How To Turn Your Lawn Into A Vegetable Garden

[@etiennelouw9244]

I started a veggie garden this year (2021) in Cape Town, South Africa. First I dug up the grass and sifted the soil for stones and left over grass. Made beds with concrete slabs and large bricks. Then I covered the soil with cardboard with bricks to hold the cardboard in place. I cut holes in the cardboard and put grow tubes (cut from soda bottles) in the holes and planted my veggies in the grow tubes in a mixed up way to confuse bad insects with marigolds in between. So far I have had a bumper crop of various veggies. Being in a town that almost ran out of water 2 years ago I invented this way of planting to use a lot less water as I only water in the grow tubes using a large soda bottle with a hole in the screw lid. I am also planning to dig small swales to harvest rain when it comes, I have planted 6 trees from cuttings from my neighbors trees, only 1 died, so I am quite happy with the results so far.

[@joshandamyturner9917]

I'm new to gardening (2nd year) and this video just made the light bulb go off in my head. Prepare the soil, dont just rely on the bags of soil you buy from DIY stores..... and go Organic. Thanks dude, I'm looking forward to this growing season.

[@urbanfarmstead]

That’s awesome! Yes growing great food is all about building healthy soil.

[@WannabeOperator]

This! I learned the same. And not only do you need healthy soil to start, you will need fertilizer periodically. Fish emulsion has been a total game changer for me. It's AMAZING how well the plants do since I started using it. And a little goes a long ways, like a tablespoon per gallon of water. One gallon will last multiple seasons. Also learning to make myself since I live on the coast

[@Itiswell.]

@@WannabeOperator we’re on the coast too! And love to fish… any resources on making your own?

[@terrydoble1468]

Watch back to Eden.

[@Izumiorra]

I had no other choice but to get bags of compost for my grow bags, but that's fine it's just till I move to a place with plenty of space for a garden

[@irinasemenov9608]

This is actually the best video on how to convert lawn into veritable garden, thank you

[@urbanfarmstead]

Irina Semenov thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@abubakr2922]

Yes I totally agree! It's been very very beneficial

[@trumpthemessiah1238]

def the best but looks expensive man

[@NoNORADon911]

Recipe 420 pot soil is the secret lol. Woooooooooooo

[@KatyatheBlack]

I’m gonna follow this to a T

[@dingane89]

imo this the most important video on youtube for beginner farmers. thank you sir youre a great teacher, much appreciated.

[@urbanfarmstead]

dingane dennis thank you for saying that! I’m glad you enjoyed my video and I do hope it helps many new gardeners and farmers.

[@jackschenkiv7260]

This is one of my favorite videos I’ve ever seen about gardening. I complain often about so much wasted space with lawns that could be producing food with a garden. Great video. I’d love to start a buisness with changing lawns into gardens.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you! That would be a cool business

[@lekistaf]

And I would certainly pay you to do mine. I have a HUGE backyard and want to do this to a portion of my yard soooooo bad

[@chelseastrickhouser2745]

Thank you so much!!!! This has been the most simple and helpful video I have seen so far in two years of beginning gardening. I have a huge area in my backyard, and this makes me realize it's doable.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you! Happy to share! You got this!

[@boneykhasteh2943]

I wish you were my neighbor. Finally a video on planting from Sacramento .

[@urbanfarmstead]

Maybe some day!

[@nikkihorn3852]

Roto tiller has been one of my favorite investments for my garden.

[@juliemcgugan1244]

Same! I bought my first one yesterday and had so much fun with it! Getting ready to go out and do more, just now, while the morning sun is still cool.

[@ARandomPersonAgain]

I see why I have never attempted something like this.. Lots and lots and lots of work.. Maybe if it was my job.. Thank you to all who do this!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Brandon Lindsay it can be a lot of work depending on the size of your space, but it’s well worth it in my opinion. I work 80 hours a week as a firefighter but I enjoy doing this work on my days off. I find it very fulfilling, but I know it’s not for everyone. Thank you for your support!

[@kimberlymaxey4349]

You need aquaponics trade the back work for brain work

[@akikoito1383]

Look at no-till, it's very easy

[@urbanfarmstead]

kimberly maxey thank you for your suggestion, but unfortunately that would not work well for our situation.

[@urbanfarmstead]

elsefare yes, definitely 👍🏼

[@faithbounds9156]

I am starting a mini flower farm and veggie garden to grow our own food this season and my head has been spinning from all the mixed info out there. I've been feeling overwhelmed about preparing our yard and turning it into garden beds - we live in the smoky mountains of NC so it's very clay heavy ground. This video was the easiest to understand and convinced me to get a soil test kit. I am positive this will help us save money and get the right nutrients for our plants in our first season. I also loved how you showed how to create space between the rows to walk through and making rows north to south vs east to west. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!!

[@CaliforniaCarpenter7]

I’ve got about 30 seed potatoes in and am planning to plant onions, garlic, carrots and lettuce. I grew up around vestigial house plants that didn’t produce anything edible and I had a distaste for gardening because I used to have to water all of them as a chore when I was younger. Your video was very insightful and I appreciate the effort. Good luck with the new garden, and thanks for the tips!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Hi! That’s awesome! Thank you so much

[@ThereGoesDan]

Omg thank you so much for this! Whenever I searched for info on beginner gardening, I kept finding garden tours and not very informative "informative" videos. This one video answered so many of my questions!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you! I’m so glad you found it helpful!

[@jeremybruns3372]

I am researching how to do all of this for the first time and I think I just found my home base page.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Great! Thank you

[@epicgardening]

So excited to follow this Kyle!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Epic Gardening Thanks Kevin! This KZbin stuff is fun but wow it’s a lot of work! Thank you for your support!

[@joshuajones1021]

I think you mean Eric 😂❤

[@juicemcnorway]

This is easily the most helpful soil conditioning video I have watched on KZbin. Thanks!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you! I’m glad you found it helpful!

[@michellemorales7329]

This will be my first garden ever. I come from a family of farmers in Italy. I am so happy all the information I received from your video. Thank you Kyle

[@urbanfarmstead]

Farmers in Italy? That must be amazing! Thank you. Happy gardening!

[@urbanfarmstead]

@Ramen Lover yes, much of California is great for growing food.

[@marchelletopping5864]

Clear, simple and to the point. Thank you.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Marchelle Topping thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it

[@jordanriles3947]

Right. That's what I'm always lookin for.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Jordan Riles Same! Thanks ✌🏼

[@NoNORADon911]

I dunno...I got lost a few times....

[@devonehughes7751]

Thank You!! I've watched A LOT of beginner tutorials, but this is the best one that I've found, hands down!! Thank you!!!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@chadw100]

I've watched this video at least 5 times now and am copying all your methods, I feel like I should pay you, Thank you for putting these amazing videos up! Great Great Job!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Haha, thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@paltusharma9945]

Great video. No nense, not so brief neither long, clear audio, clean process. I wanted to start my own vegetable garden and it helped me a lot, going to watch ur other videos for more information.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you so much for your feedback and support! Happy gardening!

[@notmyfault6835]

Wow!! You have created EXACTLY what I want for a garden!! Your hard work will surely pay off in spades! Congratulations on an outstanding garden!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you so much! It’s been a wonderful first season. See my Summer garden tour if you want an idea of just how productive it is. Thank you✌🏼

[@leeparkin5503]

I've just got an allotment in the UK and have not done much veg gardening before. It has a lot of bindweed and couch grass that I plan to remove by hand as much as possible. This video has come at exactly the right time for me. Thanks 😊.

[@simpleperrydiselife]

That was a lot of work, but I bet it was worth every little drop of sweat. Lots of valuable information as well. Thanks for sharing! 🙏❤

[@urbanfarmstead]

A ton of work! but yes, its worth it 100% Thank you!

[@NoNORADon911]

It had the blood and sweat...but where were the tears?

[@russellwood8750]

Wow you had it a little easier my dad used to make us put all the topsoil through a sieve. Taking out all the weeds roots and larger stones the sieve was quite fine he didn’t mind the small stones he said it was good for drainage but I remember as a kid spending hours and hours sieving topsoil for the garden. Watching you put in the potting soil reminded me of my dad‘s doing that it’s amazing the things that come back to you my dad used to refer to potting soil as black gold.

[@orangeturtle8730]

Sieving the soil has amazing outcomes, now of you build a large a frame and attach the siev to a swing system, it saves your back and arms 👍🏼

[@Jana-wz7dr]

Dug up a chunk of front lawn for vegetables and now I know next steps to take. Thank you.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Great! You’re welcome

[@mriffle2016]

the comments on this video are so weird lmao why are so many ppl being haters this is genuinely the most succinct and helpful video i've come across on this topic

[@urbanfarmstead]

Because it's KZbin, and miserable people come here to make themselves feel better by commenting on videos. It's all good though. Thank you!

[@mriffle2016]

@@urbanfarmstead you’re not wrong 😂 you’re welcome!

[@stephenbell-booth2648]

You’re very gifted, great video, beautiful music bed, at the right volume so that it doesn’t make it difficult to discern the narrative. Hi from New Zealand

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you Stephen

[@shashikala-xn7wg]

Wow..soil looks really healthy..I also plan to convert my lawn into vegetable garden as I m fed up with weeding..I finish one end other end is already full of weeds....

[@urbanfarmstead]

shashi kala thank you! Yeah weeds can be a lot of work, and if you’re going to be working in the garden you should at least get a harvest out of it

[@johncasey1020]

Identify the edible weeds and let them grow. :)

[@urbanfarmstead]

John Casey I love foraging edible plants but the only one I find in our yard is purslane

[@angelyanez6658]

Found myself a new channel to help me on my spring/summer gardening season, and I need to get working !

[@glenndrumright9425]

It would be great to see the installation of the irrigation system you are going to use :-)

[@urbanfarmstead]

Glenn Drumright we’ll you’re in luck! I shot the entire install and I’m currently editing that footage. Should be posting the video very soon.

[@Jasmadae]

I am very new to gardening (less than one year) and I have had a small unpaved backyard for nearly 3 years now. All its ever done is grow weeds and I am constantly having to trim them back. I want to make a small vegetable garden out of the backyard, and I had no idea where to start with getting rid of these weeds. Your video has been a very good idea on where to start. Thank you!

[@urbanfarmstead]

That’s awesome! Thank you

[@MeditateonYahsWord]

Oh wow! I follow you on tiktok, that’s how I learned about your channel. Glad I learned about this step first. I have just the right amount of time before spring next year to start the perfect soil process. You’re an amazing teacher.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Hi Angelica, thank you so much! Happy gardening

[@johnoliver4724]

Great Ideas. We started our garden last night with a wonderful seedbed. I'm working on testing my soil, purchasing the proper amendments etc. I'll keep you posted.

[@urbanfarmstead]

That's awesome! Happy gardening John!

[@johnoliver4724]

@@urbanfarmstead I have questions about what happens in the fall with the chipped wood and NO tilling. I'm old school and tilling is a twice a year thing. New tricks for this old dog. Tested my soil last night. Right where it needs to be on Ph. Testing the others once I finish working for the day. Can't wait.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Hey John, glad you had favorable results with your PH test! So I’m still new to no-till myself but wood chips as far as the pathways, could just stay right where they are, other cut materials/spent crops can be mowed or cut and left as mulch on the beds if they have no diseases, or added to your compost. Does that answer your question? I wasn’t completely sure what you’re after.

[@johnoliver4724]

@@urbanfarmstead learning what this looks like. My potash and potassium are good but there is zero nitrogen in the soil. Heading to my local nursery to buy some admedments .

[@urbanfarmstead]

John Oliver good thing you did that test! Depending on your zone you might want to plan for a nitrogen fixing legume cover crop next dormant season, maybe fava beans.

[@alifinley9156]

The first few seconds adequately demonstrate how to wear a t-shirt handsomely. Nice.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Haha, thanks Ali ✌🏼

[@mimib1583]

I went cheap, as it's my first garden. Spade, hoe and rake got 8 4x8 beds going. Glad you mentioned north/south direction, as that's what i did. Making compost for next year but will likely get some bagged manure beforecwintervsets in. My dad said 1 inch per year tilled in was enough. He had the best garden in the state and spent only pennies. Thanks for this.

[@GodanDawnofTitans]

Hey! I am in the Sacramento area as well and appreciate your insight. I will be using your ideas and techniques in the future, thanks a bunch!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Hi! Thank you

[@GodanDawnofTitans]

@@urbanfarmstead thanks go to you! You have helped motivate me from taking my time making gaming videos to really getting my hands dirty :) I have already redesigned our small backyard into a private escape and butterfly garden and will use your technique to transform our wasted side yard into something worthwhile. Appreciate the tips and insight. And when I saw the 420, I had to read your bio because that’s what we have been purchasing as well :)

[@urbanfarmstead]

@@GodanDawnofTitans that’s awesome! Happy gardening!

[@GraceOrtiz-o4u]

You’re very gifted, great video, beautiful music bed, at the right volume so that it doesn’t make it difficult to discern the narrative. Hi from New Zealand

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you so much!

[@pba21]

The world 🌍 needs this!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Betterlife thank you! I agree!

[@agent_k9508]

Thank you good sir. Wish I had done just a tiny bit of research to see this video last winter, but now I know the enormous cost of wasting my own time that I was blessed with.

[@etee8361]

Thank you! This is my first time gardening and I’ve no idea how to start. This really helps!

[@urbanfarmstead]

That’s awesome! I’m so glad you found it helpful

[@enrahc1395]

I'm completely new to gardening. And I have a small patch of ground that I want to dig out and turn over, but damn it is hard work. There are mostly small rocks to clear and old twigs and grass roots. It will not be easy lol Thank you for this video. It gave me a good idea what to look out for!

[@zerad3307]

Amazing video sir !! Clear explanation and straight to the point, no BS! You got my subs, keep up the great work!!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Kevin thank you so much! I appreciate your feedback! That’s definitely my goal, I can’t stand having to selectively fast forward through a 25 minute video that should have been a 5 minute video. Some people enjoy that extra fluff, but it’s not for me. Thanks dude!

[@zerad3307]

​@@urbanfarmstead Yes sir !! 10 to 15 minutes video is the best and get higher CTR (click through rate) than 25-30minutes video. Also people more likely watch them all rather than lengthy video.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Kevin thank you for sharing those insights!

[@djocharablaikan8601]

Your body language is pure Alpha and your garden is on point 👌

[@urbanfarmstead]

Haha, thanks

[@TheJunkyardgenius]

Great video. straight forward, easy to understand and no waffling on like some others tend to do. Good for homegrowers or homesteaders, allotment holders and new marget garden farmers.

[@urbanfarmstead]

techstuff thank you! I know exactly what you mean about “waffling on” I’ve never liked having to selectively fast forward through a 20 minute video full of unrelated rambling that should have been a 5 minute video.

[@AB-wf4gt]

This is my favorite video... of all time, ever

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it

[@mr16325]

I wish this guy could live in the country, he’d be in heaven

[@urbanfarmstead]

Maybe some day. For now I’ll make due with my big backyard

[@stevenwiggins2537]

Im working on my first garden an watching this video helped me out, im going through the process of tillin now

[@urbanfarmstead]

Hey thanks, that’s awesome! Happy gardening

[@stevenwiggins2537]

@@urbanfarmstead np tiller is wearing my ass out just raked it im going to till it again an after that im a put my soil in there

[@SnackFoodFun]

I like how you explain in your video on what you are doing. Alot of work needs to be done. Thank you for uploading. 💗

[@urbanfarmstead]

Snacks and Foods Thank you! It u I s a lot of work but it’s worth it. You’re welcome!

[@narendramuppala4448]

Clear instructions and a well edited video. So satisfying.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Narendra Muppala thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@armankamalzadeh8016]

I am so glad I have found you on youtube as well. I always cherished your garden! Spring is starting here and I'm so hyped to follow your steps and build a wonderful garden!

[@debramccray9784]

Thank you for your help in starting out the right way to get your garden growing right, can you please continue to make video's on how to maintain a healthy soil during the growing season. and what to do after you harvest your garden?

[@urbanfarmstead]

Yep, I’ve got a few now and will continue

[@philkrausz2903]

Thanks for all the info. I grow a small garden here in Maryland. I need to incorporate some of these ideas into my garden next season.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Phil Krausz you’re welcome! It’s always good to try out a few new ideas each season to see what works best for you and your garden

[@AlaaMohamed-vf1lg]

Gonna save this video until I achieve my dream and buy my own house so I can use this video as guide to grow my very first garden. I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS ♥️

[@chrisstinson5256]

Thanks for all you do! I've followed your IG account for the last 2 years and now I've subscribed to your channel. I moved from Sac to South Yuba and have 2 acres now. Can't wait to start planning my garden areas! Any and all advice is always appreciated.

[@urbanfarmstead]

chris stinson it’s my pleasure! Thank you for your support! This KZbin stuff is a lot of work but it’s worth it to help others to be more successful in growing food. Happy gardening!

[@willm5814]

Such a great ‘movement’….subscribed!!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you

[@wpankey57]

Beautiful job amending the soil! The garden looks *Great*. Thanks for sharing.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you

[@Michael_McMillan]

Great video as always. I can't wait to see how your garden progresses over this year.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Michael McMillan thank you so much!

[@mmm70]

I ended up buying my tiller. But watching this confirms I did something right. I've been adding beds as needed 👍🏾

[@urbanfarmstead]

mmm70 great! There are plenty of “right” ways to create garden beds but this method with filling in Lloyd of compost the first year has worked best for me. Happy gardening

[@thrive-like-a-viking]

this is a wonderful video!... very similar to what I am doing with my own backyard... I am documenting mine on my own channel... but I wish I would've seen this video before I began tilling!!... I went way too deep the first round and simply tilled in the weeds and grass lol... this is how we learn... thanks for the video

[@urbanfarmstead]

Nate thank you! I’ll have to check in out your project. I think so much of it depends on your specific situation, like the type of weeds/soil etc that you have. Best of luck with your project!

[@sandyfomba8383]

Thank you verymuch for me understand how to prepare bed for plant

[@urbanfarmstead]

You’re very welcome

[@baruchpoliatzky7766]

great video!!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you

[@sabrinawanderer7560]

@@urbanfarmstead what's up? Any new update?

[@baruchpoliatzky7766]

@@urbanfarmsteadThis is one of the best videos on youtube so thorough!

[@davemetzler1]

What about just laying down agri fabric on the lawn, place frames on top of that and then fill with clever organic compost?

[@urbanfarmstead]

That might work well in some settings.

[@andysux1]

Dude this is incredible. Suberb job my dude! Gonna do this next spring 🙏

[@urbanfarmstead]

psychonaut ready for launch! Thank you so much! I highly recommend it! And if you check our my summer garden tour you can see just how well this soil prep has worked for me! Happy gardening!

[@chanthana7694]

I'm here because I was inspired by your other video where you snacking on your crops...lol. you seem very passionate with your work, which make it a lot of fun to watch, and not to mention the most helpful video I've came across on KZbin. I think it's great for beginners since you're very thorough with the entire process....I can do this. However, from the sound of it, I'll have to start this process next year since I'm in the Northeast and by then it'll be snow! Thank you!!! 👍and subscribed and saved to my Playlist.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Chanthana hi! I’m so glad you are enjoying my videos and finding lots of inspiration. Now is a great time to start planning your garden for spring! Let me know if you ever have any questions. Happy gardening!

[@chanthana7694]

@@urbanfarmstead wait, I can start with the ground now? Should start amending the soil this year or next year? Mine is going to be 1/3 or half compare to your garden but maybe I'll do half so I can share with the animals especially the deers.

[@quinn1756]

Hey Kyle, my wife and I recently moved to a new property. A very large portion of the yard is extremely hard compact soil heavy with clay and abundant in gravel. The soil is so hard that I can't even push a pitchfork through it when jumping on it with all my weight. I also can't really use a tiller unless it's a super heavy duty one because there are roots from a massive 8 ft tall blackberry bush some 2-3 inches in diameter which would destroy the blades I would imagine. I'm not sure how to break it apart aside from slowly picking up rocks individually, if you've had any experience with something like this I'd love to hear it. The soil isn't dry, it's just basically gravel and clay almost like chunky cement.

[@jgdays2439]

It sounds to me like a lot of the refuse from building / enlarging your house was buried in your garden , it might have been there for a long time . It was a pretty common practice to keep costs down , even modern builds sometimes have this problem . You might have to have the lot removed professionally ( that’s what we did ) , on the plus side you can have the perfect draining & growing soil put back in . Expensive but worth it .

[@WholeFoodPlantPeople]

I think I just learned more from this video about how to set up my garden than in the whole sustainable living book my wife bought me :)

[@urbanfarmstead]

Well that’s quite the compliment, thank you so much! I’m glad you found the video so helpful and I think you’re really going to enjoy my other videos. Happy gardening

[@JBatsche]

Beautiful, can’t wait to see it fill all in.

[@urbanfarmstead]

San Antonio Gardening Thank you! I’m excited for it too!

[@tiffanynash9490]

Thanks for addressing how to orient the beds. I appreciate all of your videos. I learn something new with each one.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Tiffany Nash you’re welcome! I try not to overload my videos with too much information, but that’s a very important consideration that I think many people overlook so I’m glad you found it helpful. Thank you for your feedback and support!

[@konraddobson]

Raised beds seems like a much easier way to go.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Definitely not easier, but certainly better. I’m building my raised beds soon.

[@kazzana9013]

I put a thick layer of wet cardboard down on my lawn, then covered with a foot of woodchips. The first year growing was marginal, the following was ok, but the third year was exceptional for both fruit and vegetables. I haven't feed my plants or watered and have barely had a weed since the woodchips went down. I am a firm convert of woodchips.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Kazzana awesome! This is a temporary plot, so I wont have a garden here in three years but that does sound like a great option for some people

[@JWHealing]

Hey do you mind me asking how your vegetables did? I did somewhat similar to you, spread a thick layer of woodchips of varying depths throughout my entire front yard. Before that it was lawn. (It took me 3 yrs to get all parts of the front yard done but that's just me.) I only used cardboard under the thick layer of chips in a few spots where I felt the grass might be more stubborn. So for the most part the front lawn is history. Do you find it's a lot of labor to move the chips aside to plant vegetables? How do you do this? Do you plant rows of vegetables or just dig out spots for various vegetable starts here and there? Do you direct sow seeds or grow starts elsewhere then plant them? I just wonder if there are special procedures for better / easier success in a situation where one has a thick layer of wood chips.

[@kazzana9013]

@@JWHealing Hi, the first couple of years I planted conventionally, planting in rows. As time has passed, I let quite a few vegetables go to seed, so I now have, what resembles a wild unplanned garden. I have added a few fruit trees and flowers, and still find that my garden produces more than I or my neighbors eat. In spring and fall I plant a few seedlings that I think I might like to eat, otherwise most of the stuff now just comes up wherever the seeds fell. It has been a great deal less maintenance, as the woodchips suppress weeds, and my style of gardening is less regimented. I can now neglect my garden entirely for 6 months and still have plenty to eat. It takes very little effort to get it under control again, where it pleases my eye. I tend to cheat a little when planting seeds now, and push aside a little bark, lay some compost in the hollow and just plant. Sometimes I just plant straight into the woodchip without anything else and that works just fine also. Have you noticed you get a much longer growing season with woodchip?

[@JWHealing]

@@kazzana9013 So far I've only got two rows of blueberry bushes so I don't have much sense of length of growing season. Also I have a row of echinacea mail order plants I planted at the start of summer 2021. It should be nice to see them get bigger & do better this year. The blueberry bushes have produced nicely even without fertilizer but I think this year I'll start using fertilizers on them too like kelp & fish emulsion, or comfrey tea. I'll be planting two root sections of Bocking 14 Comfrey for that. This year I feel I should give vegetables a good try as I only had a feeble attempt last spring that failed and I was too busy then to research & correct my errors at the time. From now on I have more time to research & plan so hopefully will have more success this year with vegetables. With wood chips I have found the water management is very nice during our super dry summers. (Olympia, WA.) I just do deep waterings less often in summer and the wood chips keep the soil moist enough in between waterings. I'm planning on growing my own vegetable & herb starts indoors (then transplanting outside) and I'm figuring out the racks and lights & supplies plus seeds I need to order now. I figure things will sell out early due to the large # of pandemic-inspired gardeners. Where are you? What do you grow? I am excited to talk to another wood chip gardener.

[@somebodyluvsu87]

Hey Kyle, I just found your channel! I'm from Sacramento too

[@urbanfarmstead]

Hi Tamara, awesome! You should be able to find it at any of the Green Acres locations or Plant Foundry

[@RocketPipeTV]

1:49 I used cardboard and 4 inches of compost and woodchips for the paths. Not a single weed got through, EXCEPT horse tail (which I didn’t know I had)

[@urbanfarmstead]

Yeah, unfortunately I have yellow nutsedge. It’s the worst weed ever!

[@Starcraftghost]

Love the real talk about not getting rid of weeds completely. Very realistic.

[@urbanfarmstead]

starcraft ghost thank you! I think it’s important to share that realistic perspective. Gardening can be discouraging at times, so knowing that the challenges are a normal part of the process for every gardener helps to dispel the misguided theory of having a “brown thumb” etc.

[@wesgarton26]

Thank you, i enjoyed this video. When is the best time to cover the area? Can i use anything besides cardboard? When did you till?

[@urbanfarmstead]

Any time, early spring is best. Sure, tarps, plastic, old carpet

[@fredd5218]

Great video! The content was very easy to follow and informative. You’ve got a new subscriber!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you for your feedback and support!

[@aquietplace5832]

Recipe 420! So it's good for all veggies, not just the plant people use for 420. Amazing video and I have subscribed.

[@thrive-like-a-viking]

btw great choice on amendments... this garden is going to yield heavy!

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thanks Nate! Just checked out your most recent mulch video. Looking great!

[@saffihooya2749]

I here because I'm in this situation right now.. and Thank you michigan weather 🙏 my vegies are still inside the house😆😆 And I don't know what I'm doing..so this helps a lot. Thank you sir.

[@urbanfarmstead]

I hope you can plant out soon! Happy gardening!

[@gopsln]

I live in Folsom, same locale yay! How do you deal with roots from your hedge plants/trees near the fence area? I prepped by raised beds for the 1st year, next year my neighbor's pine tree located 15 feet away from the beds have sent roots under 2 feet of the soil and have taken over the whole bed. There is a ton of feeder roots all over and clumping the soil and not allowing my veggies to grow. Very frustrating.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Yeah, pine and redwood trees are the worst thing near a garden. The hedges I have here are not a problem.

[@myobmyob2215]

@@urbanfarmstead what kind of hedges are those, want the same, thanks

[@duanehundley]

That 420 soil is pretty good and not too expensive. Thats what I bought last year and my neighbor bought Kellogg's organic and all of his stuff didnt grow much and then died. I found it at my local hydro store where I can get all of the quality gardening amendments.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Yes! I love this stuff! All of our local nurseries here sell it. They also make a fertilizer now with all of the nutrients, but not soil, it’s great for refresh when you don’t need all the fill material

[@megankavand3140]

Wonderful job! Can't wait for more videos in this series. Especially since I'm starting a new garden as well.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Megan Kavand thank you! Awesome, I’m working on the next one today!

[@paulrowan4363]

This channel and rockos modern survival are some of my favorite thank you for doing them

[@urbanfarmstead]

Paul Rowan thank you so much! It’s my pleasure to share!

[@maggiecheungblaize8647]

Hi. Thank you for this wonderful video. I would love to do that to my backyard. Instead of buying or investing the machine that you use to make the soil loose. Can those machine be rented?? I need to do exactly what you did. Kill or plug out all the existing grass.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Maggie Cheung Blaize Hi, you’re very welcome! Yes, absolutely. I rented mine. It’s not practical to buy one.

[@Evie170]

This looks so impressive! My lawn is made of kikuyu grass, like a very thick carpet with deep roots. So I've had to put raised garden beds on top of the lawn, with weed-mats underneath.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Hope that does the trick for you. How does it seem to be working out?

[@Evie170]

@@urbanfarmstead Yes, it's doing well, thanks. I've assembled two raised beds so far. I'm growing potatoes in one bed and peas and beans in the other. Just need to assemble a few more beds, so I can grow more veggies, as it's Spring in Australia.

[@urbanfarmstead]

@@Evie170 awesome! Happy gardening!

[@chrisloving8378]

Great video! Makes me wish my apartment had a lawn lol

[@urbanfarmstead]

Chris Loving thank you! Do you have a patio or balcony where you can grow a potted garden?

[@chrisloving8378]

I actually just started one on my balcony shortly after watching this video!! Haha

[@urbanfarmstead]

@@chrisloving8378 That's awesome! Happy Gardening!

[@santanodias5180]

this is back breaking work ...i salute u , garden lover

[@urbanfarmstead]

Santano Dias it can be. Thank you.

[@AmazingJunkie]

Hey at 9:27 you say that you leave the soil to settle for a few weeks so that the weeds can grow through. I like this idea, but i wonder if it rains heavily, we could be missing out on some nutrients that will leak out of the compost and organic fertilizers that we just put in right? Also, what is your opinion on using mycorrhiza while creating the soil or planting seedlings? Love the videos keep it up!

[@jurybage4616]

This is the video I have been looking for. Thank you Sir. Please do winter garden plants.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Jury Bage great! I’m glad you found it! I absolutely will, and soon 👍🏼

[@GardenloveHomestead]

Great Video 🙂 I love EB stones! Best product in the market

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you! I love them too! Local to me, family owned, sustainable, and highly affective!

[@thuylethi8994]

Bạn có khu vườn nhỏ và ngôi nhà rất tuyệt vời 👍.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you

[@adriankap2978]

Well, now that I’ve seen this one it answers all my questions. However, I have one more, how do you keep the underground critters out of the garden beds? I have moles and voles. Any suggestions and if it was you what would you do if you had the rude raiders invading your hard work? Love your very informative videos. Happy Easter!

[@urbanfarmstead]

I’m fortunate to not have them here but I know lots of farmers in the area use gopher traps

[@michaelnuttall5896]

Pump natural gas into one of their holes for an hour lol. Don't strike a match for atleast a day though or you might blow your house up.

[@seankim2743]

Very informative. I'm checking out the tools you're using to imitate - you really take this seriously and intelligently. Thanks.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Thank you sean

[@zinatm9530]

Hi thanks for this, very informative! My question is about the cardboard, when exactly do you put it down? Do you leave it there or remove it and then til? I was confused by that part, can you discuss that in a bit more detail thank you 😊

[@urbanfarmstead]

Zinat M hi, great question. There are definitely different ways of doing it but I choose to remove before tilling then replace it.

[@zinatm9530]

Urban Farmstead gotcha, that’s what I was thinking, thanks much for clarifying and responding! I’m a newbie, trying to learn as much as I can, you’ve been a great resource and inspiration. Happy gardening 😊

[@anilramoutar3663]

i worked with a guy.. that did the same bed prep, except the plow.. he did it old school. but his results was great

[@urbanfarmstead]

Yeah, that’s definitely a great way to go for the right situation, and in some cases I’d do that exact same thing. This method is best for my situation due to my heavy clay soil, the species weeds I have, the fact that I’m only farming this plot short term, among other reasons.

[@lexivida9635]

Hey Kyle! I’m trying to figure out what you mean by planting your crops “north to south”. When the sun crosses your garden, does it run parallel or perpendicular to your raised beds? Just trying to figure out the orientation. Thank you for posting such informative videos- I look forward to each and every one!

[@urbanfarmstead]

The beds are oriented in a north/south orientation. Sun passes east to west of course. Hope that clarifies

[@jeevajo5783]

The best vedio i never seen before, i am learning from you and keep posting like this, i am watching full vedio every time, ❤️

[@urbanfarmstead]

Jeeva Jo thank you so much! I’m really glad you are enjoying my videos!

[@krzysztofrudnicki5841]

I just prefer Charles Dowding's method for no dig garden beds. Just carboard and compost on top.

[@urbanfarmstead]

I’m a huge fan of Charles Dowding and have enjoyed many of his videos, in fact his channel is one of the few that I subscribe to. What some people don’t realize is that in many situations it’s best to do one initial till to improve soil composition depending on what you are starting with (Charles and I have very different top soil), then to never till after that. We have very dense clay soil as I mentioned in the video, so for our situation its best to till in compost the first season even though we’re prepping a no-dig garden. The methods that Charles Dowding uses are awesome for the right situation, but not for ours. That’s rad if it works that easy for you and your garden. Happy gardening!

[@thomasfuchs9451]

@@urbanfarmstead I have to disagree. My soil is heavy clay as well. Whenever I dug up a spot and left it bare, it became rock hard. Your lawn however is already a functioning ecosystem, it has established levels and microorganisms, and probably a well established fungal network. Tilling it and ripping the roots out does not accelerate the process, it actually throws your soil life back at least a year or two. Just mow really short, two layers of cardboard, compost on top and you can plant anything into that. While your weeds die under the cardboard and their roots turn into humus, they also create small tunnels that improve drainage and bring oxygen into deeper layers. Not to forget worms love cardboard because its glues with starch. I have seen worms the size of small snakes in a bed I just setup a few weeks ago. Meanwhile the roots of everything you plant on top just grow through the cardboard as long as it stays moist under the compost mulch.

[@TheReReRetard]

You mean Ruth Stouts method.

[@urbanfarmstead]

TheReReRetard I’m not familiar with the work of Ruth Stout, but I just looked her up and can’t wait to learn more about her and her methods. Thank you for sharing!

[@TheReReRetard]

@@urbanfarmstead You are welcome. Keep up the good work!

[@ahuman9195]

Nice to see you r replying all the comment..... thank you....

[@urbanfarmstead]

A Human, thank you for expressing your appreciation. ✌🏼

[@arkrainflood]

instead of removing the weeds, what about putting down a biodegradable layer (cardboard, newspaper, burlap) and then covering with garden soil? the decomposing weeds will provide nutrients.

[@urbanfarmstead]

ARK rain FLOOD that’s a great suggestion and would probably be perfect for many gardens, however we all have different situations that correspond with different solutions. The main reason (there are a few) that I chose to not go that route in this garden is because the weeds that we have are very invasive and will not simply decompose under cardboard. The methods that you’re suggesting, that Charles Dowding uses are awesome for the right situation, but not for ours. Thank you though for your input!

[@anilramoutar3663]

@@urbanfarmstead old school.. 🖒

[@urbanfarmstead]

Anil Ramoutar yeah, Old school is to till/plow but I’m all bout the new school no-till method. What some people don’t realize is that in many situations it’s best to do o e initial till to improve soil composition depending on what you are starting with, then to never till after that. I did mention that in the video.

[@niclee1863]

@@urbanfarmstead I completely agree. I had couch grass, bindweed and other nasties in my plot and went down the cardboard method. A year later and I wish I had never bothered. The weeds grow just as fast as the crops and it's impossible to stay on top of them. Maybe a combo of your method plus depriving the beds of light to create a Stale Seed Bed, ala Curtis Stone, would do the job.

[@urbanfarmstead]

Nic Lee oh man! Yeah, it’s all about learning from others but adapting what works for them to see what will work best for our own situation. Curtis Stone has some fantastic plots and I’ve defeated been adapting a lot of what I’ve learned from him.