How I made my raised bed garden 🌿 What I love 🌿 What I screwed up

Here are links to detailed blog posts about my raised bed garden:
❂ The ultimate raised bed guide: www.theimpatie...
❂ Raised bed garden construction Part 1: www.theimpatie...
❂ Raised bed garden construction Part 2: www.theimpatie...
❂ Raised bed garden construction Part 3: www.theimpatie...
❂ Garden comes to life: www.theimpatie...
❂ DIY garden arbor: www.theimpatie...
❂ More about the fence: www.theimpatie...
❂ New veg garden plan: www.theimpatie...
❂ First raised bed garden: www.theimpatie...
🌿 Internal Wood Stabilizer: This is a very nice, family-owned business. Call 'em up and tell them I say hello. 😃 timberprocoati...
🌿 Organic Mechanics Planting Mix Compost Blend: organicmechani...
Some affiliate links may appear. I may make a small commission if you purchase through these links. Thanks for your support. You can see all my favorite products on my Amazon storefront: www.amazon.com...
My name is Erin and I love sharing inspiration and information with real-life gardeners. I live and garden in southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5.
#raisedbeds #veggarden #TheImpatientGardener
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The Impatient Gardener
125 E. Main St.
Port Washington, WI 53074

[@sharonallen805]

I just put in 26 4×8 raised beds now i'm the process (planning stage) to put a pickett fence up around it with 4 arbors and a pergola on the end so I can sit in the shade to rest while working in the garden. Yes I had many problems. The main problem was to finding someone to build them. Now is to find treated lumber for the fence. And it's very expensive right now. But at my age I need to do now. It will be beautiful when it's all done. The Amish in my area will be putting the fence up, can't wait.

[@jmeh2388]

Holy smokes is that a typo? 26 beds?! Wow incredible!

[@sharonallen805]

@@jmeh2388 no that's correct 3 are with cattle panels, total 26

[@melissasullivan1658]

Dear lord, that’s quite a project! 😳

[@carmenbailey1560]

I love your vegetable garden beds, great design. You should feel very proud of your accomplishments. Thanks for sharing 👍❤️😊

[@susanrieske4258]

Thank you so much for your honesty and humility in reporting the trials of creating raised beds. I have always believed in the motto, if something is worth having, it's worth doing right! This is why I don't have raised beds, lol! Your garden is gorgeous, worth the effort because it is out in public, via video, or the neighbors, and for your own enjoyment. I think I'll stick with my raised mound type beds because I have nice soil and I'm the only one who looks at them, but you have inspired me to add something beautiful like a nice gate or arbor...or maybe both! Thanks, Erin, great content as always.

[@leiaflash5055]

Always loved the design of your raised bed garden! Once the clematis grows and blloms around the pergola gate, it'll look fantastic :)

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Clematis is looking really healthy in those pots so I hope they really go for it this year.

[@Edu_Kate]

@@TheImpatientGardener Erin, upon your recommendation, I ordered a couple clematis from Brushwood. They'll arrive in June. Cautionary note to others, order right away. I took a week or two pause to decide which fuchsia-color variety I wanted and then they were gone! In fact, the selection was greatly reduced.

[@carriemoriarity5806]

I love your raised bed gardens and the fact that you occasionally throw in nautical terms here and there!

[@homegrown5464]

I'm completely redoing my raised bed area this year and, like you, I've learned a lot from my first go round. I thought I was good to go, but you just gave me some amazing tips that I had not thought of. I had never heard of that natural wood preservative. And this time round I am planning on offsetting the ends of the beds but it didn't occur to me that this affected the size if the bed. So from my garden to yours...a very big THANK YOU!

[@BloominIvy]

Does anyone else hit like before the video even starts, cuz you know you’re gonna like it?

[@froggyfur1954]

Don't know whether to laugh or cry. I'm building mine now and have made almost all those same mistakes. It's a process. Wish I had known about the pvc trick to protect the dripline, that's a good one. In the end your space is so elegant and stylish! Well done!

[@ginafriend1690]

Hi Erin .. life in general is full of trial and errors as we know, and what Is perfect in the end, If truly is such a "thing". You did great with your vision and I've admired since I first seen a video of. Nothings easy but reaping benefits in the end! That's the lesson in life! Big kudos to you dear. To a successful season! 🍀

[@BroadwayGardener]

I love seeing pictures of your progress throughout the years! Its extremely motivating as im trying to navigate creating my own veggie garden space. The gate is so unique and cool! Great work

[@farmerjones9612]

we are just remaking our raised bed garden ( not fast enough for me !!!) and these are the same thoughts that my hubby and I have been mulling over...I am going to have him watch this video. Just in time , another 2 weeks and it would have been completed. Thank you !!

[@gardeningjunkie2267]

Your garden is beautiful. For myself I found a very easy alternative. I'm making raised beds with Old Castle raised bed blocks which you can buy in big box stores. No nails, no screws. Lumber slides right in and you can stack them one on top of each other like lego, if you want higher raised beds. You can also move and change it around whenever you like. I also prefer not to use weedblock or gravel because I want the earthworms in my raised beds. I layer it with mulch and compost before I add the soil to make it a little easier.

[@mdwalker3034]

I built a new raised bed in 2019. Based on your research & recommendation, I used the timber pro wood stabilizer. Also, used their UV resistant stain. They are a wonderful company! Sent samples of stain colors. so I could select best one for our area. Very very happy! I told them I learned of them from you:). Love your channel BTW. You gave me the “strength” to pull out / giveaway numerous Happy Returns daylillies. They no longer gave me joy!

[@TheImpatientGardener]

In other words, The returns were no longer happy. 😉

[@Edu_Kate]

I'm digging up my no longer 'Happy Returns' daylilies. I think I'll pot them up and leave on the curb. We have a lot of foot traffic in my neighborhood.

[@leahfowler4710]

So glad you mentioned the heugoculture issue! My beds sunk a good foot this first year😬. I was not prepared for that at all. It makes the second round planting have to wait until everything comes out because so much soil has to be added back. None of my research mentioned that and that was a biggie for me.

[@HorticultureGeek]

I 100% feel ya on a cool garden gate. I want a cool one so badly.

[@amyslattery8676]

Love your raised bed garden...and gate is gorgeous ❤️ Former Fox Point resident...miss WI!

[@vickikeeler2597]

It amazes me also that plant material returns the following year after I planted it. I’m almost 60 years old, and I haven’t killed that many things over the years 🤞🏻

[@annriggle1945]

Thank you! Perfect timing... contemplating all the how to’s to install ours!!

[@lorindachristine3291]

We are smack dab in the middle of expanding my garden and adding raised beds throughout. We're doing it all ourselves and, oof, it's a lot of work! Thank you for sharing your insight and reassurances!!

[@shellydavis201]

When you were describing the removal of the dirt between the gardens I could hardly watch. You married a so much more patient man then I. My neighbors would have had to call the police on my husband. You are my absolute favorite to watch!

[@tatyanagallacher1939]

Thank you for making this video! Can we see your compost system please

[@sheilastromberger2275]

I ordered materials yesterday for my raised beds, this information came at a perfect time and was very helpful🌼

[@ElderandOakFarm]

Your raised bed garden is absolutely beautiful! My husband I just purchased our home and are going to be building something very similar to that- minus the deer fence because it's not necessary where I live. (But I do want to put up some kind of fencing to try keep out animals like possums, rabbits, or raccoons) But to save upfront costs, we're going to build all 8 of our raised beds to be about 6 inches deep, & then make them deeper each year (because we just bought a house & I have a lot of other projects like building a large cutflower garden, putting in lots of things in the landscape, etc.). I'd like to eventually have them 3 foot deep because I deal with a lot of back pain after being rear-ended and I just like the look of it aesthetically!

[@TheImpatientGardener]

That's a great way to approach it!

[@GrannysGarden]

That was a really enjoyable video. It's hard to imagine, seeing that lovely vegetable garden now, that it's construction was such a rollercoaster of a ride. It took quite a bit of determination to keep it on track, but the end result was worth it!

[@joyfulinhope1210]

Lots of good ‘what not to do’ tips.

[@fleurjardin1012]

Thanks, Erin, this video is perfectly timed as I am getting ready to make my own deer-proof raised bed area. I especially appreciated the advice concerning the gravel/road bed base combo. That sounds better to me than landscape fabric for the long haul.

[@TheLizzlebizzle]

Love the song of the cardinal in the background (at least that is what I thought it was). The veg garden beds, layout and the espaliered trees are lovely. Wonderful that you have the contrast with the naturalized planting area near the stream, creek, water overflow whatever you are calling it :). Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm, your willingness to experiment and your skills.

[@pjnelson414]

You did a great job. I have a raised bed garden that I put in myself with free timbers. Not all the same size but I made it work. But it doesn't have the beauty yours does.

[@GardenMoxie]

It's a gorgeous garden. Thanks for sharing all the great tips.

[@chelseab.1206]

Love love love your gate and arbor!!

[@loriswain8140]

I just added 4 raised beds for this planting season! I’m so excited to get started. 🌱

[@browneyes-cj8eg]

oh that is amazing.. would love to have that garden space. interesting about the rope to keep the deer out. will keep that in mind.

[@sandywalheim4526]

This was a great learning video! From the successes to the pitfalls, I really picked up a lot of good information. I had to laugh about the look of the sinking soil level - same thing really bugs me too! Looking forward to year two updates on the wonderful Belgian fence in the background!

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Me too! Everything is looking good so far (and by that I mean, alive).

[@smoothsailingmp]

Thank you. That was soooooo good! We were just saying we usually remember those things we didn't do or would do differently, as we fall into bed at night, exhausted....and not able to move . Ha ha! Have a great day gardening

[@clarechomyn9686]

Thank you for your honesty. I love the fact that you admit mistakes or a better way of doing something. It makes me fell so much better when everything seems to go wrong to know that you also sometimes have a hard time achieving your perfection. I LOVE your garden. It gives a feeling of comfort, order and is so elegant. I also plant for deer and other sweet wildlife. As long as they trim my shrubs when they are tall and not just starting out.

[@skylineranches]

Nice area. Thanks for the tour.

[@fiercegirldesign1]

Super helpful! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@TheGardenFamily]

Thank you for sharing your tips! We are currently working on a big garden with 4x4 raised beds as well and your advice is great!

[@juliabinford6500]

I benefit greatly from hearing the mistakes to avoid, so thanks for sharing!

[@bloomsbyamelie]

Great information. I love that gate door - well done Erin and Mr. More Impatient ;)

[@debbielombard5132]

We have a redbud my husband's aunt brought from Kansas to Boise in 1956; we live in his Grandparents' house. Many of the neighbors have "volunteers" along the street; they are beautiful. I love this tree, so sentimental, but when I get a "volunteer" and don't ultimately like the area it chose and have let it grow for too long; I, unfortunately, have to cut it down at the base; I feel your pain trying to move that root system. Thank you for all your videos; I enjoy you and your family.

[@ninawill8053]

Your garden is so beautiful and I just love the entrance gate. I also have about 2-21/2 feet space between my beds and as you said it does not bother me at all, rather have an extra bed then wider walkway.

[@jmeh2388]

I’ve always loved your garden space. Thank you for going more in depth on it. Did you consider just adding one more layer of the boards to the garden beds to offset the height rather than having the landscapers come back a second time? Perhaps there wouldn’t have been any cost savings but that was my first thought when you described the dilemma.

[@bethheerten1132]

I wonder that as well.

[@glg3945]

Very helpful 👌. Thank you so much. 😊 Peace and good fortune and good health to you and your family.

[@elizabethkellerman969]

So much work, but it looks amazing.

[@tammyhoushour8070]

I feel ya..every project I do never runs smoothly. ..but I'm not a quitter 😄

[@laurenwellman2516]

Very helpful. Thank you for sharing. Hoping to build a small perennial raised bed this season.

[@daiseegray9110]

Great design I love the garden gate!🌸❤️☀️🌼

[@MissouriCrookedBarnHomestead]

I HATE HATE HATE landscape fabric. I am in an old Victorian home in Cheyenne Wyoming and the prior owners of the home put landscape fabric literally everywhere, even underneath the lawns here. I had to remove it from every large flower garden so I could expand and make it into a vegetable garden. There's not a lot of land because the house is so big, the flower gardens however were huge, though sculpted. So, I had to straighten out the design, widen the flower gardens, lengthen them, and then get inventive on making other smaller vegetable gardens and herb garden so I could expand the space, but use the flower gardens we already had. The landscape fabric was the pain in my *** for all of it. I'm still picking landscape fabric out of places here and there. And the kick in the pants...it didn't keep weeds from happening, the weeds just grew through it, plus it gave it a great area for thistles, cockle burrs, and other burr type plants to take root. Dandelions have been horrible to get ahead of. So, landscape fabric doesn't work. If you want to keep weeds out, then get out a hoe and do the work.

[@williamedmondson1009]

Thanks for sharing! I’m not a novice gardener, but I have to say, we (yes hubs watches sometimes too...this is his KZbin lol) get good info from every single video you put up.

[@janebrennan8217]

Love, love, love your Newfy

[@jaderussell1347]

Love all your vids i watch and learn every single day.just became a dahlia lover so learning tonnes from you but still scary in case i mess up.carry on with the good work erin love carol xx

[@suekuly4723]

Wanting to put in a raised garden this year. Thank you for the tips.

[@j.m.7056]

This was fascinating! Thanks so much for sharing the pros and cons. The gate is wonderful -- I appreciate that it ties in with the other architectural features!

[@creativelady7]

Your RBG is beautiful and I love the gate and fencing. This was very informative and helpful!

[@vickiesueshelton]

Girl that’s allot grunt work

[@judymckerrow6720]

You did a good job Erin, it looks wonderful! Wish I had something like that with all the critters we have around here, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, oh my. I don’t know how rabbits got on my deck this past winter, you have to climb at least eight steps, I found rabbit pellets in my containers, on the deck, everywhere! Rascally rabbits! Thank you for explaining the process you had to go through to make such a beautiful garden💚🙃

[@Edu_Kate]

Ugh! 🐇 Rabbits. A few years ago I forgot to put those trunk-protective tubes before winter on three young apple trees. Harsh MN winter, they'd eaten all around the bark. Last season, I planted a new garden with hydrangeas and a few other shrubs. The weeping blue spruce I splurged on the more mature size is stripped around the base. I'm hoping future branches will eventually fill in that area. I WILL be putting up fencing before next winter. This winter, during an extended sub-zero spell, I found a rabbit on my deck (I know they shelter beneath it) hunkering under a fake -wicker love seat I keep there.

[@GardenKath]

I had a groundhog who would regularly come up on my deck and eat out of all of my pots. I fenced them in with chicken wire, and he would squeeze underneath. 😂 Never underestimate a hungry critter.

[@rebeccabsomanybooks3558]

Difficulties always make great stories later. I can relate. It looks great. Interesting about cedar . I almost went cedar now glad I didn't. Thanks

[@TheImpatientGardener]

I kind of think that the cedar we're using now, is not like the way cedar used to be. Or maybe it's just the cedar that is available here.

[@Edu_Kate]

I used cedar boards for a low, 4x4' raised bed. The boards touching the ground showed rot about ten years later. I'm using the top boards to edge my foundation beds until I find a replacement. Even pressure-treated boards under my shed show signs of rot. Nothing lasts forever. Though, I now have resin forms I'll assemble and fill with bags of organic soil.

[@leslienichols5268]

I miss my sweet old Newf!

[@reggie9334]

I love love your garden and the your choice of fencing. The gate is gorgeous!!

[@marilynruggeberg]

Beautiful Garden. I would have just built my beds a little taller instead of doing all that digging but I have my raised beds in a grassy area. I just have to make sure that they are far enough apart for the push lawnmower to get through them. I don't have drip to them yet, that is the project for this spring. 😂😂😂

[@TheEnduringGardener]

Nothing quite like seeing new growth. I bought a couple of trees (well sticks) in the autumn and I’ve had to wait all winter until now to see any sign of life. 😅

[@sandyg8794]

Hi Erin! This was really interesting. I like the looks of your raised garden beds, the fence, arbor and gates. Thank you for sharing!

[@kathleenwhite9741]

I've seen some lovely and unique bronze/brass house numbers/plaques that may work to mark the beds for watering zones. The bronze would weather to a interesting color and could be a sweet accent. Love your garden!!!

[@valeriej291]

This was really helpful. I’m planning an education garden for the kids and I. I’m sure I’ll do things wrong, but learning is the whole point.

[@kathyberndt3192]

I love the gates and honestly all of it!

[@vesnasuselrozman7659]

I do have 1m raised beds for 5 years, they sink about 30cm each year. I have lots of flowers because of big house and backyard grass, so I throw everthing in my beds in november, pile it with maybe 20cm of manure and 5cm of soil in spring. I realy dont need any compost pile anymoore. But spring is for somebody in march and for others in june, so its always interesting to see what people grow and how in other parts of world.

[@TheSouthernersNorthernGarden]

I absolutely love your garden Erin! It's so beautiful and so practical, but I'm sure Mr. Much More Patient became Mr. Much More Broke in the process. :)

[@TheImpatientGardener]

I don't add up how much I spend on my pets, and about halfway through this project I applied the same standard.

[@bagladysendtheferalspinner3761]

You have excellent taste in a puppy-dog! My family has had Newfs since 1956. Your raised bed garden is beautiful too.

[@adz5bneweng589]

I have a driveway made from roadbase only and it drains very well so I wouldn't worry about putting it under the entire garden. Just don't use a pressure plate to compact it. (Even though my driveway drains well with cars driven over it.) I'm in zone 5b (questionably 6a) Massachusetts.

[@helen1962]

Very nice!

[@wagnerab1958]

I loved this video, I'm planning on having raised beds in my garden and this has been very helpful. Love your raised bed garden and your gate, looks so good! Thank you!

[@daniellebroomfield4352]

Good advices on what not to do👍🏼 And produced the most expensive vegetables...😳

[@rhkennerly]

Most understanding husband....ever!

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Yeah, I used up a lot of chips with that project.

[@heathermcelroy7171]

😂

[@JudyCraigDexterME]

Great information!!!

[@shannonholmberg8835]

I always love when you’re talking about your raised bed vegetable garden. I think it would be fun to just have even a couple of raise beds. So I appreciate you putting up the picture of your first one. The design of that was really cool I agree. Did you say the overall outside dimensions?

[@CatskillsGrrl]

“... but I’m over it.” Lol!

[@jksatte]

I haven't seen raised beds with the posts instead of planks. I think that's an excellent idea but I imagine it's super costly, especially now. I love that it will last longer and won't be a problem when you are older. I am not at my forever place but I can't wait to get there. I think this will be the way to go. I would love to be able to grow all my produce. BTW, your garden looks amazing. Janice

[@kimbar11]

It’s such a beautiful space. ❤️👍

[@kaymack5304]

I love your raised bed garden so much! I’m laughing at myself now thinking I could do that too after hearing the process. We are on a corner lot so I’d really like my veggie garden to be pretty but I’m sure my husband would balk at the cost if I priced that out. Oh well, started planting my screening bed along that side of the property this spring. By the time we are downsizing it should have great privacy. Lol

[@suziqbrown7073]

Your gate is beautiful

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Thank you. If it’s possible to have a dream gate, this is mine.

[@biogreenusainc.5300]

Happy Easter to all of you !

[@meredith3588]

Something I love about your beds that wasn't mentioned was the fact that you can comfortably sit on the edge. We are redoing our beds after seeing yours. I also love your compost bins and have been looking for the metal corners that you used. I find aluminum in a silver color but I love the green. Might you remember the manufacturer and be willing to share the name?

[@Donamtrx]

🤩How did you know I needed this?!🤷🏻‍♀️ THANX MUCH!❤️

[@karinjohnston6568]

Super helpful, if I were to build a fenced raised bed area I’d just build yours, I love it! Have the deer ever jumped the fence?

[@SoilandMargaritas]

I LOVE your kitchen garden, it’s definitely a process to decide where and how to place things, I was wondering if you had filled the beds “hugerkultur” (sp?) style, and what your thoughts were about it. Good to know!

[@deniseb2571]

Excellent info. Thanks!

[@charitoh4055]

Despite all the setbacks, it’s a really beautiful garden! It looks like it was a ton of work. I don’t think my marriage would have survived it! 😂

[@Blchristen]

I love that you had stained your raised beds. I think you talked about that in another video. Has the stain worn off since you built them? They look different somehow. Beautiful either way.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

It has faded and I’m going to do another coat this year. I suspect that’s because I was super lazy when I applied it. I didn’t sand or let the wood even dry out at all (to release the tannins or whatever that’s about). I just slapped that stain right on there. It didn’t take super well to the knots. I knew when I did it I was doing it all wrong but I was so over it at that point!

[@redneckbutcher4183]

Your garden is very nice. I built one to and overthought it. Im afraid in the end your going to have same issue as me $1000. dollar tomatoes. lol

[@ArizonaHighDesertHomestead]

Excellent video, yours beds look awesome, sadly right now lumber is so expensive. I do want to at least do a couple beds like that, very impressive looking

[@TinysGarden]

What kind of stain did you use on your raised beds? And where did you find the garden gate?You guys did an incredible job! I’m sure it was a TON of work, but a real home-run! Well done!

[@jeanninef2110]

Thank you!!!!!

[@christinenovack6048]

Beautiful space! Please give us an update on how the roses in the insulated boxes did.

[@payton8613]

I love the color of your beds and fences. What type of stain, and what color did you use? Thanks for the idea of the road base underneath the gravel. I used that when I expanded our flower bed out further into the front lawn, and laid a new brick garden path around the bed. I've had no drainage problems at all under the brick path, so I will just do my entire planter area in the base, and put the beds right on top of that.

[@kathystoner8916]

Redwood all the way here in Norcal

[@TheImpatientGardener]

I've heard that redwood works really well!

[@juliapounds5829]

Oh, boy, now I’m really thinking about how to have made your process easier for you! Great information. Could you have a had two rows of cedar on soil, then added compacting gravel to walkways so that it didn’t go above the cedar. Bottom of bed would be lower than compacted gravel without digging and protected by 2 rows of cedar??? Sounds good in my head, but who knows??? Love your videos!

[@leilaluginbill916]

Wow! What a process! What do you figure one tomato cost? Just kidding...gardening never seems to save me any money, but it makes me happy. There is no price tag for my happiness when it comes to gardening.❤️

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Never do the math! :)

[@Sullivan_Owen]

i think the path width should definitely be a lower priority than bed space. My beds are 2ft apart but I have wider access from all around. I have a gorilla cart that fits through if needed. Making 3-4ft paths would have cost 32 sqft of growing space. I’m already out of space and planning to start beds all around it this year 😂

[@CatskillsGrrl]

One option for sealing the wood against rot is charring or shou sugi ban, the Japanese method of wood preservation.