Raised Bed Vegetable Garden Install from Start to Finish

John from www.growingyour... shows you from start to finish how to take an abandoned backyard space and transform it into a edible vegetable garden. In this episode, you will learn most everything you will need to know to start growing your food. You will discover the process that John goes through to select the best soil, build the raised beds, layout the raised beds, plant the raised beds and even install the drip irrigation system with a timer. This project took about 2 days to complete. Including 1 day sourcing all materials, and 1 day putting it all together.

[@614pinetree]

You are GREAT!!! I just can't resist saying it while I'm watching it. I'm at 40:42 this point. You are very thorough and a great teacher to someone who is a beginner like me! Thank you and thank you. I'm learning a lot!

[@meikhuu]

Thanks ,John for all the details of mixing soil for raised beds of vegetables planting. You're so patient. Thanks very much for your time. Mei

[@photactor]

John, You never cease to amaze me! Thanks for being so giving of yourself, and being so dedicated to "doing the right thing" and helping others do it as well. You are just the kind of person I want to spend my time watching. All the best to you.

[@LowiesYT]

"Always think of a way ... to make it better or to improve yourself. If you improve every day you're going to be a lot better at doing everything in life and I strive to do that in every area of my life." lately I have been trying to live by this motto. I am constantly trying to improve, learn, gain something from every observation. In doing this I find that I am never disappointed, always occupied, constantly thinking, and always improving. Gardening and philosophy in one vid ... pro

[@gardenshedmanchester]

As a viewer, I found this video very informative. This is the best way of customizing our limited space of growing your own favorite plants right in your home. It's nice to have an access of healthy and safety foods for the protection of the entire family.

[@xBeauGaming]

I had no idea there were other components than just dirt...dude thanks a lot!

[@celesteprado2254]

I love that you show the whole process from start to finish.

[@MariaMorales-kr1ps]

John this is one of the best video you shared to us. From planning, marketing, tips on how to buy and save for materials, installations, etc. I like the way you show us from start to finish raising a bed vegetable garden and installation of water line to the plants.. Very encouraging, so I am so inspired maximizing the use of a small space for a very useful and practical gardening. Yes, having a garden is a good exercise and stress free. I love the morning sunshine like you said is very rich in Vit. D. Very healthy outdoor activities with a lot of returns. More power to your channel, I will keep watching your video. Regards and take care.

[@growingyourgreens]

At this point, it has been about 1 year since this install. While hindsight is always 20/20... I must say that if I had to do this project over again, I would go with the Bulk tomato lady mix to grow in instead of the Kelloggs OMRI stuff. I have not been happy with the kelloggs stuff overall. TOO MANY wood chips.. In some of my beds, I have some issues with mushrooms as well.

[@kodiebearmakenna]

I live in an area without too many options, and I can't afford much either. We do have a Home Depot nearby that carries the Kellogg brand garden soil, and it is something I could afford. Did it still end up working out even if it isn't ideal? Would sifting out the wood chips through some hardware cloth take care of the problem? Or is there damage that can't be undone by sifting?

[@sarabayron955]

Your explanations are very good and clear for a person like me who is new in this adventure. Thank you.

[@ritaliberto1595]

Thank you john for taking the time to make these videos. You are truly an inspiration and have helped me get started. I love all your videos.

[@madeofyucca]

John, looks great. But, you are missing the mulch! Mulch is one of the most important things when gardening in the desert, it will help retain water, keep the soil cooler in the day and warmer at night. Thanks for all your awesome vids!

[@prettyylush]

I am so lucky to have found this since I live in Las Vegas and am starting a garden.

[@newgtguy]

I must tell you John, your videos are just so good. Thank you so much for sharing this valuable knowledge with us.

[@captz8]

this video shows all the technical detail that goes into setting up a raised garden bed. thanks.

[@alanday2175]

You need to have your own TV Program John, GREAT stuff Buddy, from the UK

[@bafty0]

also glad to have discovered you as of yesterday and watched a TON of your vids since then. Complete newbie to wanting to grow my own food but very keen and learning a lot so thank you John for taking the time to create these informative videos. stephen

[@LAOBASS]

I would trade a hot desert for a cold desert anyday. good to see you're into growing stuff.

[@tbarbuto2345]

Hey John love your videos. People need to adopt these practices everywhere. If you thread the teflon tape in the same direction as the threads as in clockwise I bet you wont need as much. Also a better seal. Thank you for doing these videos.Can't wait to try out the azomite and composted wood chips. My plants are thanking you as well.

[@pnk878251]

ohhhh i am happy. i live in the high desert of new mexico and this is just the vid i needed. thank you thank you! i learn so much from you. i appreciate all your hard work and the vids! be blessed!

[@growingyourgreens]

What I am doing is adding a handful of the weed whacked trimmings each time I add compost (food scraps and tree/leaf scraps). This way, I dont "overload" my compost with too much of the weed wacked stuff. If the compost pile is at proper operating temperature, it should denature the seeds so they will not sprout after composting.

[@LadyLhasa]

I've just seen this video and it is perfectly timed for me so thank you John! I will be moving into my garden apartment in a couple of months and starting my very first full fledged veg & fruit garden about the same size as in this vid - so far I've been growing in my balcony. Here in India the monsoon (June/Aug) is the best season for growing so that gives me enough time to prepare. I'm planning on using bricks for raised beds. Also, your demo on the soil mix was extremely helpful.

[@socorrocanales6194]

Thank you for sharing this video, watching you is educational and entertaining too. I ordered the smart pots and I'm waiting for them like a kid waiting for a new toy. I got the green thumb from my mom, R.I.P. but I know that this pots will help me out a lot. I subscribed to your channel.

[@victoriasieger4779]

Incredibly helpful. Am moving to Cottonwood AZ where I will have half the yard as this video. Also desert soil but at 3300 altitude. Snows there so have to research what will grow in these beds. Would love to see an update in a year or two to see how these beds are doing. I like the look of round beds but the comment about not being easy to mow around is a good one.

[@RookieGardner]

I love beginning to end videos, no matter how long...thanks for this one John, I enjoyed it

[@ASFx2600]

Nice to see you visited Plant World. That's my favorite nursery by far.

[@anastasiafomitcheva3155]

Just wanted to thank you! We are looking to buy a place here in Vegas soon & I wish to garden. Did a bit of gardening@ the apartments but then the complex made me get rid of our shade cover & it went downhill from there ( just when my hierloom tomatoes were starting to make fruit.Bringing the plans inside during the heat also brought in the bugs( not to mention back breaking), so im very interested to learn about growing in this desert heat!

[@nj4x4fever2]

Fantastic job John, you did your homework. I can't wait for the snow to melt so I can start growing too! Thank you so much!

[@stiretec]

thanks kimmee

[@mdoering]

Absolutely love the detail on the planting soil! Having just purchased a 1 acre property to set up our micro-homestead in Henderson, NV, your guidance is particularly applicable. We are looking at building as many as 9 raised beds that are 4'x12'x1'

[@pestoqueen1]

This is such a great video...good tutorial for beginners or advanced gardeners... I appreciate your thoroughness!

[@deborahbigham4522]

Long, but very imformative and full of GREAT ideas!

[@certainpeace]

Thank you John. I really enjoy watching your helpful videos!

[@ambergoreham]

Wow! That was really LONG! But I enjoyed it. Great info on the drip irrigation. Thanks. This really helps me and I know that it will help many more.

[@mad4us]

Love your videos. I do all the same stuff, except you have given me more info on recent stuff that I was unaware of. I did the same soil prep in storage tubs and it worked great. But it was not appealing to the eye (blue tubs). I will now move my garden in the backyard full of sun, with the info you have provided. Oh I ate all my own veggies in these blue tubs summer of 2012. Grow your own veggies, whatever it takes to do it!

[@jamesreid5950]

I just watched an hour long video of you. I liked it.

[@BlueLilliblu]

John -You make all that muscle building soo much fun..Thanks for your encouraging exciting enjoyable spirit and the sharing

[@myvolantis]

I've watched so many of your videos and learned so much. Thank you so much for all you do! You are such an inspiration. I especially love the videos of you eating flowers, lol! My garden in growing well! Thank you sooooo much!

[@nohandleforme....]

Very nice video with lots of valuable information. Thanks John.

[@CryTears1]

Anyway, I enjoyed your video because of your blue skies, obviously warm weather. Not unusual for folks from the Pac N Wet to lurk around youtube videos of warm sunny weather....BUT, all our evergreens, lush gardens, mowing every 7 days when no rain. I'm just being a whiner, but do ya blame me? Thanks 4 sharing, you offered tons of great advice, but for Oregon? Forget it! I have thoughts of going to dollar store, buy a few green plants & their cheap veggies I'll glue onto plastic/silk plants!

[@gianromani7087]

John just a tip. When you use tephlon tape wrap clockwise (you did counter) so when you thread on your fitting it doesn't unravel your work.

[@OKRMetric]

as well as it doesnt take but just a few turns..

[@praterclp]

Thanks John, esp the section on the drip irrigation sysem. I am in the process finally doing this on my own. The information you share is pratcial and so useful.

[@ellavaldivia6757]

thank you john for your time to the people you're excellent

[@isaveu]

I love this video . I am already planning my garden for the spring . Thank you !

[@growingyourgreens]

ahhh.. those are drip tube stakes. They were purchased from Lowes. They are available in the drip irrigation section. Not all stores sell them, so check at others.

[@ZeffAU]

This as a great vid for me, I kind of really needed to see end to end and especially appreciated explaining your thinking in building your soil mix. I've been really enjoying your vids and this one was particularly good. Thank you so much for your time and energy making these

[@sillysillytom]

i did like the detail you went into the soil mix, that gave some good insight into raised beds and what sort of mix to "self make" appreciate it thank you.

[@LawnsAreDumb]

Thanks so much for the drip irrigation info! The whole video was fabulous!!! Thanks for all you put into it!

[@BasicPoke]

John, thank you for all the videos. I'm learning a lot. If one of the ingredients of the compost is humus, it is pronounced HEW-MUSS. Hummus (HUH MUHS) is a food made of ground garbanzo beans (chickpeas).

[@kimsplace4]

This is the most informative video that I've seen...and I watched a lot! Thank you! Keep it up, I'm addicted.

[@Julumkana]

I noticed you were applying the teflon tape in the wrong direction. It should be applied in the same direction as the threads go so there is no chance of the tape unravelling when you screw on the other end. Just some advice from a trades guy :)

[@pennycrosby5770]

Awesome video.. I'm from South West Louisiana so we are a bit wetter here.. We did use the same system type for our landscaping with sprayers.. You explain everything really good!! will for sure be following you!! :)

[@discountjuicers]

Yes, a few of my beds also had mushroom growth (but only the last batch of the kellogg product). It may not necessarily be a problem. I would rather have mushrooms growing than grow in "sterile" soil without soil biology. Mushroom growth, while not the best, does show the soil is alive! Previous bags (purchased at different time) didnt have the problem. Mushrooms can also be a sign of overwatering.

[@nubianqueenNation]

I!'ve been watcing your videos over the holidays and i'm very excited about my planning for spring! Very informative and I always love your energy... Be Blessed

[@LeoOrtega144]

Been watching a lot of your videos John. I am learning too. Thanks! Just wanted to say that I am making two raised beds for my backyard and found that Kelloggs Raised Bed & Potting Mix has most of what you recommend in it. It is a dollar more for the 3cf bag vs the Kelloggs Natural Garden Soil you used in the video, but you do not have to buy perlite, peat moss, or other additives other than the rock dust your recommend. I actually saved money on the second bed where I used Kelloggs Raised Bed & Potting Mix. BTW... It is OMRI as well. Now to find that rock dust....

[@chidude]

Thanks; great walkthrough of the whole garden planning process! Minor point: it looked like you wrapped the teflon tape in the wrong direction; you want to go in the same clockwise direction as the piece you will be screwing on to the fitting to prevent the tape from unraveling.

[@ParksJim1]

Awesome job, John. Very informative and entertaining as well.

[@therebelgardener5630]

I really liked your video, it was very informative. I liked your "peet" disclaimer, many people don't realize that we can not continue to conduct business as usual and survive as a species as well. I also enjoyed your video devoted exclusively to peppers! Keep up your great work!

[@AugustCooking]

Great guide! Thumbs up for urban gardening!

[@ReviveUK]

Lovely, have got my popcorn ready to watch this! what a treat, thanks for all you do, am just planning and clearing an allotment in the UK now and intend to use raised beds :0)

[@growingyourgreens]

In general, I do not offer tours to viewers, as I would have a second full time job. That being said, I do take "special requests" so email me privately if you ever have the dates you are coming to America.

[@growingyourgreens]

Yes, you can top dress. Add it about 1 pound per 1 square foot, and then water it in.

[@Moving2U]

If you have the fitting pointing towards you (assuming right hand threads), wrap the tape clockwise arounf the fitting. The main problem with wrapping the tape "backwards" is that when you screw your fitting on the tape "unwinds" and bunches up usually exposing some bare threads. This condition is readily solved if you use massive amounts of tape per fitting which I see that you do :) Three wraps is suficient if your parts fit and you wrap correct direction and also saves tape.

[@alraspberry4327]

Thank you, great job, it is like you were reading my mind, just what I needed to see. Also you are the only person I ever heard use the word snazzy.

[@karlalomeli8086]

this video is the most helpful video out there for me! thank you soo much very good tips, advice. Im going to get started with my garden going based on this video mainly and taking off having fun with the entire process ☆☆🌵🌱🌻🍃🏜🏜

[@eogg25]

I would suggest before you buy compost, check out if your city or town has compost sites. In the small city I live in you can get free compost, if you have a pickup you can fill it up, if not bring a couple of bushels or leaf bags and fill them up, its free and it is very good stuff.

[@MrLabs]

thanks for your info has inspired me in Tx. to start a garden, for me and my family..

[@Hanson4084]

another great video john keep up the good work thank for all your help eddie northern ireland

[@6970Brad]

Thanks for all the great info!! Those bags the round beds came in would make great mini-greenhouses for seed starting : )

[@99lunalupis]

Great vid, as per usual! Love it when you go out to garden centers and other places! Keep it up!

[@Mialuvsveggies]

John, you absolutely ROCK! Thank You!!!

[@MenAceDennIce]

When you wrestled the Raised Bed roll it looked like Steve Irwin back in the day wrestling an alligator :)

[@erinank6988]

John you are just a lovely man and I really enjoy watching your videos. It helps me a lot in making decisions or my garden. Oh have you ever eaten Hostas? They taste wonderful and they are very pretty in a salad, the grow really well in the shade.

[@nancysantiago3051]

Enjoyed the video, never had seen putting wire mesh under the cardboard.

[@harryhathaway2401]

In my opinion,the VERY best approach to this is to buy 2"X 8"X 8',10',12' pressure treated lumber,or 4"X"4 / 8"X8" railroad ties and make your raised beds this way.They last a long time.Also,instead of using high end soil to fill the raised beds,you use regular top soil $2.a 1.5 SY,and where ever you plant,you dig a hole appropriate for the type of plant you are growing,and fill the hole with high end soil.This works awesome for me.If I have the money,I order a truck load of screened soil.

[@melissam0ss]

Loved this informative video! (had to laugh when you first started to wrestle with that $10.00 raised bed kit...what a way to start the morning! lol)

[@imaw8ke]

Can't wait till you harvest that big pineapple at the end....:) Thanks bud. I learned alot!

[@getplanting]

i would really like to see how it all turned out, thanks for the video!

[@TheVbird420]

Jon they had bags of mushroom compost at home depot by me, they keep it in the middle aisle though just away from back wall. Really had to look for it..

[@corporatejungles]

By the way, most people would save a lot of money if they ordered soil, mulch, compost from the same places the landscapers order from. They do residential but there is a minimum for delivery. In my area it is 4 cubic yards of material. Huge savings over home depot/lowes. I get 10 cubic yards each spring of 1/2 compost and 1/2 pine fines mixed and it works smashingly to grow all my veggies. Lasts all year too.

[@StatenIslandSlim]

Great video John I really enjoyed it ! Keep up the great work.

[@sillysillytom]

dang I want that big overhang thing. My first that was aquaponics with some tilapia because they like that warmer climate but perhaps that would be too warm... especially the food beds and keeping the added water cool.

[@Joani161]

I and most people who put in sprinkler systems and drip use 3 wraps of tape. I found it is easier to wrap from the back of the roll or opposite the way the roll is. Plus a pressure regulator from 10 to 20 psi maybe 30 is a good idea for drip systems.

[@helpeachotherall]

Nice explanation John.

[@marckelley1900]

Another great way to get nutrient rich soil is to compost with worms. We use red wigglers. a quick Google search will give you lots of great info. We usually make a compost tea that is amazing.

[@TracyR4]

You have a HUGE Walmart. Our garden dirt section is just a little corner. It's sad really. But I was able to find earth castings that were OMRI certified and the Ecoscraps Compost.

[@juliusshang4638]

I like this.It is so helpful to me.Thank you for sharing.

[@kristieeads9537]

Thanks I live California having to use less water this information will help.

[@Ramsoondar]

Yeah coconuts shells are never ending.lol the raised beds look good.

[@Twins0302]

Hi John, I am new to gardening and have subscribed to your videos. There's so much information it's phenomenel. Now because I'm new to this, Q. I saw somewhere you can get old tires to make a raised garden, and also chest drawers...can someone comment please.

[@erichuang5971]

This is incredibly useful! THANKS!!

[@VeganChiefWarrior]

a raisedbed in the desert full of compost? seems like it would need to be watered very often, mixing in some topsoil would help, ps i dare you to do what i just did and restrt AGAIN lol but this time just scatter cover crop seed on the native soil and mulch and water it, then start planting from there, sounds fun!

[@lsplatinum]

yo, you got that swag, something we all got.

[@AnotherOverTaxedTaxPayer]

@growingyourgreens I also live in the desert, Tucson to be exact. After purchasing good soil and to make the soil go a longer way, can I mix some of the native dirt in with the newly biought soil? Obviously I would take out all rocks.

[@daniellemarceaux5395]

Love that video never thought about doing a vegetable garden like you did i am going to grow my own vegetables in 5 gallon buckets because I don't have the money to make a razed vegetable garden so what kind of soil do you recommend because last year the lady that use to work over here said that miracle gro was the best of vegetables and over here i live in Washington state

[@linghang78]

This is exactly what i needed.. many thanks!!!!

[@joc7105]

Very helpful thanks! live in Ky, so got to do the mix based on plants. Watched celery likes moist soil. Live in an apt. so going to do some pvc across backporch for strawberries, maybe crates, or buckets or bags, or mix and match. want to do some celery, strawberries, romaine & red lettuce, spinach, carrots, maybe few pepper but very few only for garden fresh salsa. some herbs, Zuchinni in front, does well there, tomatoes here and there, got the early girl not sure to use stakes or cages. stakes might look good but not sure if I can do it right. but stakes cost less. so.. can do about 40-50 ft of pcv. got to watch more videos to decide what will do better where. would like to do cantelope, cucumbers... watermelon would be fun but don't know how to pull that off vertically. but any who thank you.. for the video. have a nice day!

[@souless1985]

Great F****ng Video John! From beginning to end! Lots of great info! Home Depot here i come!

[@RVFreeDa]

Oh My Gosh John! I learn so much watching this video today! Thank you! I really need to fix up my raised beds with a drip system and now I know how! So how did you set up the Timer settings? How many times a day do you water and for how long?

[@alan30189]

John, Just lay those plastic raised bed forms in the Vegas sun for a couple of hours. Then they will be very easy to work with, I'm sure.

[@mewendy1]

👍 for happy frog! Yes, it is higher but i buy their potting soil to start seeds & it's really good. It's higher but I wasted a lot of $ on cheaper potting soil that turned out to be useless junk (I'm looking at you Walmart & the cheap stuff you sell in the small white bags. It's mostly chunks of moldy wood)