Stop WASTING MONEY Filling Raised Beds! Fill Them Like This.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If you enjoyed this video, please “Like” and share it to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching😊TIMESTAMPS here: 0:00 Container Garden VS Raised Bed Garden 2:34 The True Purpose Of Raised Garden Beds 4:29 Why Potting Soil Is Wrong For Raised Beds 5:27 Detailed Soil Cost Analysis 10:48 How To Dramatically Reduce Soil Cost 13:21 How To Fill A Deep Raised Bed 14:46 Adventures With Dale

[@jedpusczykowski4955]

@@TheMillennialGardener you are and engineer. Didn't you cover a fertilizer mix ratio to get the percentage you want?

[@oliverhel9629]

So there where your doing volume, run that number against a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood @ I thinK 1'3" heighdth

[@marybethr6798]

what do you use for containers?

[@loveishope4406]

I am moving from 7B to 9B (Tulsa to Jacksonville FL). I am going to get some type of raised beds. I think you live in S Carolina but not sure. Will our zones mean we will have similar issues such as pests, soil and weathers. Ive garden in Tulsa for 5 years but a little nervous.

[@marcjtdc]

And if you put a raised bed near trees it may get filled with tree roots. Think about it - you are giving food and water so the trees love it.

[@shirleysuchdolski6042]

I lucked out and got peat moss for 4.99 at Tractor Supply. They were leftover from last year. Regularly $14.99

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That's pure luck. I wouldn't bank on that. Talk about being at the right place at the right time.

[@isabellalucia7820]

But the wrong place for the mine where it was harvested. There is no way to harvest peat moss sustainably (it takes decades and requires specific circumstances to grow) , no matter what it says on the package. Please don’t buy peat moss unless you are growing plants that require an extremely low Ph.

[@mslascorpia]

The coco coir is great and kinda fun to watch expand.

[@meemaw100]

I got peat moss for $6.99

[@FarmToMarketRoad]

I wish. Currently spend $20.49. It's still the cheapest component in my potting mix.

[@katcruz876]

My dad is so proud of all of the hard work that I've put into my container gardening that he wants to make me 2 raised beds 🥲 I'm 26...he's 47 and has been having heart problems lately I love him so much and I hope we have lots of time to grow tomatoes and strawberries together ❤

[@RealBradMiller]

🫂 wishing best health and luck to both you and your father! I just built to raised beds from an old fence. Dwarf peas just popped up in one of them! Cheers!

[@weitang1196]

Great dad. My parents did not give me anything at all. My mom still has no idea how to plan to plant or take good care of plants(aka, she only knows watering daily, lol). I'm the one taking care of the garden I built for her. I need to move on with my life eventually after everything is done here. It's a long story.

[@Mrsmetamorphosis2012]

@@weitang1196honor ur parents. U will never ever regret it!

[@Mrsmetamorphosis2012]

Your dad is young to have ❤ problems. Did he get the covid vax n boosters?

[@weitang1196]

@@Mrsmetamorphosis2012 My dad is almost 60; it's nothing about age; it's a personality thing. I have no idea. We haven't seen each other for nearly ten years

[@dontcarejustwatchvid]

Your whole channel and persona makes so much more sense when you state that you are an engineer by trade. Great attention to detail! Peace.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Uh oh. That could be interpreted in many ways 😆

[@dontcarejustwatchvid]

ALL positive my friend. @@TheMillennialGardener

[@emilybarner3440]

I too had an 'ah, yes. That makes sense' moment when I first heard you mention being an​ engineer. 😂@@TheMillennialGardener one of our dear friends is an engineer and a gardener and I see many similarities -- very methodical!

[@1boortzfan]

I must have missed that somehow... what kind of engineer are you if you don't mind me asking?​@@dontcarejustwatchvid

[@Earthy-Artist]

@@TheMillennialGardener You also have warmth, joy, care, helpfulness, and lets not forget love of dogs. Initially those are what drew me to your channel. And how thorough, orderly, calm, focused, planned, organized, and educational your content is which kept me here. So finding out a while back that your an engineer certainly does seem to fit your M/O {modus operandi }!

[@terrinegron]

Thanks for mentioning the Hugelkultur method. I used that method on my deep raised beds and 3 years later the whole deep bed was full of incredible rich soil to grow my veggies.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I figured it would come up, so I wanted to try and be thorough.

[@sherriianiro747]

Same here!

[@SandyStallard]

Mine sinks every year!

[@barbaraflagg983]

nutrients in __food out, nutrients in-- food out__etc@@SandyStallard

[@MrIamnoone]

@terrinegron Do you need to keep topping off your Hugelkultur bed or do you keep planting as it sinks? My 2 year old Hugelkultur raised bed has sank to half its original depth.

[@mpsorrentino]

I think it's fair to note that sometimes raised beds are being used for plants with particular needs such as Blueberries with their acidity requirements so topsoil and compost alone aren't going to be enough at the end of the day it really comes down to what you're trying to grow and where you're trying to grow it.

[@DamienLeafItToUs]

Agreed. I have a friend trying to grow corn in a container. I hated to be the one to break it to her. Luckily a raised bed can be reused the next year.

[@batkat0]

Started my first raised beds this year. They're 32" tall and i was so glad i saved the wood from an old tree that had to come down 8 years ago. Well aged and it took up so much space and saved me a ton of money.

[@kennethwoolard5910]

Good thinking!!!! That is the real way to do it!!!.

[@sandrahawkins7328]

FYI...I live in upstate SC. Tractor Supply always has the best prices for peat. Right now it is $14.99. Love your channel. I have been gardening all my life. I learned from my dad. I am now 67. Never too old to learn. Thank you!!

[@Earthy-Artist]

I wonder how much my Tractor Supply in NJ sells if for? Here at Home Depot it's about $23.97 a 3 cu. ft. bale, eeek!!

[@klmaloney13]

I'm in the Upstate too and get my Peat Moss from Tractor Supply. Great prices! :)

[@Scott-jf1nh]

I live 30 miles North of Atlanta, GA. I have Georgia red clay with about 5 inches of good top soil. This is my 3rd season growing mostly tomatoes. I have built 9 raised beds 7 are 4 x8’ and 2 are slightly smaller for blueberries and melons. This year I am using all the things I have learned so far. Soil is expensive but I need less as time goes by. I collect oak leaves and grass cutting which I mix in. Also my property has a burn pile And I used a bunch of charred wood and ashes in one bed. This year I used a roto tiller and am very concerned with Ph and rain water for irrigation. I set up my rain barrel last week. My plants really respond to rain water so much better than tap or even drinking water. I made a grow box inside last year and my seedling are ready to go. They have been growing well since 2/14. Planting Friday after last morning in the high 30s ( I hope). I dug up and threw out several big oak logs from season one. They were too big and had not really broken down except the bark. Enjoy your great videos-Thank you!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Sounds like you're making great progress! Gardening is iterative. Write down the results each year in a journal and improve it overtime. Pretty soon, you'll have a full system down that'll run like clockwork.

[@Scott-jf1nh]

Thank you, I do have a journal and phone pics to look at dates and progress. Using my own seeds for some of these tomatoes as well. I started following you as you are not too far away zone-wise. Lots of good tips.

[@DeniseLSessler]

We started out with the SFG method so we made 'Mel's Mix' - equal parts peat, compost and vermiculite. We have learned to fill some of the deeper beds with some limbs and shredded leaves, then add 'Mel's Mix' for most of the bed.

[@bevkelly2734]

I fill my beds halfway with shredded cardboard it rots down over time and worms love. I give them cardboard they give me castings. It’s a win win. 👍🏻

[@pmd428]

Cardboard has glue and chemicals in it, I would never put that in my garden bed.

[@earthworm7346]

​@@pmd428worms & the microbes that worms eat, will eat all of that up.

[@eggsinhell1532]

All so well said. Just one thing to add: not all compost and soil mixes from local landscapers are created equal in terms of their ability to supply nutrients. A few years back some friends of mine compared the same plants grown in different local mixes and were astonished to see that the compost supplied by our city’s most beloved “green” supplier actually performed the worst, and by a large margin.

[@EducatedSkeptic]

As someone in his mid-70s, I'd like to point out that WE have raised beds so we don't have to bend over so far to weed and care for them! They also help us to limit the spread of crops (e.g., sunchokes and asparagus) that otherwise might tend to spread in an uncontrolled manner. VERY MUCH appreciate your excellent suggestions regarding the proper blend with which to fill the raised beds. Used to get great free filler - mixed horse manure with pine shavings, which we composted for a year first - but the horses died. Have been mixing soil from elsewhere in the garden with either commercial compost or composted steer manure, which has done great for us. Had a great harvest last year particularly of red potatoes - one of which was 8" long and weighed 24 ounces! It's also been great for both the asparagus and the garlic (which we plant in the fall). We've been doing in part what you're describing, but will be "tweaking" our methodology to what you've suggested! Thanks so much again for some excellent ideas!

[@Planzman1]

If I might add: I got this info from Scott and Helen Nearings’ book, go to the gravel yard with a bucket and get some gravel dust ( I think it’s called M10) and put a couple cups in each new bed and mix well. Adds necessary source of minerals that plants can get and last a long long time. Enjoy your videos. Cheers.

[@bobbylibertini]

Gravel dust might be hard to come by, but you could just buy a sack of lime (At feed stores; farm supply places; many garden centers, etc.). Judging by my gravel driveway, it'll work fine, 'cause stuff grows in the driveway better than it does anywhere else! FArmers actually do the lime thing- They get it by the truck load and have it spread on their fields.

[@MichaelRei99]

This video opened my eyes. I know about cheap raised bed mix . Lowes sells organic bed fill that is absolute garbage! The Home Depot by me sells a much better mix. But if I can save money using your advice I’d be stupid not to! Thank you for the well timed video!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

In my opinion, all the raised bed soil sold at big box stores is junk. You can find nice compost and topsoil. You can find nice potting mix, like Pro Mix, if you're willing to take out a lien on your home to buy it. But what you can't find is nice raised bed mix. It's a bridge product - stuff that isn't nice enough to sell as potting mix, but it can't be sold as a nice mulch. It's like they blended the rejects together to make some middle-ground product and slapped a price tag on it. In my opinion, patronize real local landscaping companies and get a truckload of the stuff delivered and mix it yourself, or see if your county landfill or recycling center gives out free topsoil or compost. Some actually do. Mine gives out free load-your-own mulch, but not compost.

[@KR-os6nn]

How do you make sure that the compost hasn’t been sprayed or contain glyphosate or other chemicals? How do you make sure that you’re able to grow in it? I’ll have to rewatch the video, I skipped to the solution but maybe you mentioned it already in the first half of the video. 😆

[@theloosemoose8200]

I live in Florida, we just built a new house and I had 30 dump trucks of compost dropped in my front and back yard !best decision I've made ! My plants are all doing amazing

[@barbaralewis3281]

"Things are going to be cheaper later..[in years..]...I had to go back & relisten to your presenting ! Very good! Very true!

[@emkn1479]

Any time we dig up an area and remove sod or soil, we add it to a pile that “composts” in place and then draw from that pile when making new beds. The mineral content is important in raised beds. When buying bags of things, look for broken bags at big box stores and ask for a discount. I used to always get them at 50%, no matter the condition, but now they’re getting stingy. It’s still a little savings though.

[@RealBradMiller]

Right? Discount plants... They took a mere dollar off, the damn thing was near dead!!! I still managed to save it. Bought a flat of sedum for fifty cents, and I've never wanted for another one since! I'm hoping when they get new product in there will be damages, and I can swoop in and haggle. 😂

[@dinobravo23]

I always fill my raised beds with a 50/50 topsoil and compost mix. Been doing that forever. I also add new compost to the boxes yearly. I built mine 6'x12'x10".

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That's the cheapest way to do it and have a nice growing medium.

[@gerhardk98]

We bought 6 yards of topsoil last year I made a mixture of topsoil, peat and sheep manure. We were pleased with our first year’s crop and I was really happy with how easy it was to work the soil this spring. Before we planted this year I added sheep manure to the beds and the warm spring had me sow some lettuce and radishes first part of April and it is growing nicely.

[@gwenbush6184]

Goodness I’m one of the ones that has been filling my raised beds with the homemade expensive stuff for containers. Thanks for the information, I was definitely confused about what I was doing! I can get 1 yard of topsoil from my local recycle plant for $6! Oh the money I could have saved 😣

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's not too late. This gives you a reason to expand your garden for pennies on the dollar. Just be careful with the recycling plant stuff. It's very affordable, but talk to them and make sure the soil is clean and not contaminated with anything. It's also probably not screened, so purchasing a nice compost sifter could be a good idea. I just bought a big metal one with handles on Amazon that'll last centuries for $32 and it's pretty awesome.

[@barco581]

Spot on. This might be your number one money saving video yet. It makes us feel lucky that in our part of the country the topsoil is pretty good so we just amend with organic matter and don't have to do raised beds.

[@rollercity]

I'd also encourage everyone get a legit soil audit/soil testing done before you spend anything. You will know everything your native soil contains but more importantly everything it needs if anything. Then you can add exactly that and focus on improving biology while you do your thing with your raised beds (if that's your preference) ✌

[@cltinturkey]

Super smart and well worth the cost. Every state has two land-grant universities. Most states also have extension agents from those universities and a group of master gardeners. In Virginia, you can send soil samples to Virginia Tech University. For less than $20 you'll get a high-quality test of your soil with emailed results and recommendations. You can send in multiple samples for different crops you want to grow. That way you'll save money and only add amendments when needed. You can always add compost to your beds and add mulch once beds are planted. Both materials will continue to break down over time and improve the soil.

[@4thHouseOnTheRight]

Completely agree with this approach. When we first started our garden we spent a mint just filling half of it. I thought there had to be a better way. The dirt yard is it! We can fill our Tundra with about ½ yard of soil for around $20 😮

[@matthewlblair]

About 20 years or so ago, I lived in Brunswick County, NC. Lived on Oak Island. Been back in my home county in Alabama since then. Doing a lot of research to try a successful garden soon. I’ve been learning a lot from you, Huw Richards, Steven Cornett & Mark Valencia. Thanks for the great content. I worked a farm with my cousins a couple summers when I was 12-13, but the gardens I’ve tried as an adult have all failed haha. Hoping I can make a better go of it this year and next & have success. The ground in my yard is pretty much red dirt with rocks all in it, so going to go raised beds I think. Going to be so expensive though to bring in soil. Thanks for the ideas and comparisons. If you are near Southport, check out Generations Church. I helped plant that church when I lived there. Praise God, it has grown much better than my gardens haha. Blessings.

[@tuxedocatpicasso8917]

Thank you so much for the time and effort to calculate the cost. I just built 2 raised beds and took a Square Foot Gardening class. First I racked my brain trying to find the ingredients and when I calculated the cost I thought, I’m trying to save money on my grocery bill by growing my own food. This is NOT going to help! I think I will go with your recommendation. I sincerely appreciate your channel!

[@klmaloney13]

You have to remember too that it's an investment upfront. You don't replace the soil yearly. You keep it mulched and then may need tobadd some additional manure and organic fertilizer over time but you won't be paying to fill the beds completely more than once.

[@cn4492]

You are an excellent gardener and a great presenter. Logical and to the point. Great job! Thanks so much. I pass your content on !❤

[@Day-tm2pb]

That is exactly what am did in a hot suburban front garden and backyard in Florida and it grew so many fruits and roses I couldn’t believe my eyes. Simply topsoil and cow manure, treated of course lol.

[@jSheapullen]

We live on a hill. Were older and wanted taller raised beds. We had to dig them in so theyd be level. All of the North Georgia clay went into the center of the beds , raising the soil level to a manageable financial height. So we then filled it with toosoil, compist, vermiculit peat mix. Added veggies from our kitchen and worm eggs. In 2 months itll be ready for its first planting. Were excited cause 2 other we added logs, but soil sinks faster and it can house critters. But they turned out fabtastic too. Love your videos!

[@Kylie4Queen]

You’re completely right. Last year, I bought “raised bed mix” and it was complete trash. Very little actual soil and mostly bark. The veggies I put in that garden bed performed so poorly. Now I know better

[@jo-annjewett198]

In the beginning I spent a small fortune filling my container beds/pots. I now follow your garbage can method for composting. I topped dressed most beds with this compost. I don’t have any of those reasons to have raised beds, except space. I should have filled them with soil but I didn’t. I wish I had because year #1 didn’t do great. However all the organic additives I added have now broken down and the soil is so much better. Mind you a few beds we filled the bottom with logs and brush. Going forward I am doing your method.

[@katjoy9921]

Great video. It’s about time that someone made a video like this. I had a delivery done and added some more compost and was very pleased and the price was 20% of the bagged.

[@heartcharm7627]

I'm 61 and am using 2 1/2' tall beds because of not being able to squat down and get back up easily or bending over for long periods of time. So that's one more reason you could list for tall raised beds. :) BTW I live in Georgia so I watch your channel because your climate is so similar to mine.

[@ogtripleg9237]

just ordered my first raised bed and it's the one you posted about! Gonna fill it this way too lol thanks for all the tips and advice.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're going to really like it. I can't believe how nice it is for the price.

[@ogtripleg9237]

also I had no idea you were an engineer. I'm an civil engineering EIT studying to pass my PE currently. Guess us engineers also love gardening haha

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@ogtripleg9237ah, the good ol' days. I have a PE in NC, SC, AZ, IN and OH. You start collecting them like baseball cards 😀 When I took it, it was the paper test where you had to bring 500 lbs of books with you. I almost literally died carrying them from the car! The new way they're doing it is so different.

[@ogtripleg9237]

@@TheMillennialGardener WOW that's WILD, you got a bunch! I'm trying to get my first down here in South Florida. But yes, I've heard it was like that before it went full-on digital. It's so funny to imagine all those wheelbarrows of books. I just have tons of digitized PDFs now clogging my screen.

[@hopelessdiyer2819]

I get my garden mix 1 yard at a time with my pickup. I use a load handler so I can unload the bed in just minutes. 1 yard is between 36 to 50 dollars depending on the quality. I just did a 16.5 by 11 feet raised bed for grapes and raspberries for 50 bucks and the mulch I got the same way for just 34 dollars a yard. Northern tool has the load handler for just 149.99. Mine paid for itself in just 4 loads. Great info thank you

[@hopelessdiyer2819]

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That's a good way to do it. I try not to recommend that option because most people don't have pick-up trucks, and let's face it, most people that do don't let their fancy trucks get dirty and wouldn't dream of having a backhoe dump a load in the back 😂 But, if you have a truck and you're not afraid to use it, the places that load soil are the way to go. I have one of them near me. You drive on the scale, they drop a bucket in the back, and you pay the weight.

[@hopelessdiyer2819]

Anyone who drives a truck and never uses the bed for material might as well drive a prius.

[@patriciafarran9742]

I went with raised beds to save my back. I filled them with dried leaves at the bottom and this wonderful 4way mix I bought and had delivered from my local landscaping yard. One yard really went a long way. I was able to fill my beds and add the rest to existing plants around my yard. My food garden was excellent last year, minimal pests and maximum yield. Getting ready to do it again this year. 😊

[@bradlafferty]

Your vid arrived just as I finished filling 3 grow bags of the special 3-parts mix for my carrots. Thanks to you, I’ll be filling the rest of them with top soil and compost. Thanks!

[@weitang1196]

Check the soil quality, holding it tight. Try to break the tight soil to see if it loses easily. If not, add peat, vermiculite, and pearlite to improve soil quality. Everyone's situation is different here.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Grow bags are container gardens, so they do benefit from the peat moss or coco coir. You’ll find the grow bags dry out quickly in summer, so I recommend to stay with the 3-part mix. Raised beds are open-bottom and not containers, so that’s why I recommend you use topsoil/compost blended in them.

[@Firevine]

The raised beds I use are a foot deep, and I use that hugekulture method, then prebagged mix. I'd been using Jungle Growth, but it went up by $3 a bag at my local Lowe's. I end up only filling about six inches worth of 5'x3' raised beds with soil. Garden scraps, leaves, bunny litter, etc all get tossed right into the raised beds. It's really a great method to save some cash as well as build the soil.

[@Jordan-dg8tp]

I know it likely has been said already, but check your local landfill for compost delivery. My township picks up yard waste and will deliver 3 yards to your home for 60-$80 total depending on distance. If you go there yourself, you can pick it up for free. Basically, if you have a truck and have a small-ish area and want to put in sweat equity, you can pick up the compost for free, minus gas, and fill your beds. Topdressing would be even easier since you wouldnt need nearly as much.

[@biblgrl6563]

Yesterday, I purchased 7 cubic yards (189 cubic feet) of compost for $270 delivered . $70 of that amount was a delivery charge. Your bagged compost price per cu/ft = $3.38. My cost = $1.43 per cu/ft. and I didn't have to take the time to go pick it up and then unload it. BIG difference.

[@zachsowersfilmandphoto6659]

This is what I was going to recommend I use mushroom soil from a local place and it's Gold. The yield last year was wild and it really holds the moisture well

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, the second half of the video is dedicated to tell people to actually buy bulk soil and compost to get it delivered. As explained in the video, I only bought bagged topsoil and compost to have a direct apples-to-apples comparison to the potting mix, since potting mix items are only sold in bags and you can't get a dump truck load delivered.

[@daveb1870]

We just had 5~6 cubic yards of compost delivered to start our container garden. Most of all of our stuff was purchased via your store. In our area this compost was 650 delivered. It sure does look good. Man are the knats in abundance this year!!!

[@KF_Jaymon]

damns thats still pricey

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Wow, it's crazy how the cost of things have gone up. When I filled my beds in 2019, I paid $500 for a 10 cubic yard triaxle load delivered. Usually, the 50/50 topsoil/compost mixes are a lot more affordable.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@KF_Jaymonit is, but if you compare it to bagged mixes, it's an enormous savings. Unfortunately, getting a garden started is going to be a little expensive. But, it is an investment. After the up-front costs, you don't have to do a whole lot. The first 2 years is a lot of investing in beds, soil, tools, etc., but then it starts paying you back in food, exercise and overall better health.

[@RustyBobbins]

Wow that’s pricey. 5-6 yards of compost here is $210-$240 delivered.

[@Agrillot6]

3 yards is $29, with $80 delivery.

[@Grayald]

I only started gardening in earnest last year and like most people the first thing I looked at was bagged soils. Couldn't believe the prices and how much it would cost me to fill a bed. I knew there had to be a better way. And sure enough I learned how to make it myself from KZbin. I take it a step further though. I don't buy bagged topsoil at all. I dig out the area for my raised bed and break up my own native soil and combine that with the peat and compost. Now if I could get a landscaping company they just deliver some compost to me, then combined that with my own native soil, I don't think there's a cheaper way it can be done.

[@ellendavis9940]

I love Dale and all of your gardening advice is perfect in helping my garden grow at its best. Thank you so much

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome! I’m happy to help!

[@splashluvallover]

Our local landfill offers compost for $10 to fill up your own truck bed. It’s definitely not organic, but it’s a good cheap option for those of us on a tight budget.

[@jturie]

Good analysis....I work at Lowes and get 10% off, so the topsoil/compost option is great. I built a couple of additional 4x4 beds and lazily used that third option and was very unhappy with the results. I can also cut back a bit on the compost because I can use what I've created in my compost bins.

[@galinamazuryk2036]

Great video! When we started our raised bed garden seven years ago, we ordered a truckload (5 CF) of the best soil available from the local landscrape company. Back then we paid close to $200 including delivery. Of course we had to ammend it with some pit moss and compost - say another $50. That was enough to fill in 220 sq feet total eight inch deep garden beds, lots of containers, and leftovers for two more years to backfill in all the settled down soil. This is the most economical way to go. Don't forget to make your own compost to save even further. This way, you know exactly what you put into your soil. The worms in my soil are happy. Happy gardening!

[@christopherashby8256]

Greetings from Wilmington! Just started 4 raised beds this winter and thought I'd skip on the peat and perlite to save money and just used topsoil topped with a good layer of compost. Things were going really good with lots of lettuce and brassicas until that heavy rain a few days ago made it very hard and compacted and many of my plants became waterlogged and wilted overnight. Definitely wish I'd thought more about drainage!

[@mythiccass3837]

This answers a question I've had for a while that caused me to delay getting more raised beds. They should be filled up like raised beds, ie with top soil & compost, not like a container using all that fancy stuff. For me that basically means that the main thing I should be looking to get is top soil since I am producing at least some homemade compost.

[@NPC2_4_U]

I do hugelkultur with 25 gallon pots. I use branches and sticks and lawn clips and yard debris and in a year it turns into beautiful soil. I also find worms and put them into my pots. Then I mix my own potting soil. I do 8 peat to 1 vermiculite to 1 perlite to 1 Tbs. of lime per gallon on soil mix. 30 Qts. to a cubic foot/1 gallon =7.4 cubic feet. I also amend with Azomite, Langbeinite, Bone meal and other micro nutrients.

[@timothywilliams8907]

Thanks for sharing this info. I am getting ready to make a custom mix, and the 50/50 topsoil and compost mix will be the beginning of that mix. I will be doing a mixture that will incorporate the custom mix you mentioned early on, but only a small bit will be add3d to the 50/50 mix. I will also be adding builders sand to help increase the drainage. When I'm finished with the mix, it will be double the volume, which will fill more beds, and each batch will be customized further with the addition of minerals needed for each individual bed according to the needs of what I'll be planting.

[@FatcatandFriends]

Thanks for breaking it down the for us. You’re such a wealth of information for us new gardeners

[@kellyforeman1703]

you are 100% correct on the buying in bulk ... I just ordered a 12 yard truck of compost to be delivered to my house... I am adding 8 raised beds to my back yard this spring

[@ObsessiveAboutCats]

I've done all of these methods (and yes that includes making your container mix for two raised beds, and yeah that was a lot of work). By far the best pricing option has been getting one or two cubic yards of soil in a trailer and hauling that home. I haven't needed enough for delivery since I built out my garden in pieces. Good video. Dale is such a good assistant.

[@kimberlyomeara5450]

I got a 6x4 galvanized raise bed for Christmas. I filled it with straw from last yrs strawbale garden, compost and topsoil. I cant wait to plant in it.

[@petanisukses_garden]

Very inspiring and makes us all want to garden

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Outstanding!

[@heyikindalikeyou]

Very informative, made me change my mind about what i was going to do in my garden 8a

[@arbiterlane1661]

Speaking of filling the bottom of deep raised beds, I had this idea to mix mulch with large amounts of shredded paper. I went to McKays (which has a bunch of free discarded books in dumpsters outside), picked ones with the compostable pages and took them home. It turns out that shredding a hundred books in a dinky little home shredder is a TON of work, you can only do like 50 pages before the thing overheats and you have to wait. I barely got any volume out of them before I gave up. Now I have a big pile of books in my garage which I'm trying to find a gardening use for. I'm thinking of just ripping the covers off and laying the pages at the bottom of raised beds in piles without shredding them, but I have no idea what that would do for the drainage. I will say that I was impressed that the books I did shred completely composted in a single season. I dug through the beds that I had lain the shreds in and they were completely decomposed, no trace of them. I'd do it again if I had a heavy duty industrial shredder that could take the bulk.

[@julievarner8273]

Thanks for this video. I’m getting ready to build my raised beds and start filling with soil to prep it for spring. This info was a wealth for me! Also loved your vid on growing sweetest carrots, as I’m planting those for my fall garden this week!

[@cindygoodwyn1655]

I am so excited to have found your channel! I live in Rocky Point, just north of Wilmington in Pender County. I am still very new to gardening and have had many challenges. I think this is my third year and so far, I've sucked at it. But, I still enjoy trying. One of my first discouraging fails was when I discovered that I had root knot nematode in one of my raised beds. Since there is no real way to get rid of that crap, we finally made the decision, this season, to empty the bed and start over. I'm glad I saw this video because I was trying to figure out what to get to refill it. I will probably get some top soil and compost from Seaside Mulch. It's still a LOT since my beds are 2 feet tall. But at least I will feel more confident that what I plant won't be a waste. Anyway, I love your videos and the fact that they are so relevant to me since we are very close in proximity. I have subscribed and will support your channel as much as possible. Happy week after Azalea Festival!

[@mistymick4905]

Your video has just popped up at a very opportune time. My wife and I have moved into a new home in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿. I’ve just built some raised beds this month. Thanks for the video it is very relevant as we have clay soil. We too get an awful lot of rain this side the pond as well. Thanks for sharing some of your vast knowledge.

[@lisakruger5289]

I can't tell you how many videos I have watched lately about how to save money on soil, and this is the best one I've seen so far! I love the simple 50/50 compost and top soil recipe. That is simple enough for me to remember and easy enough to implement. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@austintrees]

MIgardener sells Triple Washed Coco Coir, so no salt issues... The cheap stuff is good too if you mix it before you plant in it, so the rain can wash it's out.

[@AjArpopP52]

Yes but the shipping he charges is almost more then the Coco Coir

[@Crashbangable]

I’m entering my third year with 32 inch tall raised beds. I filled the bottom with firewood and then native soil with compost then better topsoil, compost, and then the top 6 inches with higher quality mix. It’s amazing how much it takes to fill them. I do recommend not filling all the way to the top so you have room to add Amendments and mulches without them blowing away in the wind.

[@tf9592]

Another suggestion, my town offers free compost with a delivery fee aprox $8 or I can pick up. Only thing they cannot guarantee is any chemicals. These are the leaves from fall pick ups that have composted.

[@kimberlyhelms5168]

Hello from Union County! Great video, Anthony! I love the price comparison on soil mixes. We have a wonderful truck load of growers mix delivered; we call it growers gold. When I filled the beds, I used the hugelkultur method then layered dried leaves, growers mix, lastly, mulch. Four year later the beds are full of life underground and above. The right soil is the key to weed free, nutrient rich, healthy organic food. Thanks for all the growing advice and love and hugs to Dale!

[@khwaldrop]

Enjoyed your video about saving money filling your raised beds. I inherited the gardening gene from my dad and grandmother. I mostly plant flowers, trees, shrubs and ground covers. Unfortunately I don’t have a good eye for design but work with some good local landscape designers for guidance. One thing has changed over the years is the weather is more extreme now and warmer. This is the second year in a row that Charlotte has not experienced a snow fall. In the past, we would have several snowstorms. I look forward to watching more of your videos!

[@ksparks689]

Most of the potting mixes I’ve bought this year are mostly wood chips. Even the Miracle Grow brand.

[@Earthy-Artist]

I learned how to make/mix my own It's so much $$$ cheaper and much better quality making it myself. I buy ingredients separately in bulk usually 4 cu. ft. bags then mix them myself, they last and go a really long way.

[@pamelaspooner7183]

Yes, what I call floor sweepings! Disgusting. No mineral soil, just a way to charge us more for what amounts to mulch!

[@davidaleshire4292]

You just saved me a bunch of money. I’m setting up two new raised beds. Though they only hold 15 cubic feet each, it would still cost more than necessary if I’d gone with making a potting style mix. Thank you.

[@Nocare89]

Oh I appreciate this one. I called a big guy out on this recently haha. I am in favor of top-dressing with peat+compost+topsoil. The really really big flaw with the potting mix is it is 100% organic and is going to completely decay. Except those fancy little white pebbles. So you have to replenish that bed at a premium every year when you could have just been building good soil by growing things in it. Not to mention eventually you have a pea-gravel pit at the bottom which is bad for drainage. If you aren't adding actual 'earth' to your 'soil' you're wasting good money. If you add proper soil from the start, by 1-2 years in you can get away with doing nothing but dropping compost on it to fertilize and buff organic content.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

This is a good point. The peat or coir is going to completely collapse into silt. That's no good. It'll be really nice to use when it's fresh, but in a few years, it'll turn heavy. The nice thing about the 50/50 topsoil/compost blend is you're using inorganic material that'll stay the same forever since there's actually some dirt in there. The compost I filled them with was mixed on-site, so topsoil and sand was always being mixed in. It's basically the same as Day 1. Potting mix has to be replaced, but this won't have to be.

[@denisbelanger4473]

I've watched all your video's learned so much. I can't wait till I get out there and use some of your knowledge. I live in Maine so I will have to wait a bit. Oh You have such a great dog love to see Dale at the end.

[@leighannf.4730]

Just wanted to say that I really appreciate your posts alerting us about great Amazon deals for gardening supplies! I'm sure that takes a lot of time. 👍

[@martyneilson]

Also my raised beds (which are higher) help solve my back problems. Since they are higher, I fill each of them with sticks, pine cones, grass cuttings, leaves, etc. before I add the soil so I don't have to use as much soil and the larger pieces break down. Works well for me here in South Alabama because my yard is a mix of sand, dirt and clay.

[@gordsmith7708]

Another informative video ! Say gidday to Dale... ps how many beds does Dale have ?? He is great fun to see at the end of your video's ! Cheers 🍻 man

[@mikeellis9419]

I collect leaves in the fall and mix grass clippings and chicken bedding over the summer to make my compost. By the next spring I have 2 cubic yards of compost to mix with topsoil, so have been adding a pair of raised beds each year.

[@bobbylibertini]

I'm so envious of your garden! I just got back into gardening. Instead of raised beds, I did at-grade beds- i.e. I just peeled the grass off of 4'x12' areas, and tilled-up the soil with a mattock. Next year, I'll be mixing my compost 50-50 with that soil...and I think that'll give me the best of both worlds. Thoughts? And of course, the Dale content is my favorite part of the videos!

[@jameshack485]

I use the hugelkulture method. I dig out the soil where I want my raised beds about a foot deep and set the topsoil aside. I then place tree branches and wood chips and bury them with the topsoil and some compost mixed in. Works great

[@derwynmdockenjr]

In the fall, ask the manager or your locel garden store to make you a skid of ripped bags of soil, peat moss, etc. If you are ok with mix and match and you arent too picky you could save 90% like i did at canadian tire last fall!

[@cbak1819]

I have a local soil company near us and I received a dump truck load first go around 5 years ago.. I amended it with peet and compost.. grew great crops..The beds are 32" high.. filled with tree limbs, yard waist logs. Great method.. saved hundreds. I amended each year.. started making my own compost. Two years ago we picked up another load and topped them off.. the soil was mostly top. I went back and they gave me leaf compost but my plant was already in, that soil got hard as a rock. Last year I amended but was still not right.. I had to aerate. Pete moss was helped. I shy away from big box compost .. not very good quality. Three years back I got Colorado potato bugs from compost bought at Home Depot. Took me two weeks to irradiate.. never had issues again. I guess my point is be advised more top soil then compost or organic matter can, depending on your top soil, into a hard as rock nightmare. I will amend with compost each year regardless. Thanks for your help.

[@ronaldthoms2147]

An potting soil an bed soils here have went up almost 3 bucks a bag I get free compost from our city an mix with bed soil mushroom compost an part potting soil in a wheel barrow then dump the city compost is good is tested an saves alot

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I know. It's absolutely absurd. In 2019, those 3 cubic ft bags of peat moss were $9. There is nothing in my mind that rationally justifies a price increase from $9 to $24 in 3 years. This one, I can't seem to figure out. For container gardening, you're stuck having to pay for peat or coir, but for raised beds, there's no reason why you can't get topsoil and compost from the local landscape places, the county, recycling plants, etc.

[@spicencens7725]

Good information here! I like the 50/50 compost/topsoil idea! What I did in addition was the hugelkultur method, although only about 6-8" worth, it was still a cost savings. Living north west of you in the State, I am in no short supply of many varieties of dead wood! I tend to stay away from adding oak unless rotting, and cedar. I've had to add soil after 2 years, but it's welcome & expected. In the meanwhile you have many living organisms that produce much love to your plant roots.

[@123WorryFreeGardening]

Very nice explanation of what raised bed gardening can accomplish and the problems they solve.

[@johnc7206]

I did my raised beds one third topsoil one third compost one third farmyard manure and it seems to work very well

[@cbak1819]

I bought pearlite in Feb.. I went back in March and it was 2 dollars more. So true about buying in bulk.

[@teenagardner3623]

Excellent! You broke it down 3 folds for different folks' situations with cost comparison. You're just awesome. I've learned so much from you over the years now. My garden gets better and better. Thank you

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! I try to be thorough and cover all the bases.

[@brianpaul9767]

Can you tell me your opinion of placing hardware cloth under raised beds to keep out pests but still allowing worms?

[@NanYarbrough]

How do I attach it to the metal beds?

[@brianpaul9767]

@@NanYarbrough you don’t attach it to the metal beds. You simply lay it at the bottom of the bed before filling it.

[@Reject06]

Hell yeah, the one I ordered from you arrived a few days ago. I’m following along with mine to see what we planting. DFW area here

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I’d like to hear how you like the bed. I’m impressed with mine.

[@MissWoggy]

I didn’t evidently wait this one where you explained the top soil and compost. Glad you linked to it. Makes sense 😊

[@ToddSmithPartners]

Here outside of Atlanta Ga, always appreciate your input. We do have a very similar climate. Thanks always

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! Glad the videos are helpful!

[@Scott-jf1nh]

Hi Todd, also just outside Atlanta. Helpful to get an expert near to our zone.

[@SueKnigge]

We tried one with just topsoil and one with just compost. The topsoil we purchased was dead. Nothing grew at all where as the compost plants grew very well. Now all we use is compost and worm dirt.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Pure compost is what I use. It will cost you more, though. You can mix 50/50 topsoil & compost to cut costs and it’ll work well, but 100% compost is good if you don’t mind the cost.

[@SueKnigge]

@@TheMillennialGardener but once it's filled, it's filled. I haven't had to use near the original amount to top off. And I will buy worm compost too...also expensive to a point, but worth it. Some day I'll try other things like the fishy stuffs and whatnot, but in Kansas City, this is what works for me at the moment. I love your videos tho, even if we're not in the same growing zones.

[@michaellane9079]

​@@SueKniggerabbit poo. 1 feed sack per bed. It will transform cheap topsoil into great fertile garden dirt. And of course add any other organic material you like or have.

[@cjsingleton2533]

Thank you soooo much this was very helpful, only because I just got 2 raised beds and was going to fill with them with the usual potting soil, so now I’m just going to mix top soil with my home made compost thank you so much, I saw this video just in time, thanks

[@elizabethalexander-pukerud7951]

Thank you! This information helps me a lot! And I love your dog!!!!

[@karricompton]

Last year we got a yard of dirt for our 2 raised beds for $10 and then put cow manure, worms, and fertilizer in it. Plants were very happy. Hoping to use that same soil this year, rotating crops accordingly.

[@BenNawrath]

In the late winter/early spring I tend to go around my yard pulling weeds and chunks of Poa Annua from my lawn before it really starts growing. The year I got my bed, which is 16" deep, I was really going nuts pulling stuff. I probably had a good 4" layer of just raw yard waste in my 16' by 4' bed! Got lots of settling over the summer, but it was a great way to help offset the cost of filling. I have a log or two also haha.

[@rellimarual]

I’ve been container gardening for a few years and am thinking of putting in some of the 18 inch raised beds. Could I fill the bottom with used potting soil, as I have a lot of that, and the top half with top soil and compost?

[@TJTreasuresearth]

I've watched you for a long time and learned so much. Seriously gardening since 2020, This weekend I can brag that I haven't purchased any garden soil in 1 year. Nothing leaves the property unlees it's eaten, by us or the chickens, or given away. I'm curious about what will become depleted in my raisedbeds and containers over time...🤔🌷 One of the advantages of this is also not importing unknown contaminants, such as from a public composting.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That’s excellent! Honestly, I do not worry about stuff like that. Folks that over-worry about using plastic hoses to water, using fertilizers that aren’t 100% organic, using pressure treated wood for raised beds…they’re eating food from restaurants, drinking water from the tap or plastic bottles, buying grain products sprayed with who knows what, etc. The least risky things I eat is from my garden. It’s all the other stuff that is harming folks. Spend as much time outdoors in the garden you can for your health. It’s therapy.

[@jazzcanada2001]

Thank you so much! My Raised Garden Beds will be delivered tomorrow....Your video has helped me a lot, and saved me a lot.....SUBSCRIBED!

[@phillippinter7518]

You made a video about how much it cost to "build" your garden. But can you do one off of that where you talk about how much you spend in a typical year on seeds, how many varieties, any, and how much you spent on your fruit trees? Thanks

[@peterizzo6527]

Another great bunch of advice, as usual! Thank you for all the info you give us. Not sure I saw it in the comments, but another nice side effect of using bulk materials is minimizing plastic waste.

[@PennyFarmer-w8g]

I wish I had known this before, but I did buy just top soil and compost for my 2 beds today.

[@breathnstop]

I love Dale and he loves his dad. ❤