are more susceptible to any copper and best to peel. It seems they usually figure out the problems years down the road. I just figure less is more. plantcaretoday.com/pressure-treated-lumber-for-a-vegetable-garden.html

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@helenerickson8455 I believe the exact opposite. I believe these are long-standing myths from decades ago when arsenic was used, and it is one of those things that's totally unnecessary to stress over. Living in NC, I treat my nightshades and cucurbits with liquid copper directly, meaning I am adding more to the soil every week via a spray than will leach out from this wood. If you use any copper fungicide (which is approved as a method of organic control), it makes the argument null and void. That being said, I always encourage everyone to use what makes them most comfortable. You can use cedar or redwood if you want, but they probably won't last as long and cost 2-4 times as much money. If that's worth it to you, I say go for it. To me, it isn't, because at the end of the day, pressure treated wood turns out to be more economical, sustainable and costs a fraction of what naturally-rot resistant wood costs, and all sizes are available. It's virtually impossible to find cedar and redwood where I'm at without paying an arm and a leg. There aren't any studies that show any ill effects to modern pressure treated wood, and it's mostly theoretical fears that steer folks away. But like I said, if you want to go that route, please do. You're by no means obligated to use pressure treated. It certainly is ugly wood and it loves to warp, so if you can find cedar or redwood, you'll get a product that looks a whole lot better.

[@Jim-si7wz]

It is looking really good, so does that mean you will have basically a living fence, good idea will look mighty fine when finished.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I actually just made a video updating my garden and the build the other day: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaGxg3ybqNB5p5o So far, it's exactly what I wanted and it's working perfectly.

[@69juamex]

Interested looking forward to see the updates. Congratulation on the progress of the garden.

[@itziahurtado]

yay...This is very similar for what I am looking to do

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Awesome! If you're interested in my build, I documented it here: kzbin.info/aero/PL1gY7BoYBGIHMf0bVzDMprnX-CazSKZL6

[@ninawill8053]

I think it looks beautiful,it is a lot of work ,i have done it few years back but not as large scale as this but am so happy with it now. Cant wait to see it all finished and planted!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you. I appreciate that. I keep telling myself it'll all be worth it. There's something rewarding about doing it yourself and seeing your hard work pay off.

[@trailrider2473]

Your video made my morning! I am going to be building my garden beds this winter, but I will be building them out of cement blocks instead of wood. I also want to put up a grape vine trellis that will be made from steel posts and high tension wire. Your garden looks beautiful and energizes me to build mine.😀🐎🐸💚

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear it made you happy to see. Your project sounds like it'll be awesome. Definitely go for it and make your dreams come true. I will be adding aircraft cable (1/8" steel cable) to use as a trellis around my garden, so I'm right there with you. It's really affordable.

[@lindapertusati7990]

I've been waiting for this video to see how your design looked altogether. It looks amazing. You will have some really good growing this season.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Linda Pertusati thank you. I’m in the middle of the worst part: setting posts. I will have a part 3, a part 4 and maybe a part 5. This is going to be big when it all ends.

[@that_one_guy_Dave]

Mr. McGregor' s garden!!

[@stevendaniel5649]

Whew! Think I will be a familiar face at the local farmers market. ☺

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Steven Daniel there is so much reward in seeing a project come together. It is worth it.

[@taraaaron1242]

I'm liking your project. Literally making something similar but smaller in overall size. Yours looks good. Im using redwood. Omg expensive.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Hence I used pressure treated 😂 Redwood is so expensive - and not available where I live. But it looks great when it is done.

[@gaylegainey2444]

This layout is beautiful!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Gayle Gainey thank you! I appreciate that.

[@lelat.3386]

Looks great so far!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Lela T. Thank you!

[@JacobSimpson]

Lookin good! It's going to be massive! I didn't realize how huge it was!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Jacob Simpson thank you. My goal is to have more room than I need so I can have beds “resting” at times. I currently use my beds too much. They need a time for organic matter to break down.

[@JacobSimpson]

@@TheMillennialGardener Nice! I would do that a few years ago but I haven't recently except that I would just switch what I was growing in one bed into another bed each year instead of letting them rest.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Jacob Simpson if you’re in a place that has a long winter, letting them rest from December to March is probably good enough. In my climate I can grow cold crops all year so they get zero rest. That’s my problem. I don’t want to deplete my poor soil.

[@mred3608]

You are doing great work there. Can't wait to see them in use. Your soil looks pretty much same as mine.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Me too, and by that I mean I can't wait until I'm done with this brutal labor! Hopefully I won't have to do anything like this for a very long time. I imagine you're pretty close to the coast, then. I saw some pretty big storms heading toward Brisbane yesterday. Hopefully you're getting some of them.

[@mred3608]

@@TheMillennialGardenerit will be all worth it in the end. At least you will be pretty well setup after this. I am about 150 metres from the beach. We had a couple of days of light to moderate rain here which was welcome. Hope the poor people inland get some decent rain soon.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@mred3608 150m from the beach! Every time I talk to you I get more jealous :) That's good. I heard NSW got some rain a few days ago. We're really dry as well. I've only had 1.8 inches all January (4.5cm).

[@josephcarrera3953]

Awesome job 🌱😎🌱

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Joseph Carrera thank you!

[@jamescobleii5057]

Looks great

[@TheMillennialGardener]

James Coble II thank you!

[@billhiggins3845]

I'm hoping to build my cattle panel green house real quick like

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Great progress. I know how much work it is to build that many raised beds. Cant wait to see the progress! Keep the great work! May I ask why do you think an addition fence will provide much needed protection? Because as I can see you already have a fence around your garden. Or will be decorational + functional because of the trellis combo?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Small Garden Quest in many locations there are gaps underneath my board-on-board fence. I frequently get rabbits in my yard, which love to munch on my greens. I’m sure there are many other pests out there that could hunt me down as well. Last year, they used my sweet potato vines as a nest. I had a mommy and 2 babies. I would love to give them a place to live, but they also used their new home as a buffet and made short work of some of the tops.

[@ShineYourLight83]

This is a great video I noticed you didn’t cover the bottom of your raise beds like every one else!!! Can you tell us why and the benefits of doing it this way?

[@SalongirlGardens]

Wow!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@bostonchoir]

The fencing is great. I have a problem from deer, rabit, skunk etc. I bought parts for electric fence but worried it may kill neighbor's cat and I may need permission from the town to start with. So, I gave up. But the one you made look promising.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Jeong Kim the board on board fence around my yard defends against the big pests like deer, but rabbits easily get under it. I’ll have an additional smaller fence to defend against them.

[@sandycantu6830]

This is what I needed to see 💕 I love your garden . Thank you in advance 🙏🌹 What is the idea of the sand. Is that good for your rooting. Do you mix with soil. I’m sorry, I’m bouncing all over your channels trying to see what’s best for the ground. Where I’m living is all brush. It was all woodsy, and once removed how would I start fixing my soil. What can you advise me of.

[@billhiggins3845]

Should you be using treated lumber

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Bill Higgins yes. Modern pressure treated lumber is treated with copper and is completely non-toxic.

[@austinwilloughby3439]

Beautiful job! Why didn't you put your weed barrier under your beds? love all your videos! Marlene Willoughby ! Farmer from SC.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

True raised garden beds are bottomless. Having the roots access the native soil is critical. Otherwise, they aren't really raised beds and are just garden containers. Placing fixed bottoms on your bed limits space for root development, and they will dry out faster as a result.

[@great0789]

It looks like a great layout! However, remember these words... Bermuda grass is the enemy!!! That stuff will creep under ground long distances and push through deep soil/tall grow beds. As well as up the cracks on the edges of grow beds. It is weak against shade.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Luckily, I have centipede grass. Don't get me wrong, it's very invasive, but it has much shallower roots than bermuda grass. It's really easy to rip out when a runner takes hold. I eventually want to go around my yard with terrace board, but it'll take like 1,000 feet to do the yard and the house, so that's going to be a much later project after I fall backwards into a pile of money.

[@giankees450]

Looking good! and thanks for the videos, what did you do so the boxes stay closed at the corners on the old and new garden boxes? I had to put some metal straps on mine because they started to open up after 1 year and I used long exterior screws.

[@nomadismileseeker6611]

How many board feet do you figure you used?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The full design is shown at 2:20.

[@diego_villena]

I am a huge fan of your content, BUT… you really need to interlink your series in the description. Yes I’m aware there are PIP links that pop up, but it’s a pain to navigate for those of us who like to watch to the last second. (Especially when there are Dale segments)

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They are organized in my Playlists: kzbin.info/aero/PL1gY7BoYBGIHMf0bVzDMprnX-CazSKZL6

[@barbarawalker3620]

😊😉🙂

[@pang-ngiavang1956]

I would have love to see how you install these garden raised beds instead of talking about it.