What Happens to Woodchips in the Base of a Raised Garden Bed?

[@Selfsufficientme]

G’day Everyone, and Merry Christmas! We seem to be living in a world that’s slowly going nuts. Still, for me, all I need to do is read through the 1000’s of comments/messages/emails I get from supporters of my Channel to realise, in fact, the world is full of beautiful people who do their best to help and encourage others to succeed at whatever goal they are trying to achieve. Thank you for your support over the past 12 months - I really mean it - your encouragement has inspired me to grow more (not just in the garden) but as a person too. Yeah, I know, as cliché as it is… Seriously, I love creating content about self-sufficiency and lifestyle in general and although for “various reasons”, I haven’t uploaded as much in 2022 as I wanted, be assured I am keen as ever to bring you fresh, exciting videos with some real surprises in 2023. From myself, Nina, and the Boys, I wish you a happy and safe festive period and look forward to “getting into it” with you again soon in the New Year. Cheers, Mark 😊

[@honey-bee-farmstead]

I love your take on it Mark and I've loved your channel for years. Thank you for sharing the best messages!

[@amorales9613]

Thank you love!

[@Dreamzz101]

Merry Christmas to you and your Family.. 🌲☃

[@beverlyrobertson6796]

GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, I ENJOY ALL YOUR WORK AND GARDENING.THANK YOU. 🌻

[@beverlyrobertson6796]

East tennessee

[@pearceingcreations8544]

I love that instead of complaining about the neighbors noise you complimented his equipment

[@christophermachado5187]

I’ve put 11 loads of woodchips and 3 layers ofcardboard around my food forest 2 years ago. Today I have more than 2 ft of black soil and everything is thriving. I don’t use any fertilizer or pesticides and my trees are over 12 to 15 ft tall in just two years thanks to the woodchips. Everywhere I dig a hole there is mycelium which is great and lovely to see. Tampa Florida US

[@jillhumphrys8073]

I have access to cardboard boxes and i use them in between my beds and i too end up with loads of black dirt by spring.

[@likeargamanflaming940]

Jacksonville here. A friend of mine and I have started to put whole pine tree mulch in my raised beds. In a month it's already done wonders! I can't believe it. Dry and poor quality dirt has already turned into dark moist soil. I'm so grateful!

[@jillhumphrys8073]

@@likeargamanflaming940 Hi neighbor! I have a friend who raises angus bulls, so i get composted dirt for free!

[@MistressOnyaCox]

I just moved out here and need to build beads what did you use to contain your bed (Hastings Florida)

[@likeargamanflaming940]

@@jillhumphrys8073 Booyah! Score!!! Awesome! Glad to hear this!

[@thatradfailure5197]

Man, I just love this channel so much. Even when it's frozen where I live, with a wind-chill of -8° F, I can still think about gardening and learning about the really neat ways to improve soil health for even better plants

[@TheDavidscc32]

I feel ya! -20°F wind-chill today here in West Michigan, USA.

[@thatradfailure5197]

@@TheDavidscc32 Good golly! Neighbor from Ohio- best of luck staying warm!

[@diananutt1517]

@@TheDavidscc32 🌿🎄❣️ Happy Holidays to All from Michigan's Thumb ❣️⛄🌿 Keep next weekend in your thoughts. We'll be back to the 50's❣️ Stay safe All❣️

[@diananutt1517]

@@thatradfailure5197 ❣️🌿⛄🎄 Mark will keep us all together and warm with anticipation for spring planting! Stay safe and warm❣️🎄 Merry Christmas 🎄

[@diceportz7107]

@@TheDavidscc32 Currently Wind chill of -26. If we can make it until next week, we are scheduled for a warm up. Something in the 30-40 range. Iowa

[@kateredhead7334]

I had my raised beds in Montreal, where temps could range from +40c to -40c. My soil was solid clay, as my neighbourhood was once under the St. Laurence River. My neighbour worked at a chicken farm and brought me giant trash bags of chicken poop and feathers. After Hallowe'en, the neighbours brought me their decoration straw bales. In 5 years, my garden, beds and yard went from a solid sheet of clay to a paradise. Amazing what hard work and perseverance can accomplish. Best to you and yours in the New Year.

[@annak804]

You are lucky you had good neighbors we don't and we have a community that is anti garden so we get weird looks and no help even when taking their organic garbage to us would cost less

[@tracyrivers8041]

I remember watching your videos so many years ago and you were talking about whether you should keep going! So glad you did! You are so informative and I enjoy your instruction! Merry Christmas and thank you!

[@dethmaul]

Hell yeah! I hope he has fun and loves it!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thanks Tracy! Yes that's true, I nearly had to get a real proper job (and there's nothing wrong with that), but thankfully all of you persuaded and inspired me to keep creating gardening content, and now I can share my self-sufficient journey full-time. Cheers :)

[@forrestberg591]

@@Selfsufficientme I've got myself a proper job now and I wish I was a full time gardener. Perhaps it's a case of the crops being greener on the other side of the window, regardless of the side of it I'm on.

[@moparmissile]

I have some mature Date palms which I cleaned off many dead fronds and Date spikes from. They are dangerously spiky and a real pain to deal with. I was going to burn them but I decided to layer them at the bottom of some raised beds I have constructed. They are quite tough and fibrous but I am hoping over time they will rot down and feed the worms and add a good amount of organic matter to the soil. Watching your channel has helped me have the confidence to do such a thing and it enabled me to get a headstart in filling these up with soil. Thanks Mark.

[@bernadettemillard9683]

I have the same lots of date fronds. So have spread them out on top of old unused beds mainly to shade the soil from scorching sun but also to see how they break down over time. Your idea is more interesting-will try it

[@Selfsufficientme]

That's a great idea and good use of dead fronds! Thanks and all the best :)

[@ciarangale4738]

@@bernadettemillard9683 Will point out that things tend to break down better in dark, moist environments, so on top might not break down too well

[@Hubris2]

I have the same issue with bougainvillea trimmings. Have thus far been composting them separately, but perhaps an opportunity to try this.

[@ianjoe6699]

I put wood chip as the base of my garden and it's become some realky good soil. You give the best gardening advice and helpful tips 👍

[@Selfsufficientme]

Good on you Linda! All the best :)

[@saltfishfrenzy9976]

This bloke single handedly got me into growing food

[@italiana626sc]

I love your enthusiasm for how beautiful the soil is! And that beetle was still fussing even after you placed him in his new home. 😄 Thanks for the great explanation and instruction, and for all your content in general. Good stuff!!

[@yeevita]

The beetle was hilarious! Loved it.

[@digsindirt4490]

Very cool to see what happened over 17 months. Almost makes me want to have one big bed to fill with wood chip just so it can break down and become part of a homemade potting soil recipe.

[@gengenone1163]

It seems like I'm missing some of your videos. The last one I have is from two weeks ago? We do miss you when you're gone for too long. Have a great weekend

[@AGHathaway]

I envy this guy's life. I wish I had a huge garden to care for all day long.

[@thisarfingai]

Mark, I am having the EXACT problem with my Birdies raised garden beds (bought on your recommendation) & am so stoked to have found this solution. It is nice to know that the 'problem' is actually an effect of my hugelkultur working well too :) One thing though: I did not know that this video was a solution based upon it's title - while this was a great surprise, maybe you want to edit a shorter clip with a new title referring to this solution because I bet there are a few people out there searching for it. Thanks again & Merry Xmas mate.

[@Selfsufficientme]

G'day Jack, thanks for suggesting a separate video on the braces fix - that's a great idea! Cheers :)

[@risefromthedark]

How he is not afraid of snakes??

[@windybeach2184]

Mark, I find your voice so easy to listen to. Keep being you! ❤

[@lisacasazza3274]

Love being frugal in the garden and ending up with an awesome medium to grow in! Thank you for the advice and tips!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thank you Lisa! :)

[@chachadodds5860]

Mark, I'm convinced your earthworms are on Crack. It just amazes me how fast they wriggle, everything you pick them up. What a great video! You always come out with videos about things I've been wondering. I loved seeing what the bottom layer of wood chip turned into, and how long it took. Thank you for all your hard work, showing us these very enlightening subjects. Merry Christmas, to you and your family.

[@cathyversteeg3051]

I've wondered the same thing! I have tons of worms but they are lazy butts!

[@gigatywing3483]

I put lots of coffee grinds on my garden..the worms are caffeined to the max.

[@amandaowen5617]

I’m always excited to see a video from you pop up in my notifications. Thank you for hanging in there and keeping me motivated to garden. Lots of love and Christmas wishes from Texas. ❤

[@Gardeningchristine]

You inspired me to bring home several raised beds and fill them using the hugelkultur method. I have 5 waiting to be filled. It’s still a lot of work!

[@juneshannon8074]

Hi Christine. I’m 75 and have just finished filling six garden beds. It’s nearly killed me, but now it’s done, so keep at it. The produce I’m reaping is phenomenal. Strawberries as high and wide as a matchbox and oh so sweet.

[@Gardeningchristine]

@@juneshannon8074 yep. I filled one the first spring and 2 the second. These are the tall ones, I’ve made 5 low raised beds in the last 2 years. The ones that are 28-36 inches take some days to truck in the earth and wood. I just went a couple days ago before the storm and got a load of free compost from the city, but I have a pretty small car. But I will keep plugging away at it and you do the same!

[@juneshannon8074]

@@Gardeningchristine at my age the only way to go is the tall beds. What a pleasure it is to thin seeds now. My back and hip loves it. All the best

[@SharonRepici]

@@Gardeningchristineit might be worth it to rent a pickup for a few days so you could bring home more organic materials at a time. Although I do have to admit it isn’t fun to unload.

[@madvillager8964]

Havent checked your channel for some years now. Just want to say i am happy to see you still doing your thing very peacefully in this chaotic world

[@gallus1]

I'm a Scot living across the ditch who has never been the green finger type but figure at 65 i gave it a go. I've managed to fill a raised bed via your instruction and so far, so good. It's been fun despite, as yet no veges. I'll let you know what success i have soon. It has been a good workout too, something i also need. cheers.

[@Doctoranthetardis]

This man inspires me.

[@silentvoiceinthedark5665]

I am planning to do this in April. This video just came up by magic although I am already subscribed

[@JDHood]

Our local landfill/recycling facility has a massive wood-chip "mountain" just outside the gate. It's as big as a 2-story house. It's where tree-services/landscapers are allowed to dump their truckloads of wood-chips from chipped up trees they cut down. It's been there for years and It's all free for the taking - self-serve. I'm wondering what's at the bottom. Think I might try to dig into the bottom on the back side and see what's in there. It might be worth renting a small loader for a weekend to get a few dump-trailer loads!

[@867diesel]

get as much as you can

[@0anant0]

That's a jackpot!

[@juneshannon8074]

Lucky you. Our council, (Onkaparinga in Sth Aust), is so mean it keeps all woodchips in piles around the council area. They won’t even sell it.

[@scottbaruth9041]

Our city has to pay the county transfer station to dispose of the leaves and woodchip piles when they get too big. If you call them they will load and haul for free to your location and dump as much as you want. They are looking to save money just like we are.

[@catherinesanchez1185]

Our county does the same thing. They let it decompose and they offer it as compost! It sits there with STEAM coming off it even in summer! Very interesting. They also have soil you can take too. You just have to be a resident and show ID. That's how I filled the middle section of my Birdie bed this past summer! Then i bought some expensive organic dirt for the top. I did the yard waste, paper shred thing at the bottom.

[@718Insomniac]

Your the OG of gardening videos for me. Always a pleasure to watch your videos.

[@Mastercorban]

I feel I'm visiting a friend when I watch your videos. Fun and informative too! Great work :)

[@gypsyj9691]

Perfect timing of this video! I have 6 x birdies full off palm fronds and 2 foot of wood chip and 30cm premium garden soil; in just 6 months it has dropped 39cm and I have just had to purchase 3.5cubic metres of soil to top up. This is a bloody expensive hobby! But my strawberries are red inside and gave amazing flavour. Thank you for all your videos. Cheers from down the road in Dalby qld. Merry Christmas

[@clemfandango2930]

Get a piece of 3/4 inch EMT conduit cut it to length just shy of the inside width of the bed and slide the threaded rod through the conduit and it will act as a brace and really stiffen up the rod and prevent it to bend.

[@j.b.6855]

I rescued a 150 gallon cattle watering tank from the trash and converted it into a raised bed this summer. I filled it to within 8 inches of the top with wood chips. Nice to know they break down into some good soil.

[@SpiritOfTheHeretic]

Always interesting to see how much mulch has broken down on the top at the end of each season when I pull it off the beds. Some of it becomes so fine in just one season that it's hard to separate from the soil. And in late summer/early fall, the mushrooms really take off when I try to fertilize the beds.

[@Wakwaw796]

it's like the plant. we growing a soil in about a time

[@gardenwitheden]

Wood chips are so good, I had a truckload dumped about 3 years ago and it turned to a mountain of compost. 😀😀 (I've done a video about it on my channel)

[@boombox05]

This guy makes me hopeful for the future of humanity. Thanks for brightening my day!

[@MrsGisawesome]

love your videos... and as someone who lives in Perth where we have grey sand instead of soil, watching you squeeze that beautiful rich soil into a ball made me sigh.

[@TShirtAndReeboks]

Gorgeous results! I had to dig up the sides of one of my beds and I was so surprised to find that my wood chips on the bottom had already broken down as well!

[@tepochate]

These videos take a lot of time and organization of the video material. Thank you for sharing them, you really are one of my best teachers ever.

[@matteng1448]

I’m so bad that when I moved in may I dug up my small raised bed garden and took the soil😅 Glad I did it though as I have worked that soil to what it is now for the past 10 years and using your info for many years of that time!

[@angelomanzara6600]

I love your posts, Merry Christmas from Canada. All the best in the new year to you and all those who watch

[@bettykober6904]

My raised bed was just starting to dent in. Thank you so much for the information. I love your idea for fixing it. When we get warmer weather, I'm doing the same. Thanks again for your channel.

[@ronaldstewart6332]

I use a similar raised bed, but I remove internal braces and place 4"x4" posts (vertically and planted 2' deep) every 4' on the outside of bed and then bolted through bed wall...prevents bowing/buckling and I can turn-over the soil without tangling on the braces. Great vid, as usual...keep up the strong work in the new year! Merry Christmas!

[@jerrydeanswanson79]

I like the way you said that ..."the best soil to GRAZE your vegies in". Never thought of my plants grazing...but they do. Thanks for your videos. And BTW...you inspired my raised beds. They are about 4 years old now...I will dig down and see what the stumps, logs, and wood chips look like now...also curious.

[@chuckschaefer9477]

Love the Kookaburras in the background "singing"!

[@donnaikin7397]

From my family to all of yours have a very Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 and a wonderful New Year, all the best for the year ahead, may 2023 be better than 2022. 🎉👏👍👌🥰🎅🎄❤️

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thank you Donna - Merry Christmas! :)

[@debrawade6656]

Thank you for this video. I don’t know why but I haven’t been getting your feeds….looking into that. I was thinking about the breakdown of my logs in my Birdies as I was getting some of them ready for early spring planting. So now I’ll keep my eyes open for them pulling in and now I know what to do.

[@toddfulcher888]

I bought 2 Birdies raised beds last summer and couldn't figure out how to fill them without taking a second mortgage...then I remembered a video from Mark about hugelkultur, so I watched it again. Afterwards, I scrounged our property for branches, dirt, sticks and bought bags of pet bedding for fill then topped with a mixture of dirt and premium potting soil (black gold organic). Both beds produced well and lasted past the normal season and the best part is that the next round, I will only have to add a little new potting soil! Many thanks to you, Mark, for your informative and entertaining videos!

[@andreawimer4334]

I used wood chips in a pony corral to get them out of the mud. I moved 200 wheelbarrows by hand. It will need replaced in about 2 years but is going to be extra rich. I do pick out the piles or it would get gross but they urinate on it and i cant get out everything. It was already in the plans. Great video.

[@beebob1279]

I've been a subscriber for a while now. Glad you keep doing this for people. The chip idea is a good one. It's easy to get chips from the tree service people in my area. They get charged to dump it, so it saves them money doing this

[@enicole1203]

Mark you have such a cheerful channel that all the information you give is just a bonus. 😊

[@jtjjbannie]

You are the reason I am buying those containers for next season. I'm getting too old to bend down and work the soil anymore.

[@dianeduanecounterman7126]

Thank you for this vid. I used old garage door panels 20” high for raised beds and put cornstalks in the bottom. I knew they would settle, and they did. I wondered about wood chips but so many say not to use them. As an old farmer, I know to add a little nitrogen as you suggested would be beneficial. I will try the wood chips. From middle Ohio.

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

What an interesting idea to use old garage panels. Stay safe and warm.....from the cold north of Illinois 🥶🎄

[@dianeduanecounterman7126]

@@sbffsbrarbrrI put a brace chain across the middle about every 4 feet and down about a foot. The beds are about 5’x16’. I also put in a loop of 3” plastic field drainage tile on the bottom and 1’ in from each side with the ends sticking out the top on one end. The idea is to pump cool night air for cooling in the hot summer or pump warm daytime air for heating in the spring or fall. I have never used them. Duane

[@jenniferdutton2469]

Thanks for this information. I filled my first beds last summer with soil ($$$) and the last two, I followed your video and filled the bottom with old sticks, wood chips, corn stalks and leaves to save money. Now I won't freak out if the sides pull in a bit. I'll be ready and able to fix it. Thanks for teaching us all what you've learned from first-hand experience.

[@bernadettemillard9683]

Who would ever have thought that I’d choose to watch a video on what happens to buried wood chips while wrapping presents con Christmas Eve. But as well as generally into the mysteries of soil, and making the stuff, love your sense of humour as much as your gardening tips. Happy Christmas from Oman 🎄🎁🎈

[@adrianianna2868]

Did the same thing in a 6 x 1.1 bed I built from steel posts into concrete & corrigated steel. Still great after 5 years. I did not want to spend over $100 per cubic meter . The soil down there is awesome!! Only thing is it was fresh wood chip & over the first 2 years slumped quite a bit & needed topping up with a fair bit of compost. Lawn clippings mixed with lots of shredded paper from work on the compost pile fixed this & now is something you could not buy. Merry Christmas.

[@stephenhope7319]

I wondered what they offered for interior support in those beds..soft all-thread!! Best support for that is conduit, emt, galvanized electrical pipe, 3/4 dia or 1inch dia .That is what we used in high pressure large air duct in commercial buildings, won't collapse, won't expand the duct, nor your garden beds.

[@green_wraith5764]

This is some good quality soil no wonder why you harvest good on it deff would wanna make a meal with that good qaulity veggies

[@chrisholdread174]

I had a wooden raised bed in the middle of my garden that was for strawberries. All of the other boxes would have the soil topped or reworked except for that middle box. Well at the start of the year the bottom of the box making contact with the ground finally rotted, I kicked my foot into it. So I went about building a new box a emptied out that middle one. After 5 year of being left alone, not reworked, that soil was THE most rich with organic material and worms that I've ever seen.

[@garystewart6093]

I like this guy a detailed but down to earth presenter.

[@mikeschaoticgardening]

Wow what a transformation!...very cool!..merry Christmas!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thanks Mike and Merry Christmas mate :)

[@nadineklinkenberg163]

Thanks for the quality content as always. I'll be setting up my raised beds in the next year or so. I'm in the tropics and don't have access to wood chips or such. I have been wondering what to put in as filler for my beds. Then I saw you adding banana stalks. I have access to tons of those so it's solved a big question for me. Thanks again. Keep the videos coming.

[@FiGNewtonWilliamsJr]

Just gonna say, your videos earn a thumbs up from me at the beginning. Every time you say "Let's get into it" and thumbs up the camera, I gotta click that thumbs up button!

[@idahomo8299]

I love your channel! ❤

[@rebekahpeach5131]

Love the sound of those kookaburras in the background, Mark. I lived in NSW for several years, but have been back in NZ for a long time now. Miss those bird sounds for sure!!

[@teenagardner3623]

Thank you for doing what you do and sharing your knowledge. I've done my raised beds using your tips, and my garden is amazing. One thing I love about your channel is seeing people get as excited as me looking at dirt and worms 🤣 Merry Christmas to everyone, stay safe

[@gardenwitheden]

Hmm, I thought that was only me that got excited about nice, loose soil, I guess us gardeners are all same 🤣🤣

[@tracylf5409]

5:30- letting the beetle go. Warms my heart. We don't have to kill everything we see. That's what's gotten us to our tipping point today.

[@jefftroyer1151]

I planted melons this year in large containers. The soil in the tubs was old and used up. I took half of the old soil out and replaced it with soil from the bottom of my years old compost pile. That soil was great. The melons are going crazy right now.I add everything to that compost pile from the kitchen, lawn clippings and leaves. Your show is great despite your terrible jokes :)

[@chasing_happiness]

Lol omigoodness something set the kookaburras off! I love hearing them! 💕 Beautiful music to these North American ears.

[@MBBRUM86]

I love seeing the cycle of life and how things degrade and are reused by nature. I can’t wait to do all of this in the future. Great video and information! (Watching from England)

[@gengenone1163]

This is one of your best videos ever explain why raised beds is so fantastic and how easy it is to plant and enjoy this way of growing food. Thank you so much! Oh and I'm trying potatoes this first time this year you are so inspirational thank you.

[@E_R_I_K]

That cross sectional view of the soil structure layers was very cool to see.

[@hoosierpioneer]

I'm living summer vicariously thru you. It's minus 6 degrees F here in Indiana and I'm staying indoors covered up!

[@tamararoberts9307]

Never thought about the beds doing that before. Great lesson 👍

[@HammerinWA]

You speak so much sense. You see very little content promoting below soil mulch as many say it robs nitrogen. If the soil ends up better , who cares

[@carolwright7559]

Thanks so much for showing us the woodchips broken down and well as a potential issue (with an easy fix). I have 2 new Birdies Beds that I am getting ready to fill.

[@tinaingram885]

We love your videos and thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!!! I'm learning so much!! God bless and happy new year!!

[@davidroberts1960]

My neighbour owns a tree lopping business and he spread wood chip a foot deep over all his pastures with lime. Now they are covered with grass and looking great. I get free woodchip off him also, which is nice.

[@TFJesusClaus]

I've got two Dunstan Chestnuts on order, coming in a few months and I'll be preparing their planting sites similarly. I'll just have to think of a way to preempt the inevitable sinking so the root ball stays out of the danger zone

[@nixonkutz3018]

Excellent info. We have plenty of surplus windfall timber on our property, and it's great to know that I can use it as fill material for our raised beds. I suspected as much - often when we've spread layers of chips on paths and such, it's decomposed quite nicely, but I'm glad to know that deep in what I presume is the anaerobic part of the bed, a robust ecosystem is still at work. Thanks for another great video!

[@erroneous6947]

Be careful using brush from fence lines. It often has roundup herbicide on it.

[@tater357]

Best garden my Dad ever had was when they built my parents house years and years ago (1972), they had a big hole dug in the backyard where they were using burying stumps from the trees they removed on the property, and they back filled it. Covered it up basically, so my Dad used that area for a garden bed. We used to grow almost everything in that area every year. Tomatoes, Okra, Beans, Cucumbers, Squah, Radishes, Peppers,and a few others. Dad tilled it every February and by the time planting season came( along about Easter) Dad would till the soil again and would add in extra layers of Horse Manure. I can remember the smell of that RICH Beautiful Soil as if it was yesterday and I still have yet to find another garden area like it.

[@bruce-le-smith]

Great update, thanks! I did this with our raised beds a couple years back based on your videos, using prunings from our fruit trees. Was great because I would've had to pay to put them in a greenfill or use electricity to grind them into mulch. Thanks for digging a trench in yours so I don't have to dig a trench in mine haha

[@charlesdang2557]

The 2x4 trick is genius. Prevents the rods from sagging down due to cavities made from decomposing materials at the bottom. Cheers and happy New Year!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thank you Charles! Cheers :)

[@dutchgram3799]

Thank you for explaining this. I have questioned the integrity of three raised beds that I purchased this spring. They are not very tall so I'm not losing sleep over it, lol. I like knowing about things that could happen and where to turn for more information. You, are on my list of helpful people. Thank you. Happy gardening 🌶🍄🌰

[@bonniebaty]

I've never been this early! Mark, I really enjoy your videos and have been learning a ton. Thank you from Ohio.

[@lorelei9393]

Great content. Loved the birds contribution! Have a Merry Christmas

[@DanielDawson-jx6ty]

You're an engineer Mark - love it!

[@JasonBelliveau]

looks like a nice setup. a few L braces would go a long way to permanently fixing it. that being said its an easy fix.

[@kevinwhited984]

You’ve convinced me to put sticks, chunks of wood and wood chips, all of which have on location, in the raised beds I’m building this winter.

[@thisarfingai]

Kevin, It'll be the best thing you do. Mark's videos inspired me a year or so back to do the same & the effect has been absolutely amazing - EVERYTHING grows better. I have also taken to burying logs, branches etc in my non-raised beds - pretty much just all over the garden - and I use bits of wood in place of gravel in my pots. All my trees now have companion chunks & hunks of wood too. When I dig the wood up to have a look, each and every one is like a little city full of fungi, and insects & just teeming with life. This practice has bought me closer to my garden & I feel that I am finally starting to 'get it' - as I realise that throughout my garden, wether its a raised vege bed, a herb box, a Lilli Pilli hedge, tomatoes in the compost, a tiger grass windbreak, or a big gum tree, all I am ever doing is replicating a forest floor for the plants, then nature takes care of the rest.

[@Monica-zl7zg]

What a hassle. Thank you for this video. Now I know that I want to build all wood-sided raised beds instead of buying metal. Thanks for saving me a lot of time and effort!

[@AHann-gj3bl]

Your garden is magical ❤ I’m really enjoying your content!

[@anthonyanderson2880]

I live in the dry north west of WA and while gardening is a challenge, watching your videos is getting me the know how for when e move down south closer to retirement. Thankyou for the great and informative vids, Merry Xmas and a very Happy New Year to you and yours.

[@WilliamBlakers]

Your ample rains have helped to breakdown those woodchips.

[@Creative-Chaos]

I live in a apartment and don’t do any gardening. I love watching you and learning. I hope I might someday have a small garden.

[@Wakeupandsniffthecoffee]

I have a great pile of wood chips I got from a tree trimmer for free. I've been using my towable backhoe to load them in my mower trailer and using in multiple places throughout the yard. I initially built about a foot up on my compost pile, but have used it in other places, like around my new air-conditioning units. The ducks and chickens have been undermining them. I could use gravel, but a thick layer of wood chips does the job and even if they get into it, I just rake it back occasionally. I really love having piles available for my use. Being winter here, I just build up a layer over the sleeping gardens.

[@erroneous6947]

Ask if the wood chips come from fence lines treated with roundup herbicide. A lot of the wood chips free from the county here are from fence lines along the highways. Not good for gardening. Imo.

[@ianbell5611]

Thanks for another Great video. All the Best for 2023. Cheers

[@Arcticstar0]

Love your advice, Mark. I’ve been collecting branches on the side of the road around where I live to get even more organic matter to fill my next raised garden bed. The first one I filled from just my backyard, but these birdies ones are big and I didn’t have enough for the second. Also got a compost going, but it has been commandeered by some bush turkeys, so I’m leaving that to them until I see some juveniles running around. I think I’ll only need to buy 1/4 of the soil for the bed by the time I fill it. So I really appreciate your tips.

[@hotoven]

I love hearing the kookaburras in the background!

[@Ckktopa]

Mark, the decking board support is perfect. Perhaps two on each row of rods on the wide beds

[@Uhawk2521]

Such a genius way to fill the base, I'm gonna save so much money, thank you!!

[@shanebep3135]

Thank you🤎🖤🤎🖤🤎🖤🤎🖤 may you rest yourself and enjoy.

[@Doc1855]

Great video Mark, I’m so jealous that you’re wearing a Tshirt ! We’re having a high temperature of +7 degrees F and have 3 feet of snow on the ground here in WA state USA.

[@maryloubrieger4763]

Hi from Texas Please web search Keyhole Gardening. You just dug up what my soil looked from top to bottom after two years. Cardboard layers, branches, chicken coup hay, fall leaves, spring trimmings, and kitchen scraps are beneath 8 inches of bought potting mix. Never have to turn compost pile again! You are a wonder!

[@maryloubrieger4763]

Also realized the additional benefit, little waste leaves my suburban home for city dump!

[@SOLtoo]

Mark was rumored to have dug the Grand Canyon with that shovel-pick tool of his.