Vego Garden Raised Beds: An HONEST Review After 1 Year!

[@Braisin-Raisin]

Maybe in America you don't have this problem: here in Northern Germany we have moles and voles. Moles only burrow but leave the roots hanging in the air, while voles chew the roots. I had built and filled 12 x 45 cm high corrugated metal beds and I love them. However, a season later I find chewed beets. carrots, parsnips, potatoes. So, reluctanty and gritting my teeth, I removed the soil again, put wire especially against voles underneath (they have incredible teeth) and refilled the beds. It was a horrible amount of work (I am 80 and female) but I did it, exceopt for one which I keep for garlic and onions. Voles hate garlic. So, if you have these critters in your area, put down the wire, then the bed making sure it is level, and only then fill it! Make sure you bend the wire upwards a bit around the base of the bed or they find a gap to slip through. Now I see the earth thrown up all around the base of the beds but none come in. Happiness is a vole-free raised garden bed!

[@tpribors]

We have the same issue here in NC. We put a wire fencing on the bottom of the bed and put a layer of rocks on it. Rocks shouldn't be necessary, but my husband want to make sure, ha! Also, I don't know if it works, but I put gummy bears in the holes that we found in the yard. I was told that they are toxic for the voles. I guess I'll find out if I still have them this year!

[@Braisin-Raisin]

I have had the vole wire under the raised beds now for one season and it has held. Voles are digging like crazy around the edge but cannot get in. It must drive them crazy, smelling this delicious vegetable and not being able to get at the roots. Gives me a certain amount of satisfaction!

[@krisy-in-italy]

I am waiting on delivery of wire mesh now to line my beds here in Italy. I don’t want to do the work twice! ❤

[@mykindpharm]

I have the same issue with voles here in Idaho USA!! Darn things 🥺

[@karamiaropiha8349]

​@@Braisin-Raisincould you plant some veges for the voles somewhere out the back or something to keep them out and distracted elsewhere?

[@michaeld.3779]

We bought one of the largest Vego beds in 2021. It was a 4x8, and I've had no problems with it at all. No rusting, bowing,, whatever. Ours is white (I figured it would reflect the sunlight a little better than the green). Rather than buy expensive bagged soil, our local landscape-materials yard has a pre-mixed premium garden soil that was 25% of what the bagged stuff would have cost. I also had no trouble when I emailed Vego to ask if they'd sell me some of their black rubber upper trim to use on a the edges of a vintage VW fender. They got back with me immediately, and provided the trim.

[@Junzar56]

I love ours! The older you get, the more I like having taller beds. Fewer pest and weed issues. They are wonderful.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I’m happy you love them! I’m only 32 but holy cow they made such a big difference for me!

[@Angie-ci1lp]

YES!! 32 inch! Absolutely!🙋🏽‍♀️ I’m 73 I love Vego and Birdie.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Those 32” ones are so awesome! At some point I’ll definitely build some part of my garden with those!

[@sashimster3243]

As a beginner (second season) I can really recommend getting a few growing bags to start out. They require very little work, are fairly cheap and you can move them if you do decide to go bigger and need some open space. Going into my second season this year, I dug a 12 by 4 foot "semi raised bed". I grabbed some old wood left over from a wooden terrace project my grandpa did 15+ years ago, built a little ~1 foot high frame with coffee grinds and some beer traps to combat an absolute titanic boat load of snails we get here and dug down about 1 foot to lift out our grass because the roots were just insane and I didn't have time to do no dig. Then I purchased some more grow bags to spread throughout the garden in opportune spots and now I have like 15+ types of vegetables plus some herbs growing with very doable time and money costs. I'm planning on setting up a bigger (about 16 by 12 feet with little paths through the middle) no dig bed in a spot where we cut down a dead apple tree this summer.

[@joannc147]

I’m a big fan of Vego. I put gravel on the bottom (vole deterrent) and then a bunch of twigs to take up room. I am old and the 17” is easy as could be to work with. I’ve used 3 beds for a year and have 2 new ones to set up. Easy peasy to put together. No mntc is a big selling point for me.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I’m happy to hear feedback about how the 17” has worked for you! I’m only 32 but it helps my back a lot, I’m glad it helps you too! I love these beds!

[@proudpatriot1703]

Damn good idea, thanks

[@annroberts7935]

As a proud gardener with home made wood beds, purchased cedar beds and 3 kinds of purchased metal beds, I will no longer buy anything but Vegogarden beds. I love that they are continuing to improve their product line with new colors, new support systems, and other add ons

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I’ve done cedar beds and LOVED them at my old house, but so far no bed I’ve had holds a candle to these, I really do love them and I’m glad you do too!

[@Gordon_L]

For people who are on a budget or just don't want to spend an arm and a leg on these , one option is to get old roller doors from the recycle yard etc. , cut them into 3 or 4 pieces in the vertical plane ( as in when they were in use ) . The pieces can then be formed into circles with the ridges vertical , join 2 together first for a larger bed , form a shape other than a circle if wanted by using rods or S.S. wire rope with eyes and securing pins on the outside , eye passes through a cut slot . A standard garage roller door unrolls to about 10' so that makes a 3' circle or about a 6'x3' oval if 2 pieces are joined . Circular or oval raised beds at the height of your choice can be had for very little money and roller doors are made from basically the same steel and coatings as these , just a different profile , i.e. not exactly corrugated but similar . You also end up with a steel 1" galvanised pipe from the centre of each roller door , that can be utilised in the garden or elsewhere also . Cheers , from sunny Queensland , Australia 🙂

[@robertbutler8004]

@Gordon L if you like the look of shit your idea is a good idea.

[@CassieDavis613]

@@robertbutler8004 really?

[@CassieDavis613]

Gordon, I wish I could see a photo of this.

[@pamelaspooner7183]

Use thick card board boxes, put a black plastic bag inside as a liner with plenty of holes in the bottom and fold over the excess over the top edge and down the side. We’ve had 6” of rain the past 2 weeks and no sign of collapse and potatoes are thriving. When time to harvest, easy to pull apart to get Every spud, you can capture the soil for the next box. Nope, not pretty but those boxes will go to waste so re-using is best way to recycle. Think ‘how would a gardener in a poor country adapt to what’s available?” Quit buying more crap. Re-Use!

[@gracecanon2872]

Thank you for this informative video. Alot work for all the beds but nothing is better than seeing your plants flourish and eating fresh food.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Thank you! Nothing beats the fresh food!

[@jimbuoy8525]

The best in price at $49.99 and for sturdiness & durability try the (Galvanized Steel Raised Garden Planter Bed - 6ft. x 3ft x 12") from Northern Tool. Our garden beds are over 5 years old and still going strong with zero issues. Also look for them when there on sale.

[@debkincaid2891]

Re sorting hardware: the first thing we do is get my muffin tins from the kitchen. Perfect for sorting. 🙃

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I have one more of these beds I need to assemble for the front garden.. I may just go get the muffin tins from the kitchen 😂

[@teetwo56]

I used an egg carton to sort the hardware

[@FFFGardening]

Raised beds are a game changer and the best part is they save your back!!! ✌️😎✌️

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

My back felt SO much better this season with the beds. Definitely made being in the garden much more enjoyable!

[@dlebreton7888]

We have 7 round, metal tubs in our small garden. Once filled, they are ready for growing vegetables. At the end of the season, I take about 1/3 of the soil and the finished vegetation and put it in a garbage can for the winter. I have a composter, so I use the used the contents to refill it as needed and I get new compost for my bins. I stir it into the bins in the Spring and am ready to plant new vegetables. It is the best way I found for gardening. You do not have to buy compost or new soil, no need to kneel over a planting bed, metal racks can be inserted to hold the plants from dragging on the ground and we spread straw around in the garden and love the brightness. Make sure if you use tubs that you drill holes in their bottoms! 😊

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I love this! We grow quite a bit in containers like this and we do it exactly the same way you do! Seriously such an under utilized way of gardening! It is especially great for renters that aren't allowed a garden, they can do this and just bring the garden with them when they move!

[@johnmcandrew852]

Helpful, thank you. Just ordered one that should arrive on Friday. It will be the home of my kitchen garden. Yes, am planning to fill it with some well-seasoned wood from a tree I had cut down 3 years ago, some yard scraps and fallen branches, and some compost before adding soil.

[@smb123211]

I have a menagerie - various levels, side gardens, terraced gardens and raised beds (wood). My biggest bed is a metal circle with a 6' diameter made from a piece of cut metal. Perfect for melons. Last year I got my first VEGO and had incredible results - eggplant, Asian greens. Going back with the eggplants for starters. It appears they are long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing.

[@littleflockontheprairie4871]

A couple of years ago, I purchased two similar beds from a different company. I really like them! The 17" depth works fine for me and provides plenty of depth for most plant root systems. This year I used them for cauliflower, broccoli, and beets. The year before: peppers. I would like to put in even more for next year.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

First off... I love your user name! Some of my earliest memories are watching little house on the prairie with my mom! But absolutely, I feel like the 17" depth is a sweet spot when it comes to size and affordability. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to do 16 of the 32" beds but the cost would have been huge. the 11" beds are even a great option, but those 17" beds really are just such a great height to work in! This year we pretty much grew a little of everything in ours, but I will say that tomatoes, peppers, squashes, melons, egg plant, and corn did the best! It was definitely a good season and I am ready to go to grow even more next season!

[@littleflockontheprairie4871]

"Little House on the Prairie"! Yes, that was the inspiration! Keep on growing and preserving food....It's so important in the days in which we live! I also have a greenhouse filled with mineral tubs from a local rancher, and my original garden spot that serves well for the winter squash since they sprawl everywhere! In fact, where I live, we received a foot of snow last week, and I am amazed that the kale and lettuce I planted in the unheated greenhouse are doing ok, even though nights were down into the teens. God is good!@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

@littleflockontheprairie4871 I love that! Sounds like you have a pretty sweet setup, now I need a green house!

[@lesmar234]

I GROW IN DE ZONE 7. MY GARDEN IS 1100 SQUARE FEET. I'M IN AN HOA COMMUNITY, SO MY ENTIRE GARDEN IS BEHIND MY HOUSE. I HAVE 56 RAISED METAL BEDS FROM EITHER VEGO OR BIRDIES, MANY DIFFERENT SIZES. BUT ALL ONLY 12 INCHES HIGH, I ALSO HAVE 19 CATTLE PANELS. I LOVE MY RAISED BEDS. I'M 63 YEARS OLD, IN GREAT SHAPE AND GARDEN DAILY.

[@KK-FL]

I have *another* very similar brand of beds. One good use for them is if you want to grow vegetables in your front yard but still have it look pretty.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Right?! We are getting ready to add a second bed out front, definitely good for that!

[@jessietomich8043]

I build my own and 36" tall beds make your life so much better. I'll take my time building more beds when I have money rather than settle with less. Game changer 2 was plumbing drip lines to an internet connected rain bird sprinkler controller.

[@bennym1956]

Vego Garden Raised Beds look great but it's hard to justify the costs for raised beds plus soil costs for the average gardener ! $400-700 for one bed. I can buy a lot of different veggies at grocery store or local fruit stands for that price. then also hope you get a good results in growing your own.

[@FC2ESWS]

Gardening is definitely not for saving money. You spend hundreds just to get a few dollars worth of fruits and veggies. I think most of us garden for the hobby and fun of it.

[@katie7748]

​@@FC2ESWS In the long run, it is FAR cheaper. Especially if you find frugal ways of doing it.

[@michaeld.3779]

That's weird. I spent a fraction of that, and I bought Vego. But I had a local landscape company deliver the soil premixed.

[@cherylirvin3919]

Love your enthusiasm! Just slow down a little. I’m from the south - we can’t hear fast.😂

[@nikkistump3480]

Yess 😊

[@debkincaid2891]

I'm NOT from the south but very happy to know I'm not the only one with slow ears. And I don't want to miss a thing this kid shares! I've learned a lot.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

@debkincaid2891 I’m sorry to all of you! I just get so excited and I end up speaking very quickly! I will say in the past I’ve slowed down and made videos where I speak more slowly but those videos end up not getting watched. Maybe I’ll give it a shot again, I definitely want to speak in a way I can be understood!

[@MK-ti2oo]

You can slow down the playback on the upper right corner. I appreciate getting through info quickly and have mine set at 1.25 for all videos and I can just slow it down if needed for fast talkers lol.

[@patrapper7367]

Viewers can adjust the speed in the yiutube settings. They can do that.

[@cristallaprade5487]

I also have deep raised beds. Like you they were filled in layers, the first being a foot of packed punky logs, limbs, leaves and old wood chips. This acts as a sponge holding water. Next is a layer of old cow poo which helps the wood break down, then cardboard, old straw, leaves, kitchen scraps, sea weed, compost, and garden soil. Yes it sinks a bit but here in Maine young plants have room to grow in the space between the top of the soil and the rim of the bed. We have wood beds with a cross member 2x4 across the middle for support. Cheers!

[@heartshapedisle]

Converting these raised beds to wicking beds if you live in an area with hot summers/water restrictions also saves on soil. I have 6 large raised beds and 3 smaller ones in the house I just purchased. Will definitely be converting before next summer.

[@marcosmercado5648]

Regular paint don't stick too well to galvanized metal, so finding one that does and is also food safe is a win. Maybe they prioritize these 2 features over scratch resistance? Great video and explanations!!!

[@glow1815]

I have no health issues or back issues. I would love 4 of those for my baby garden apparence wise yes I like the clean look of it. I have been gardening for 5 years now just in ground which I am happy. Again 4 of those would my garden look prettier and I am planing to garden for life.

[@nicothenatural]

5:40 I contacted my local organic nursery and was able to get 4 cubic yards of organic soil delivered to my driveway for about $200. Hugelkulture to fill the bottoms is a great idea, and looking for topsoil locally may save a ton of money!

[@barbarabrand190]

I'm a homesteader. I have 3 acres total and run animals on 2. The third acre has my house and gardens on it. Over the years, I have had several gardens and a greenhouse, all of them large. I found the easiest most efficient way to mix my soil was to use a cement mixer.

[@ImagineMySurprise510]

I have planted in raised trolleys with wheels. These give me the advantage of not having to fill the bottom with dirt or branches to raise the height because these boxes stand on legs with the wheels underneath. They also make it possible that if I do relocated I can take them with me.

[@elainematiasiewich7292]

We've been gardening for 50 & years right in the ground. It works. I tried a couple raised beds a few years ago for strawberries. It failed, too dry & or too cold.

[@dmacc9299]

Agreed, I took up gardening for fun, control and to save some money. I can’t imagine the total cost for the beds plus the soil.

[@WalkingDday]

That’s fine. My garden gets lower every year. That’s why I have raised beds.

[@jenniminder1362]

I agree. We try to keep things in our life simple and ecological. Someday, all those vego beds will be in a landfill somewhere. I guess we are lucky that planting inground has not been a problem for the last thirty years besides the normal irritants.

[@mandiegarrett1706]

I am glad you are able to plant in the ground directly. You must have a very good soil. How do the rest of us who lives in area with hard compact clay soil with lots of rocks grow anything? The first year we got this property, we use a tractor digging up about 20 big holes to plant some trees for windbreaks. We have irrigation put in for them. Stick in some fertilizer stick to help them. Well, now is year 3, most of them died, only a few still hanging on. When I have time, I will have to pull them out and start over. This time, I will still plant them in the same hole but will have to replace with better compost soil and mound it up little so roots have good soil to grow in. After that bad experience with our soil here in Arkansas, I have been doing nothing but raised beds and it's working great. If anyone have any ideas how to work with this kind of soil without using raised bed, please share. Thank you.

[@DBE66]

Try gardening in TN smoky mountains or PA mountains on mostly rock. Raised beds are awesome. If you have the right soil great. Not all do.

[@matilda6362]

What I recommend every person who buys a garden bed is to fill them half way with tree branches, twigs, grass clippings, flat cardboard boxes +remove ALL sticky tape) compost , straw etc. This Will save you heaps of money for soil and all will be needs is to top them up every year with soil and compost.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

That’s what we did! We saved everything like that for months and then finally used it all when filling these! Definitely saved some money!

[@vikigossen1578]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Anyone in areas where termites live should check first with a termite company before burying wood.

[@catherinesanchez1185]

If I was gardening at ground level, I probably wouldn't keep up with the weeding, trimming etc cuz of my back. I invested in a tall Birdie bed over a yhear ago and it did great this past summer. I purchased another one for myself for Christmas and will set it up this winter so it'll be ready to go in the spring. I fill it with yard waste, tree trimmings , shredded paper , then go to my country dump and pick up free compost . Once its filled up to almost a foot near the top , I buy the fancy organic raised bed soil from Home Depot. By parsing out what I'm doing I'm only having to come up the $ every month vs $$$ in one month . I love mine.

[@donnakay1828]

Logs fill 3rd of the way w some old branches make sure everything is already rotting you don't want to mix anything green because it can lead to very bad issues. So basically use everything as the same already rotting or at least half way, logs are like a battery they soak in water so well and we had a major drought this past season and if it wasn't for logs under my plants, there wasn't no amount of water good enough to save my gardens, logs helped save everything. Water Battery with logs works amazing!! Check every 2y on the breakdowns and add in rotting new logs to each raised bed before adding soil's 🤓👍

[@iwanttobelieve5970]

I'm slowly adding more raised beds to my garden.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I love them, just bringing that ground level up a bit helps so much!

[@RiaWallace]

I have had mine since they first started. Many changes have been made obviously since I have purchased mine. I moved mine this year after being in place for over 3 years. I noticed on the inside that some of the coating had started to deteriate on the inside. I utilized a hügelkultur for the bottom and have faithfully topped with organic ingredients from that point forward. I still love my beds, however, the interior coating didn't last.

[@NicoleHoltActress]

First year gardener here. I jumped right in with some VegoGarden beds. Love them! I only have 3 beds - small corner in my suburban backyard - but I would definitely love to get more.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Started out big, I’m here for it! How did you like them as a first year gardener? Anything you don’t like about them? We have our 16 in the back and we just got another to put out front in the front garden… I definitely jumped in head first 😂

[@NicoleHoltActress]

@whitepepperfarmshomestead I had a hard time putting them together, because I couldn't get the screws tight enough and they would loosen up when I moved the beds around. Took me a bit to figure out the perfect configuration lol. I also don't have an irrigation system yet. But that's not the vego beds' fault. Other than that, some plants worked out, some didn't (Texas Summer....) and I learned a lot. Right now all beds are full with salads, cabbages, herbs, etc. I put a winter cover on to help them through the nights. Fingers crossed.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Did you use a drill or the tool they provide? It took us a few beds in to really get our configuration down as well. That is typical with gardening though, some plants work, some dont! Each year you'll have different issues and work through them, you'll never stop learning what to grow and how to grow it best in your climate!@@NicoleHoltActress

[@rmarie0711]

After a lot of research, I just ordered my first metal raised beds from Vego a couple weeks ago. I got the 11" for tall, vining plants and the 17" for everything else. I am glad to hear your experience with them working well and holding up! I got the 17" 9-in-1 with an extension set so that i could have 3.5' wide beds with a little length to them too. I am replacing beds that were 4' wide and found that i struggled to plant/harvest from the center of the bed. Mine all scratched when assembling, like yours did. 😬 These beds encouraged me to install my pavers sooner rather than later so that i am not having to weed eat and risk scratching more (or fight grass in the beds!). When I ordered mine, they were offering the Black Friday bonus gift set which came with super cute raised bed coffee mugs (along with some other cool stuff). It has been so fun to have my coffee in these mugs. I do a little happy dance in my mind each time.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

If it helps at all, we have beat ours up since putting them in and I don’t think we have any new scratches! I really do love that you can kind of.. customize it for your use. I find myself struggling with the 4’ wide beds sometimes. I have to almost climb into the bed to get to the middle, but mainly it’s just an issue with beds that have smaller plants. Anything with larger plants I always plant them close enough to the edges to get to. I HAVE TWO OF THOSE CUPS AND LOVE THEM!!! I have the green and grey, I love them both 😂

[@rmarie0711]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead that is great to hear about not having any new scratches! I got the grey and cream colored coffee mugs with my first order. I loved the beds so much that I went ahead and placed a second order to fully replace my wooden bed setup. And, of course I ordered enough to get another gift box. 😀 I'm hoping that this one has a green mug to match my beds! 🤞🏼

[@abbibrannan333]

Thanks for saying older folks should get the 32 inch sides, as I am 75 yrs. Also I liked the comment from a lady near my age about the wire mesh. So I must get that as there are many moles already in my yard. Many mole mounds anyway. I wonder if the gummies work? We gotta try these recommendations. 😊

[@janiekanzler7776]

I love my Vego beds! Definitely only remove the plastic from the area with the holes when you are putting it together. Count & separate your nuts & bolts before. Like you said, it will make it so much easier keeping up with everything.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I'm glad you love them! We have one more we will be putting together soon and I'm definitely doing both of these things!

[@davidvincent3959]

Great video! Nice garden. I'm moving to property soon where I can really get into gardening and at 50+yrs old w/ a bad lower back, I want raised beds. These look perfect.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Thank you, I appreciate that! Congrats on the move and I wish you the best of luck on your garden!

[@Nulife23]

I bought one just to see how it works...17 inch is perfect. But we have voles in abundance so I put metal mesh on the bottom. It grew well and I would buy more.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Thank you for sharing, I appreciate it! With the 17” and the mesh on the bottom do you find that the roots move through that mesh?

[@Nulife23]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead no...not at all.

[@jhast7656]

How did you attach the mesh to the bottom? the openings must be small enough to keep them out, fabric cloth, and strong, or they bite through the wire...

[@Nulife23]

@@jhast7656 I just laid it on the ground and set the unit on top. It really works great.

[@sharikomar7925]

Just enjoying your video. Thought this trick might save you some $$$ When I built my raised bed / planter boxes I got on FB Marketplace to find milk crates that people were selling super cheap or giving away. For each square foot 1 crate was flipped opening down & a 2nd on top opening up. Lined the top crate with landscape fabric with 1 of the sides / wings an extra foot long. honestly it was a free paper aisle runner from somebody’s wedding. Then just filled the top crates. Then folded over that extra wing of fabric & made a slit for each 🌱 plant or seed. They had excellent drainage and the white fabric was reflective too cool the bed in the summer & insulating in the winter. Worked great!

[@markturner6755]

Hey mate great video. Thank you. I note that when you described the paint on the outside of the raised beds you said it was food grade paint? A lot of the food in the states isn’t even food grade! So well done Vego!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

This wins best comment 😂😂😂! Right?!

[@MeanOldLady]

Very nice. My journey with raised beds led me to making them out of concrete. We used basalt fibers (they don't chemically react with the alkalinity of the concrete & are 3x lighter & 2.5 stronger (tensile) than steel fibers) mixed in with the concrete (+ dye for color) & used some hardware cloth to reinforce the corners, otherwise no rebar. We built them right on top of French drains we dug to deal with drainage (we covered the trench from bottom to top with landscape fabric to greatly slow infiltration of dirt over time, as well as keeping the concrete mix out) as well as a cushion to buffer against the seasonal, clay shifting in the ground. We made them 4" wide at the top & 6" wide at the base & 2' tall. It took us all summer to build them with just the 2 of us. (We wanted them to lie fallow that year as they needed to rest after 7 years of rotational use.) We set up forms with plywood & aluminum roofing sheets, filled & gently vibrated them to ensure even distribution & let them set for a week, covered with tarps to keep the moisture in. & then filled them after 2 weeks with mostly half decomposed wood chips which would finish by the time spring planting came back around. They've stood up with no cracks, no mole/vole invasions & good, healthy soil for 3 years now.

[@lesliejacobs3002]

These are for people that don’t have trees in your yard or neighbors fence..closer than 30 feet.. no joke the roots will appear in the beds if not closed off. The 3 …..60 foot cottonwoods, 10 feet from our fence and Aspens in the yard. And choakcherrys on the fence line.. plus junipers.. and Chinese Elms on the fence line of a my small backyard..

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Aspens are rough when it comes to suckers! We have a neighbor across the street that we get suckers from. Not in the garden though, thankfully.

[@danettecross8608]

I used old metal roofing I found down by the creek and then went to home depot and bought more and made my beds. Cheap.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Cheap and it works!

[@crtmojo2705]

I went with used pallets. We have a bunch at work each week. The hardest part was taking them apart. Cutting and assembly was easy.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Most of the time those are free, and you can’t beat free! And I honestly like the pallet look!

[@aimeepeltier4489]

What way did you use to get the nails out? I want to use pallets as well.

[@crtmojo2705]

@@aimeepeltier4489 I used a rubber hammer to release the boards one by one. Then a regular claw hammer to drive out the nails. Bent and crooked nails, nail them flat and straight, then bend them up with the claw. Tap them back out. Then flip the board and use the claw to pry them out.

[@robertphillips6696]

Hire of A concrete mixer would help with mixing the soil and compost mix.

[@michaelpetty8416]

These look really cool. It should be noted however, there are NO documented cases of food contamination from wood raised beds be it pressure treated or not. Great video.

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Great points on how to fill out these beds. It can become sooooo expensive. If its a crop that needs rich soil, I would just top dress around it ONLY. Happy New Year!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Hey thanks! Definitely a good point with top dressing around the plants that need the rich soil!

[@bryanduncan6255]

Good review, My experience with Vego, first bed i bought was the Vego, they didn't ship my brace or support across the bed and communications with Vego was really bad. Like you said they don't answer emails or communicate at all. Finally got a response but took many many weeks to resolve. So 2nd bed I got was the other brand. No issues. So Vego product is okay but service is not okay but poor.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I wouldn’t be happy about that either, I don’t blame you! I will say that recently my experience with the customer service and communication end has been exponentially better. Early this year I was a little unimpressed by the communication but they seem to have put some effort into that area! But often times all it takes is one bad experience to leave a customer with a lasting bad taste in their mouth so I can’t blame you!

[@daninraleigh]

The one thing that I would have liked to know is, How did they perform? What can I grow and how will it work? Mechanics of the bed is nice, but I'm really concerned with the goal.

[@bonedigger666]

I would say if your just getting started, buy one bed like these and put the others in ground or wood beds. Just ad a new bed every year. All I have right now is wood beds and in ground plots but I would like to get a Vego bed and see if it fits my needs.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I think that’s a great way to go about it!

[@brendamoon2660]

Wooden beds dont have to be rebuilt that often unless you are really concerned with them looking new. My beds are over ten years old, the wood is definitely breaking down but it still holds the dirt in.

[@lynnpasteris4362]

Thank you for making this video. I am thinking about getting some raised beds this spring

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

You’re very welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@trobinson89]

Great video. Very informative. I just ordered one!

[@dravonwalker2352]

We did something very similar with filling raised beds, and I’ve learned over the years that while this sounds great it doesn’t have good yields for the first 1-3 years. A few of my beds, especially the ones I had to mix myself, have a huge problem with compaction. They are now 3 seasons in and next spring I’ll be digging out about half of the volume to mix in something else. But the main issue I’ve had with the topsoil/compost filled beds is no life in the dirt which results in sad little slow growing plants. I’m burying kitchen scraps and trying to work in organic materials but it’s slow going. By contrast, those beds that I filled with leaves, killed sod, horse poo, low quality sheep fleece, etc - they are thriving!! I’m looking at having to fill about 20 long narrow beds over the winter - canvassing friends now to get as much organic yard waste as possible to make this work.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

For us I think the saving grace was the top 4” or so we filled with straight compost! If we didn’t do that I think the beds may have struggled for a little while. We had some pretty amazing growth and never once fertilized! Originally we filled the beds to the top with the mixture but I had that compaction issue so I went back in, shoveled 4” off each bed, and replaced with organic compost and it made such a huge difference!

[@annroberts7935]

I have not had any of those problems. From year 1 I have had massive yields.

[@pilsplease7561]

Compost filled beds have had issues with soil breaking down due to too much bacteria in the soil. Which was my issue.

[@ranasammani7745]

I think the height of the bed depends on your climate. In Arizona, we keep plants closer to the ground due to the heat.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I can see that! And realistically any raised bed in Arizona is going to be difficult to keep cool and watered. Do you guys use a lot of mulch out there to regulate your temperature and water? I’m curious as to how far mulch can go for you or if it’s still a struggle with that heat! We get hot here but 105F would be around the highest we get.

[@ranasammani7745]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead so the highest we get in our town is 105. We usually plant our beds on the east side so the sun doesn’t hit on the bed all day long. We also bury the bed a couple of inches into the ground to keep it cooler. The mulch cools the temperature of the soil at least 20 degrees. I have placed some beds strategically under trees as I don’t like building structures for shade but some gardeners advise against it. It hasn’t been a problem for me.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

@ranasammani7745 we have a couple places on our property where we garden under trees as well, it’s never been an issue for us! Normally things that don’t need quite as much sun, but they grow just fine! We use quite a bit of mulch as well, definitely brings those temps down!

[@fuzzy3440]

instead of mixing the soil beforehand, you could put it down in layers, like a soil lasagna. It will get mixed naturally with the action of all the soil microfauna.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I just filled two more of these beds and did EXACTLY this haha!

[@jeffmeyers3837]

Designer beds with paint jobs. Great for aesthetics (they look amazing), but there's a reason market farmers use high-production in-ground beds.

[@josevera7861]

Thank you my friend, you are amazing 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@norellweiner3341]

I love my vego beds! But I do understand those couple of gripes you mentioned because I had the same thoughts 😅

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Right 😂?! I LOVE my vego beds, I really do. It’s more… constructive criticism than anything. Not a deal breaker by any means!

[@chidude]

Have you checked out the Gro-Rite raised bed system? It is basically equivalent but requires no tools to assemble!

[@sharonmccroskey1847]

Well if you want a raised bed garden then you should know it’s gonna be costly but it will pay off in the long run but you should have layer down some weed sheeting .

[@crazysquirrel9425]

If you need to mix a lot, rent a portable concrete mixer (electric powered). MUCH FASTER and better mixing! Your local yard waste is another place to get some of the coil. But be warned - some of it is POISONED because people use herbicides and pesticides on their lawns. Fall leaves are AWESOME! But takes like 80 bags, mowed over, to fill some of those raised bed gardens. When using logs, stay far away from Walnut, especially black walnut. Maple logs and leaves are the gold standard for gardening, compost, hugelgardening. They don't last as long as oak, but they can provide fairly quick results. Warning: A lot of manure and compost contains Grazon! It will kill your plants (except for wheat). Few ways to get rid of it is plant wheat for a year or two then haul off the wheat stalks after harvesting. You can cook the dirt, but that is time consuming. Sunlight will do it if you can turn the soil daily. Black Cow is supposed to be tested and free of contaminants. Cedar is great for bug and weed control, but is hard on seedlings and some plants. I bought a 'fire ring' from a home improvement store. Cheap to fill, holds strawberry plants or flowers. Got mine 'damaged' but I fixed the bends and sharp edges. Fire rings come with a rolled top lip so no worry about getting cut.

[@TexasLocalProduce]

I am a Senior, 64 yrs old, & no one here is futher South than me in the U. S. I am in deep South Texas, 15 mins. North of Mexico. I am even Hispanic, born in the "Mañana" culture. And I absolutely LOVED his rate of speech. I have many chores waiting for me outside. I just want the info. so I can get on with my day. Loved this video! I built a barnomium, so I am asking: Why can't I just use my left over pieces of metal sheets from building my metal building?

[@crosisofborg5524]

You do realize most of Florida is south of you don’t you?

[@TexasLocalProduce]

@@crosisofborg5524 Hahaha, well, the lower 1/4th of Florida is. I just "feel" as if we are further South b/c I have land over here that touches Mexico, & once in Mexico, well it is a straight shot to South America. While Florida has a lot of Ocean to the South of it. We are far more connected to Mexico, South American culture here.

[@lindseyfish]

Hello! We just purchased the 17 inch Vego garden beds and found your channel. We are still in the process of putting them together. How many inches of good topsoil would you recommend to go on top of the filler materials? We are in South Florida if that makes any difference on this. Thanks for sharing all of your tips and knowledge!!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Hi! It honestly depends on what you’re growing, but we did roughly half of the bed with whatever filler materials we could find, then we filled them up to about 4” below the top and then we topped it off with the compost! We should have a video somewhere on filling them! It would be earlier this spring. You’re going to love the bed though, good luck!

[@lindseyfish]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead thanks so much! We definitely watched the tips on filling them up on the cheap and still have lots of wood leftover from the hurricane that came through here over a year ago that we are planning on using. We just weren’t sure how deep the actual good soil should go for fruits and veggies. Thanks again!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

@lindseyfish you’re welcome! Different plants roots will go down further than others but just make sure when you’re filling the soil in around the wood you’re getting the solid to fill in all the little gaps around the wood and what not! That way when the roots move down they have places to grow around the wood! You’ll notice a lot of settling especially in the first year, just top it back off with compost and you’ll be fine! Right now ours are sitting 3-4 inches lower than when we started but before we plant we will just top it off again! Feeds the plants and fills the beds! My wife and I will be in Florida on Monday, I’ve never been and I’m so excited!

[@blueduchessvi]

Hi Lindsey. Most garden vegetables need 6-8" of good soil to produce well. Root veg like carrots, turnips and onions will need 10-12" of loose soil to dig into. If you mark out your root veg space ahead of time you can deep fill just that space to begin. Remember that your beds will need to be topped off each season with more soil and amendments as the debris at the bottom decays, so those measurements are only important for your first year.

[@lindseyfish]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead thanks so much! Safe travels and enjoy Florida! We filled our beds with cardboard, logs and sticks today and have a neighbor coming this week to put in some fill dirt for us! Hopefully we will have some yummy food growing soon!!

[@EverSoInnocent]

Just put together two of the same beds today, and I have the same gripe about the hardware!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

We put two more together this weekend as well 😂. Definitely fumbled around for a bit with that. BUT now that you have them together, you’ll love them!

[@EverSoInnocent]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Still waiting on them to ship my u-shaped Jumbo and my L shape. They're taking forever.

[@chrisunderwood2524]

Not high enough, we have used horse water troughs..so much better, easier to control critters, and bugs, but you must allow for pollination...and definitely for seniors..we also ordered 15 tons of top soil to fill these troughs and then added, miracle grow for a top off....

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Those troughs work pretty well! They also make these in 32” tall versions though. Given the choice between those two I would go with the 32” BUT that’s just me. I’ve seen some BEAUTIFUL gardens in those troughs!

[@BrianMcNeal-r1n]

What is the spacing between your raised beds? End to end space and side to side space? Did you use 20 ft hog panels for your trellises?

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

4ft end to end and 3ft in between beds with 16ft hog panels!

[@jhast7656]

Is there a way to attach 1/2" hardware cloth o the bottom of these? That is needed to keep out voles, moles, gophers, etc. They ate my entire garden my first year, from the bottom up.

[@carlosmontoya2485]

When you build a raised bed out of wood, you can line it with like panda film. Keep from leaching. Saved me a ton of $$$'s

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

A good alternative for sure! That’s a good way to go!

[@frankcampos1251]

What is “panda film” and where can I get it? Do you mean standard 10 mil poly film barrier?

[@carlosmontoya2485]

Panda film is white on one side and black on the other. People use it for grow rooms or diy grow tents. It is more durable than plastic from home depot. If you go with that plastic get the black for the raised beds to line or add a bottom. If it is just borrow use weed barrier. Hope this helps and you can get it fromAmazon, and most grow stores online, have a nice day , keep growing.

[@frankcampos1251]

@@carlosmontoya2485 thank you!

[@gecho194]

Even if you could afford high beds I think it would be good to have a few low beds as well for tall crops like tomatoes so you aren't harvesting from a step ladder.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Oh absolutely! Tomatoes, corn, all kinds of things would end up getting too tall for the higher beds!

[@teem9010]

my vego is the tall one and i really love it! i will say, the soil level goes down quite a bit every year? and its so big( my one bed lol) that its pricey to keep filling it every year. if i got another i would definetly put some kind of liner structure on the ground first.

[@Invalidinput]

The raised beds is the least expensive part of the project. Its the soil that is used to fill these beds that will make you go broke. I would use medium rocks, then small rocks, then carboard, then logs and sticks, then the soil that will be used to fill the rest. The rocks help with water drainage and act as an extra filler. After a year or two the soil will NEED to be amended with more nutrients (Depending on your planting rotation).

[@dianeladico1769]

Everyone has a different style and more power to you but I made it exactly 44 seconds into the video. Between the rapid-fire speaking and 'special' effects it really felt more like an audio/visual assault. Wishing you and your family all the best and much gardening success.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

That was a very kind way to give constructive feedback, I appreciate that! I’ve definitely tried quite a few different styles in my time on KZbin and specifically on this channel and there’s definitely not one style that everyone will enjoy. I just know that when I’ve tried to slow things down, the viewership of those videos drops by about 70-90%. Either way, I appreciate the feedback!

[@dianeladico1769]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Thank you for the gracious reply. High energy is a good thing. It's just not everyone's cup of tea. You have to do what feels right to you and suits your viewership. Best of luck in all your endeavors!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

@dianeladico1769 you’re very welcome! I agree! Thank you for the conversation, have a good day!

[@davannhuynh4279]

Just discovered and subscribed to your channel. Great video, thank you for sharing!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Hey thanks, I appreciate that!

[@janarinehart6888]

where do you get the irrigation system you have in your beds?

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

We ordered that from dripworks.com!

[@KB-iv5dz]

Save your back. I speak as someone who had 3 back surgeries. I recovered but my back won't ever work like it used to. I had a congenital spinal defect that no one caught until I was in my 30s. Do whatever you can to protect your back.

[@lauriemcilrath9391]

What a great idea!! Thanks!

[@shadyfieldhomestead1974]

I purchased the vegega, which is similar to yours. I bought the one that originally is 6.5’x2’ but had several different configurations. I decided to go with the 3.5’x5’ configuration. The only issue was it came with brace bars that are 2’. For the configuration 3.5’x5’, the brace bars don’t fit. I emailed the company and asked if that mattered and the answered saying no for that configuration since it was a little bit wider and shorter, it wouldn’t bow out. I am a little concerned about it bowing out. Anyway, I will be replacing our wooden raised beds out with these and that configuration size over a period of time. Our wooden beds are 5 years old now and definitely showing their age. What are your thoughts on not having the brace bars? Is there a way to get a bar made that could fit?

[@hardnackfarms1736]

Thank you so much for your honest review of these beds! I definitely can’t afford them because my garden is an acre big and I have a few more acres for other crops. Now I did pallet raised beds and I got soil delivered from two separate companies and the soil had herbicides. I haven’t been able to grow anything for three years. Now I am vermicomposting along with making my own. Just think of all the money you saved on groceries and peace of mind for food safety. Our food supply is terrifying. Happy Holidays. Wendy🎄⛄️

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

If we had that kind of property I would be doing it just like you are! That's a lot of land to grow on, it's amazing! We do vermicomposting as well! For us it was definitely more about peace of mind, food safety, and teaching our children a skill that too many kids just aren't being taught anymore. When my kids ask me to go to the garden, I know I'm doing something right! Happy Holidays!

[@hardnackfarms1736]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Merry Christmas yes you are doing the right thing! I learned from my grandmother how to grow food, berries and an orchard and how to preserve everything. Your kids need that skill. Most kids think all food is produced in the grocery store. And that is scary! Yikes! I bought two metal beds off Amazon just using our points I am filling them with compost now. I have not planted in them yet, but they are big but not deep so maybe herb gardens? I haven’t decided yet! I thought about buying a few of those vego beds but still way too much money. We are restoring our farm from a past wildfire and I am old now 55 so time for a change! Happy Holidays! Wendy

[@xszl]

Got a few last year, didnt bother to take the plastic off, cuz I was really annoyed by the difficulty of that. After first year of use, I need to do some repairs before next season. Some of the 2-3 top rows of screws/bolts came loose, cuz not all holes are really round, so the tension sometimes make em popout. Might be worth to say I'm in Europe and didnt get the expensive American made ones. Think I payed abt 50 dollars for the 180cm x 90cm.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Were they the Vego Gardens brand or another brand?

[@xszl]

Think thats in my comment. "I'm in Europe and didnt get the expensive American made ones. Think I payed abt 50 dollars for the 180cm x 90cm" @@WhitepepperFarmshomestead

[@AFSamizdat]

Why choose these beds over cedar? When I price compare cedar for building a bed of similar size, it's way cheaper. Curious why you considered against.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Up front the cost is MUCH cheaper for cedar and honestly, cedar beds are beautiful. We had a garden of about 12 cedar beds but after the first year they started to weather and after about 5 years they really start to fall apart. For me it was worth saving up and spending the money up front for beds we won’t have to replace after a few years. These ones last 20+ years. But if you’re someone that doesn’t mind spending a couple days building them again then it would be cheaper (especially short term) to go with the cedar beds! And honestly.. I also like the look of these beds 😂. I can still appreciate some good cedar beds though!

[@AFSamizdat]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead thanks for sharing! I build some beds from spruce, as a starting point, they're on their fourth year and are doing well. Thinking I would go with something like the vego ones in the future, but cedar are just so darn attractive.

[@irishepherd]

That's what I would like also, but I did not see the 4x8... I'll look again.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Look at the pictures of the product, it should be in there!

[@habitsofsuccess4322]

What exactly did you look for when you searched for the premium top soil?

[@butterflygirl-uu8sk]

My question was about if these beds are strong enough to walk inside them? I plan on ordering the 4x8 this spring but am concerned if they could handle walking inside them to reach the center of the beds. Also considering the reinforcement cross bar- possibly that is better not to walk inside the beds? What has been your experience or recommendation? I would not like to crust the sides or create bowing for sure.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Hi! I'm pretty sure the recommendation from Vego is to not walk inside them.. BUT I will say that we did not listen to that recommendation and we jumped up and down inside of ours to pack the soil in to have less settling. What we did is as we filled it up we packed it in really well underneath the support bars, then once we got above them and got inside it gave support under them with the harder packed soil below... if that makes sense. From our experience the cross bars hold up really well. Nothing bowed in or crushed for us at all. I'm pretty sure in our video of us filling these up we were jumping in them!

[@markmartin2204]

Untreated wood pallets are perfect for building raised beds. Most of the time you can get them free (any store that doesn't reuse their pallets like cabinet shops will probably be willing to give them up). The only cost will be from the nails

[@irishepherd]

Great video! I'm looking at the Vego Raised Beds...I would like the 32 inch, but what is the 6 in1, 10 in 1, etc.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

It’s how many different ways they will configure. Different shapes and sizes! The 10 in 1 gives you larger options than the 6 in 1. If you look at the website at each product you’ll see pictures of the different configurations!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

For me I wanted a 4x8 configuration and the 10 in 1 was the model that had that configuration!

[@northerngirlhobbies]

Definitely an awesome setup.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Thank you!

[@johnroehsler6440]

The ultimate way to pack nuts and bolts is to have a "parts tray". Each part is in a tray with the indentation of the parts. Odd nuts and bolts can be put in the tray. A bunch of similar nuts and bolts can go in the same bag. Thank you for the video !

[@brettmoore3194]

Thanks, have you thought about putting wine cap mushrooms inoculation in the rows where you have woodchips😅

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I haven’t thought about putting anything in there just because of the traffic on it, but now you’ve got me thinking!

[@brettmoore3194]

@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead morels will grow but wood ashes have to be spread yearly, so maybe you could have timed spawning. Since they fruit at different temps

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

@brettmoore3194 This might be something I spend the winter looking into 😂. I love mushrooms, they are so interesting and if I can somehow make that work in all my wood chips I’m definitely interested in it!

[@kariw.160]

Hey! Just happened to find y’all and recognized you from your free drying page. I had bought best choice beds and just saw Vego beds. I’m wondering if the quality is much different BUT I love their cover and mist system. What are your thoughts?

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Hi, I just saw this! I'm glad you found this page too haha! I haven't used best choice beds so it's hard to say. I do know that i've gone more or less all in with Vego after starting using their stuff last season though. I love our beds!

[@TylerA3]

Could you describe the your drip irrigation set up? (maybe future video in detail???)

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I wouldn’t be able to rebuild it all, BUT I could definitely do a walk through of how to plan it, what to order, how to put it together, etc! This spring when I put pressure to it I’ll do that!

[@imaginecastles]

Very helpful/ Thanks for sharing!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Thanks for watching!

[@jharral3]

Quite agree Cheryl, no need for machine gun speed talking.

[@MeBeingAble]

Hugelkultur beds so you dont use so much soil. Where i am its not worth delivering so i do buy bags. However, i do a mix of coir, potting mix (ours is really good), white sand, perlite, dirt & compost

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Absolutely!

[@WalkingDday]

I’m building 70cm raised beds to save my back. I’m wondering how my back will « stand »up to filling them. I took the decision as we’re having a patio built which will make 3m3 of earth to get rid of, plis we’re having a tree reduced by half which will produce logs for prefill.

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Those logs will definitely help!

[@stewartgrey2375]

I noticed that you had your cattle panel trellises going from the end of one bed to the end of another, rather than the length of one bed. Was that decision purely for aesthetics, or was there a yield/plant choice issue? I'm getting ready to reconfigure my Vego beds and would love to know why you set up that way. Thank you!

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

There was definitely intent other than aesthetics! 1. I wanted to plant vining plants at the very end of each bed and have them grow up and over empty space so I can utilize that space for growing even without a bed under them. I only use about the last 6 inches of the ends of the beds and it gives me 16ft of area to vine plants up and over them. 2. The trellises are running east to west and they cast the majority of their shadow over the walkway of the garden so it gives me the least amount of shadow and the most amount of grow space! I hope this helps!

[@irishepherd]

Got it... 17" tall, 10 in 1, set up to 4x8. Wonderful! Will my purchasing help you guys?

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

If you went to the website through our link it sure will! It’s definitely appreciated!

[@cindyannefontenot]

I’ve been trying to decide whether to invest in a Vego raised bed or Birdie’s raised bed from Epic Gardening…both costly…wondering if anyone has done a comparison of tried both and can give insight??

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

I haven’t compared them, but I will say to me it came down to the sizing. They offer slightly different sizing options and ultimately that’s what decided it for me!