Why THIS is The WORST Thing to Build Raised Beds With (IMO)

[@MIgardener]

Obviously a lot of people like cement blocks. I’m going to reiterate 2 points I mentioned in the video that seem to be missed by a large majority of commenters. 1. Gardening is not a one size fits all solution. If they work for you then great! They don’t work for me, and I am thrilled for anyone who has a garden at all. That’s the main point if this channel. 2. Raised beds can be from anything and do NOT have to come from the store.

[@donnabrooks1173]

I considered using concrete blocks, but decided against it. I was really concerned about fly ash being used in the production. It's not good for growing edibles. I think I did call the company that makes them and they don't use it .

[@kimp2678]

I am in Miami, FL. And the soil dried so fast as the CBS blocks stayed hot in our summers. I constantly had to water my stuff. Even my little flowers bed borders dried quickly. I.use metal beds now.

[@lauriejohnson3001]

@@MIgardener l totally agree. I've made mine out of anything l can find in the yard, thanks for the video

[@donhorak9417]

@@MIgardener I do respect you, Luke, immensely.i want to always be part of your gardening family. Happy Thanksgiving, bro!

[@eklectiktoni]

I think there's no perfect raised bed material. Wood rots and can be expensive (if it's a rot resistant type like cedar or redwood). But wood is easily configurable (just cut to size) and is readily available. Cement blocks are heavy and porous. But they're durable and cheaper than some specialty woods. Metal is expensive only available in precut sizes. But it doesn't rot and is fairly lightweight. Everything has its pros and cons. Choose what works for you. :)

[@lori2182]

We have three cinder block raised beds next to the house. They are two blocks deep, they are painted on the outside to look nice next to the house. They are 10.5 years old and still look perfect. On two of them we put toppers to make them look nice and left one open to plant in the holes. I have grown okra, garlic, many herbs and flowers, purple hull peas and probably other things. They are great! And I wish I could send a picture with this comment. The only disadvantage I see is the inches of space you lose otherwise they work and they last.

[@AquaBuddhaDeluge]

Once upon a time there was an old mother pig who had three little pigs and not enough food to feed them. So when they were old enough, she sent them out into the world to seek their fortunes. The first little pig was very lazy. He didn't want to work at all and he built his raised bed out of straw bales. The second little pig worked a little bit harder but he was somewhat lazy too and he built his raised bed out of wood. The third little pig worked hard all day and built his raised bed with cement blocks...

[@wixmich08]

Are you a pig?

[@mkessler5648]

Luke I agree with you on just about everything, but I have to disagree on this. I have wood raised beds, galvanized beds, and cement block beds. I have replaced my wood beds 3 times, and my galvanized beds are bulging. It was h*** building those heavy cement block beds when wood prices were high 3 years ago, but I used 4" cap blocks on top to get my 12" depth. Dry edges haven't been a problem for me, and I'm guessing I won't have to replace those block beds in my lifetime.😊

[@patkonelectric]

Agree, I can get used blocks for free from construction demolition sights and will out last me. And I found that some plants like growing on the inside of the blocks. Like strawberrys. Fill the blocks with soil to keep them in place. If the blocks are such a bad material then why do they built basements and external wall out of them?

[@erikamaass9058]

I have cinder block beds. Mine are 3 rows tall. Not bending over is amazing and the weed control is incredible. I am also married to a mason. So cost isn't an issue in my case. I admit there are pros and cons. As for the shifting of the block, we used F26. It's a construction based caulk. Works magic. No rebar needed. I have never had problems with uneven watering. I have had soil loss with heavy watering. like forgetting about the hose. 😮 I straw mulch heavy so not a big issue. I love that it's a permanent structure and the soil gets better every season. I have cattle panels between as well. I agree that the holes aren't the best. I have been stuffing them with straw and letting it compost so when it breaks down into compost it will be rich in nutrients. I have planted flowers, leeks, and garlic. None have been stellar but I just cram extras there and hope for something. I grow in containers, in ground and my block beds. I had wooden raised beds and I didn't love them and are now mounded beds. I have yet to try a Birdies type bed. I am sure they are good. People seem to really like them. Maybe some day. ATM I am expanding to more in ground beds. I have found mulching to be the biggest game changer for gardening not so much what you garden in. I know we are all here because we love getting our hands dirty and reaping what we sow. How we do it or even how good we are at it doesn't matter a fraction of the joy we get. I hope everyone enjoys our winter break and gets back out there next year. May your thumbs stay green and have a great holiday.

[@sueweathers3978]

​@@erikamaass9058my fingers are stained brown and no way can my nails stay clean, but I love playing in that shirt!

[@bvw3153]

Love MIGardener, but I respectfully disagree. I haven't had any trouble growing in raised beds that are 8 inches deep. Now, my raised beds are on top of soil, so maybe if your raised beds are on top of cement, bricks, you will need a deeper bed, but on top of the ground, an 8 inch high bed works perfectly fine.

[@sharonknorr1106]

Sorry, I'm with the concrete block crowd. We built 12 beds, 4' x 20', dry-stacked 2 blocks high in central NY and they are still there, 30+ years later, pretty good ROI. We bought seconds, so really cheap. Yes, quite heavy which is why when we moved to Colorado 12 years ago, we ended up using metal stock tanks instead, but they are not as good. Wood is expensive and needs to be replaced which we did not want to be doing as we aged into our 70's/80's. Our neighbors, who bought our house and our land when we moved, knocked down the house, but are still using my raised bed garden to grow lovely food. Some of the holes I filled with herbs and flowers, some I left open to sit on while weeding or enjoying a cup of tea. Leaving those beds was harder than leaving the house when we moved. Grew tons of food in those beds.

[@faithsrvtrip8768]

I sold my house in 2020 and have been traveling the US. The only thing I miss is my garden.

[@margaretduran4415]

I've used concrete blocks for years. I was living in a zone 4 area. These beds lasted for years until we moved and dismantled the beds. The cost of wood in today's world and the availability of wood for me is restrictive. I'm now in a zone 8 rocky, clay, dry area with limited shopping supplies. We fill the centers with the rock we have. I can start out with a large square footage bed and raise the bed one level per year. It will be a slow process, but it is the most cost effective for us. We don't have access to a truck load of soil for the beds. Building soil is expensive. A little at a time for us. We are up in years. We will not be able to build a new bed every 8 years. My husband is better suited with concrete block building than with wood. Especially when there is no wood to purchase at the price of concrete blocks.

[@dct4890]

Ditto, mine has been great for 12 years, with no issues at all. No cracking in the winter at all. The rebar pops out a couple inches and you just tap them back down. Sorry mr gardner, I think they work just fine. The watering issue you warn about does not exist. The water soaks evenly. Sorry, I love them. I do enjoy the channel.

[@parham93]

We fill our block cells with soil and plant Marigolds, Lemon Grass, and other perennials that 'help' keep the pests away and adds a layer of color to the beds. With a decent drip irrigation system in the bed for watering you dont have issues with the beds drying out.. sometimes the pockets/cells in the block do dry a bit but it doesnt really matter with non-edibles. Plus like you said.. the cost per linear foot of garden bed between block, wood and metal makes Block the better choice for us

[@jannapackard3910]

I agree that the blocks stack, last forever and you can seal the outside with a sealer or paint and solve the evaporation problem. I plant my chives and thyme etc. In the brick holes and they love it. And you only have to build it once. Another plus is that it is easy to change the shape of the beds. And as far as depth, mine is on an already existing garden plot so the plants can easily go down as deep as they desire. Sorry, I can't agree with you on this one. And I have never had one crack or break in 20+ years.

[@januarysdaughter6664]

@@margaretduran4415 I'm sure you know this, but the fastest way to build that soil in those beds is to fill them every year with leaves, if you live near trees, and throw you kitchen scraps in there. Good luck in your journey.

[@margaretduran4415]

@@januarysdaughter6664 Thank you for that. All we have are cedar and piñon trees trees. We are looking for aged manure.

[@crystal-jeanroat2885]

I love my cinder block bed. I hired someone 5 years ago to construct it 3 blocks tall and 12' long by just over 2 feet deep. He added a tiny bit of cement sludge on the inside to help stabilize blocks. I filled the bottom with wood from branches, then got a ton of top soil (regular cheap dirt) and topped it with 10" of decent soil. I topped blocks with 2x8" pressure treated boards so the rough tops don't scrape me or my clothing. I added an in ground worm bin from a 5 gallon bucket to the center. This bed is so super productive, full of nutrients. full of worms and my plants are huge there. After 6 weeks of no rain, it was the only area that thrived without any watering. The cinder blocks act as an insulator from outside temps. The soil has 8" between it and the air on the sides, I haven't taken the soil temperature, but I really don't believe it gets hot, like you suggested. This is why they are used in construction... to help regulate the temp inside a building. Yes, they're more work to set up, and maybe 1 block height isn't enough, but for 5 years, this bed is just getting better. None of my blocks have cracked either, in zone 7 where temps hit over 100 and 0 F.

[@nancyobrien2854]

Hubby built me one in 2018. We actually bought a whole pallet of cement blocks for $90. We had an overgrown backyard, so we decided where to build the raised bed first. After building the bed, we filled the bed with all the yard debris (started with the bigger pieces on bottom). With the left over yard debris, we started a compost pile. After a full year, we topped the bed up with compost and planted. Only maintenance we do is in the late winter, we top it off with compost.

[@Radioactivechemist]

Cinder blocks are commonly used as retaining walls that provide safety to people and property. If they commonly crack and break from getting wet and cold, then there would be thousands of failed walls. I have never once seen this. This video sounds like a lead to a promotion for your metal raised beds.

[@samanthabowman6288]

Bingo.

[@honorneverdies6015]

There are companies that whole purpose is to fix block foundations that weren't properly sealed. Blocks touching dirt absolutely absorb water and cause major structural damage if not sealed properly especially in cold climates like Michigan.

[@samanthabowman6288]

@@honorneverdies6015 uhhuh... have you tried using wood or metal for your foundations and seen what happens?

[@Radioactivechemist]

@@honorneverdies6015 I am sure it is possible. I don’t believe the concern is as big as being described. My HD and Lowe’s leave cinder blocks out in the rain all winter (8 months of rain) with temps in the 20s ranging sometimes down to single digits. Their losses haven’t been sufficient enough to get them to place the cinder blocks under a shelter or cover with tarp.

[@ponytaclub5539]

Exactly, we are about to hear about a new product from Luke:) I don’t mind if it’s good actually. I love their seeds, even though this year garlic was with many dead spots, with worms and too many heads had very small cloves, I still have a lot of credit for the company because of great seeds I enjoyed for years

[@deborahmaier4272]

I built my cinder block raised beds 15 years ago. I have reconfigured the size of the beds three times, And all I had to do was move and add some blocks. Very flexible. I also plant inside the blocks. A lot of vegetables grow really good inside the blocks, although you have to water them more often. I started my raised beds when I was in my '50s, now I'm 67. I have no trouble lifting them and moving them. And the best thing is I got a whole bunch of them for free.

[@Argo53]

You must have industrial strength cinder; blocks of those size are typically 35 lbs here not the implied 50 lbs. And 35 lbs is entirely liftable for this 64 yo woman. Using 30 lb solid concrete blocks, fashioned to look like stacked stone, I built a 40" tall raised bed into the side of a hill. I was able to build it, from scratch, entirely by myself. No woodworking/sheet metal experience nor specialty tools required. Freeze/thaw in my 5b/6a is no issue; no bowing, rotting or rusting here. And it looks stellar. The way you are denigrating this building material, MIGardener must be set to launch its own brand of prefabricated raised bed.

[@donhorak9417]

I've enjoyed MI Gardener videos for years! And I will continue to watch. That being said, I do strongly disagree with you, Luke, on this topic. I could refute every topic you mentioned and I have not experienced any of the negatives you described. My block beds will endure for all of my remaining years.

[@kristinneathery3927]

I agree. He was really streaching on many points. I have all different kinds of beds and the block beds are the only ones I haven't had to replace. It has been 16 years and besides adding soil they are still looking great.

[@kelleclark]

How can you be so wrong? I have many double stacked raised block beds and they work fine! Wood ROTS and all the metal beds you hype are too expensive :( My blocks were free, btw.

[@kburkes4245]

Not sure what weight has to do with it, unless your ground is sinking. And they do stack 🙄 I think this is kind of a silly video.

[@MIgardener]

The ground does settle. All the time. And the largest thing we see all the time are the blocks shifting and separating.

[@paragonservices6328]

It's just block, it's no longer made with cinder. I think you're going to have to take the L on this one. Maybe if you started by saying that this is just not your preferred method and this is why instead of being so anti block. 6 years ago I thought my beds had to be made of wood. So I built one bed then realized it took forever, was a pain, and cost a fortune. Meanwhile, my husband is a mason so I had cubes of free block in my yard. I spent the rest of the season building beds out of block. I moved every single one as a 5'2 140lb woman. It was a workout but no worse than dragging boards around and screwing them together. These at least stacked easily with no other materials needed. 2 years ago my one wood bed rotted out. My block and brick ones are all still there going strong. To each their own but to be so anti one material is just... Odd.

[@juneramirez8580]

You have so much land to fill and are younger than a bunch of us are who watch you. Cynder block is heavy, true, but long lasting. We do it little by little. Cynder block can make a really beautifull bed by adding stucco to the outside, which is used a lot here in the low desert. Personally many plants here need dry soil! Metal here really gets too hot to touch when our temps hit 117 degrees every single day forcweeks at a time. The cynder block doesn't get too hot to touch. And I think in the winter the block absorbs the daytime heat and releases it during the night when we get our cold mornings which help out plants survive. But thanks for the lesson! And have a Wonderful Thanksgiving with your family.

[@ginaladd4520]

Wow! I have never disagreed with you before. I love my concrete blocks. This is my 3rd year. When I started, money was a factor and they were free. I have had no problems at all with anything I've grown. I didn't level the ground that specific. My carrot bed is 2 blocks high and is very sturdy. I like them because I can sit on them when I garden.

[@ginaladd4520]

I will add, that if I had to pay for them, I would not have. When I built new beds I used wood.

[@faithsrvtrip8768]

Carrots are prissy lill things that take forever to germinate. I like a constarch gel in a baggie so I can see the seeds. Other thing is carrots like fluffy dirt to grow nice and straight! Best carrot recipe: whole thyme stem scrubbed carrots (delicate thin ones) with duck fat, roast for 20 to 25 minutes on parchment. YUM.

[@brian8876]

I used 4" instead 8" block w/o any issues. When you fill it with soil it does not move around like you displayed. I have used them for years in Illinois, where it freezes and no block cracking or chipping. I use irrigation drip very successfully. But to each is own. Still like your videos 😂

[@downtoearthsewing]

I have 3 cinder block beds that have been producing for years. They are 2 layers high, so yes, 16"... They are hard to build but last forever, and you can reuse those blocks for whatever. I know, I know. Just saying they could be a good option for some people :)

[@januarysdaughter6664]

I honestly disagree with you 100%. I live far below the poverty line. I got all of my blocks for free by scavenging. I have 2 8x16 beds and line them with weed cover. I grow most of my veggies in there by succession planting. I've used boards, but they rot. Cinder blocks are versatile (you can move them around and add on later) and, again, are free if you are thrifty. Ive never had an issue growing in them - carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, on and on. Maybe consider not all people have a large income to go out and buy new things. I strongly disagree with you on this one.

[@stevehusk6215]

Have block beds for last 5 years 16 inches high and not had any problems your talking about. No block cracking, some shifting but easy to fix have good luck with tomatoes and potatoes. I live in Ohio and my block was just laying around also have wood beds. Started with straw bales they lasted a couple years didn't like them as much. Still trying to figure out the best way to make gardening easier 😅 thanks for your tips 👍 😊

[@garydunn4325]

I urban garden....my tomato spot is 2 foot wide and 11 feet long.....we lined it with cinder blocks..... works great and has worked great for many years!! And still will work great this coming planting time!!

[@sheke32]

I respect your opinion. I dont want to be doing a bunch of bending/crouching down to work a bed. And replacing every 5-8 yrs is not appealing to me either (especially whn my helping hands are at the age of leaving the coop)...wood in my area is just flat out expensive, metal is too for the height i want. I want to do my side garden (visible from the street) with blocks. I hvnt started it yet cuz im still planning it out and keeping my options open. All that to say, thanks for sharing cuz some of the things u mentioned i didn't know with using blocks for beds. And whether i still use the blocks or not, i rather have the pros and cons before i start buying materials or building.

[@originalwoolydragon8387]

Lay four inch capper blocks on top. Now you have a foot high bed, a solid surface to sit on and the cappers prevent weeds from growing in the holes. My wooden beds are rotting at an alarming rate. My 2 cement blocks are going strong. I'm thinking about trying cement backer boards a la Gardener Scott next.

[@LindaYoung-nw4xl]

That's what I did, too!

[@donnabrooks1173]

I watch him too.

[@jandcschwartz]

I just built one with two levels of blocks. It did very well this summer.

[@clm3436]

In the Hogan Road Community Garden & Greenhouse we have 8 5ftx20ft raised cinder block beds 3-5 levels high in part of our garden. They are great. Yes, with rebar and mortared. And a great water system with 6 head splinter unit at end of each bed. We need the heat from the blocks where we live and drainage as we get lots of rain. Wood will not last. Our system will last for decades.

[@breannahorton]

I love my block beds. The blocks come in 8", 6", and 4" standard, and 4" still works for cheaper and lighter. 2:00 yes, its more work to do block beds, but its so much more to rebuild beds when you have 16" of soil and your wood is rotted out. 2:58 First ones I built were just one block high and I grew potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and carrots in them with absolutely no issue. My tomatoes went crazy and took over the whole bed, growing well over my head. I originally used 6" blocks and used boards and sat on the edges very nicely. 4:19 Building up is no issue. Once you interlock them and its filled with dirt they're stable, but I've also used a small dab of landscape/concrete adhesive and they're not moving even when they weren't level. I'm building with 4" blocks and will probably do a few pieces of rebar, but I've also had to do similar with wood and metal because they bend and warp when you build beds that are 40'+. 6:10 are they hitting each other when you throw them? I've tossed them and even hit them against each other with minimal damage. It could also be a bad batch. 6:46 I live where it freezes, and I've had absolutely no cracking. These are used as a foundation for houses, if they just cracked like crazy because they got wet and froze I'm pretty sure there would be many many lawsuits against the manufacturers and builders. 7:36 I've not had any issues with my block beds drying noticeably faster than my wood, or getting much hotter than my wood beds. My metal beds had the worst time with the heat. 12:11 I orginally bought same/similar wood for my beds, and it could be where I live, but they were rotting and disintegrating in 2 years. I managed to make one of them last 4 years before I sold the house, but it was bowing and cracking open where it was rotting. 15:32 edited to add: I had hip issues pop up two years ago just after getting my plants in the ground in my one block tall beds. I was mostly bed/couch bound and did absolutely no work in the garden, except a few walks out there to harvest. I never watered, weeded, or pruned the entire summer, and while I didn't get as large a harvest as if I had tended it daily and the garden looked wild and crazy I still had an overabundance of food.

[@maxsands3861]

Luke you know dang well you were going to ruffle feathers with this one. Hahaha I making some popcorn just for more fun while reading the comments I'm sure they'll be many! Thumbs up, great entertainment!

[@Minnehaha64]

I don’t disagree, but I think some may have to deal with what they have. I discovered how bad concrete is for plants when I bought concrete urns for my husband's grave. The cemetery is on top of a hill with no trees, and the plants dried out and nearly died every time before I came back to water. No Bueno. My 2nd husband has built me a 3 X 8 raised bed from lumber that has been laying around. It's so tall I don’t really have to bend over to pull weeds! But when I wanted more, I purchased 2 galvanized steel beds, set them end-to-end with a few feet between and a cattle panel trellis in the gap. I still have my in-ground garden, with cold frames right now. But as I get older, I may only be able to plant the raised beds. As I said, people have to use what they have.

[@tthappyrock368]

I just bought galvanized raised beds. In the past, I've used wood, plastic lumber, and just mounded soil up. In our rainy climate, wood rots in a couple years. The plastic lumber is good but heavy and only gave me about 5 inches so was better as a border. As someone getting older and with mobility concerns, cinder blocks wouldn't be an option. Just lifting the + pieces that hold my hoop house hoops takes a lot of effort. I'm looking forward to installing the galvanized beds and an amazing garden in the coming year!

[@laurenhall48]

I love you and your company, but i have never seen you exxagerate problems so much to prove a point. Unless someones existing soil is horrendous, its not only 8"of growing space. Also if youve got 12 blocks there, its less than 350lbs. Like all things, different materials are better for different situations.

[@gingerlily4404]

I don’t know that I see it as extreme exaggeration, as much as passion for something he doesn’t like. I get that way about things too, especially with gardening preferences :)

[@donnabrooks1173]

​@@MonkeyBoy-sd9vc If you don't like him , then don't watch and go elsewhere. It's that simple. He has always had good content and information.

[@writingbybenjamin7406]

I think it depends a bit on what type of native soil you have. If you have decent soil under, you don't need to stack to get the depth. I have a few concrete block raised beds, but only because I am a renter and they were already here. I also have some galvanized steel ones, so trying out a few different options. As you said, gardening is not a one size fits all.

[@EdimentalGardens]

I could not disagree with you more. We’ve had our cinder block gardens for decades and I have zero regrets

[@hecker0402]

I made my cinder block beds three high , so I don't have to get on my knees, I filled them with logs, then leaves, then compost from my chicken coops, then I top them with pine shavings from the chicken coops. I have one thats 4x22 I haven't had any trouble with them. I live in northern Ohio and I have been using them for five years now.

[@craftyfarmer04]

Yeah for the first time. I disagree with you. We even use the holes in the blocks to plant some flowers around the bed.

[@martybellinger]

I couldn't disagree more! It was economical for me and was easy to set up. My plants did wonderful! I planted tomatoes and peppers which was super productive! I planted the pockets with basil, nasturtium, strawberries, zinnias, cosmos calendula and sunflowers. They all did excellent! I think it helped that I had afternoon shade and did not have problems with watering. I just had one level of cinder blocks ad it wasn't perfectly level, but it worked for me! I also had melons and zucchini as well! One of my best years ever!

[@qiubick]

I have beds with 4 to 8 inch boards and everything grows great because I take care of the soil, its life and fertility. When we have fairly good soil, this height of the beds is enough, unless instead of soil we have hard concrete. Please remember that 10 inch beds require twice as much compost as those with a height of 4 inches

[@gardeninjake]

Were just gonna have to agree to disagree on this one. Ive got 5 beds thar are 16 blocks long which is just over 21 feet, and 2 beds that are 9 blocks long or 12 feet long. I grew 1 of the long beds full of tomatoes this year and couldnt get rid off all the tomatoes I had. Im 6'1" 280 pounds with a midwest farm boy build. A 35 ish pound block in each hand is a piece of cake. The blocks from one of these beds was from a very dear church family friend who has now passed on. He built the bed in in 1975. Im still usng those same blocks with zero issues 49 years later. Show me a wood or metal bed that will last that long! Ive been using block beds for the last 10 years. I have been gardening since 1989 and and can grow a better garden in these block beds than in the ground. Soil tests show the ground is perfectly fine for growing and it does ok but not as good as the raised beds. Oh and each of my beds are 2 blocks wide inside and only 1 block high. And also cinder blocks are a thing of the past. They're cast concrete now.

[@dalehagen4527]

Can't say enough about "cinder blocks"!!! THEY AREN'T MADE FROM CINDERS ANYMORE!! What are those pretty block landscaping walls made from? Concrete blocks!!!! They last for years!! I made mine from 6" blocks. They take some extra time because you have to cut some sometimes. They will out last me!!!

[@DawaLhamo]

I have metal, wood, and cinder block beds. All of them work fine in different ways. Your "concerns" are way overblown. I don't know why you're so focused on weight, unless you're wanting a rooftop garden. I have no problems with fracturing over eight years of freeze thaw with my concrete beds. And the only drying problems I have are if I plant inside the holes, and that's the same problem as any container garden has. (I live in Missouri and I can assure you we get much hotter and drier summers than y'all in Michigan.) 8" is perfectly adequate as long as you till up the soil underneath before building the bed to allow root growth. I'd honestly say the biggest problems I've had with cinder blocks: if you plant in the holes, you can't lean on the blocks to reach the middle of the bed. It's a noticeable difference in reach for a 4' wide bed. If you don't plant in the holes and don't cover them, they become a place for weeds to grow. If you do plant in the holes, they can get too big and shade the bed (I had really good success with yarrow, marigolds, calendula, and wormwood in the holes - too much success.) Sure they have pros and cons - so do metal and wood. I think we can talk honestly about that without saying it is a bad idea altogether to use one over another.

[@wandafaircloth6934]

Sorry I’m on the block team as well. Less expense, in my opinion more flexible than other materials. I also use old cattle troughs that were free. They have cracked and will no longer hold water so they are the perfect raised bed for an old woman like me. I elevated them with cement blocks so now they are perfect height so I can stand and tend to my plants. The most important thing to consider is how to produce food. That looks different for everyone.

[@drusillawinters212]

Like most of the comments, I disagree with you. My raised beds are 2 rows high. They have worked well. Wood would be long rotted except maybe cedar which is prohibitively expensive. I filled my holes with soil and have grown bush beans in them for record crops. I have also grown marigolds and parsley in the holes. My beds are 4' x 8'. I am a small (5' 4"), old (72) woman and I did not find it difficult or tiring to build. My husband leveled the ground and I moved the blocks. We have 8 beds.

[@mikesgarage394]

Who cares what it weighs? You only have to do it once., not every few years like non treated wood. Not chemicals from treated wood - I know supposedly treated is safe 6"? away from the wood, don't think the plants will stay away from the wood.

[@lauriejohnson3001]

I like the idea of going into the woods and getting logs, but we don't all have our own woods, and I'd either be trespassing on private property or on state land to get them lol.

[@tammibolender3785]

I have grown in concrete block beds and didn't have a lot of issues. The beds were only one block high and I grew large indeterminate tomato plants. The biggest down side to the block beds is reaching and tripping. I don't know why I seemed to trip over them more than my metal or wood beds. I also had to really stretch to reach the center because the blocks are thick, kneeling on the blocks is painful. When the soil drops in the holes the spiders take over. I didn't like using them, but things grew just fine in them. If it is a choice if using concrete blocks or not gardening at all, use the concrete blocks.

[@littlehappyhomestead7751]

@tammibolender3785 if you ever try them again fill the holes. stops the spiders and gives more growing area also stops the tripping to an extent because you see the plants there.

[@triplecreekfarm2007]

Do you think that the roots of plants are going to magically stop growing because they’ve reached the bottom of the cinder block? A little truth bomb for you: cinder blocks are designed for use in construction - you know, like for foundations of houses. Entire schools are built with them. If you don’t want to lift them because they’re too heavy for you, that’s your choice, but most of the arguments you are making against using them for raised beds are bogus.

[@needobeedoable]

Cinder blocks make GREAT herb garden beds.

[@spage80]

I live in Germany and the hardware store sells rectangular slaps of concrete one meter long, fifty Centimeters wide and ten centimeters think. They also have corners and connection pieces. I have made four beds this way. I just put down cardboard, laid out the concrete on top and filled the center with organic material and then compost on top. One bed was filled with bought rhododendron soil because it was planted with eight blueberries They are now ten years old and look great and grow a lot of fruit and vegetables.

[@icarusdei6592]

I feel like a cinderblock murdered your cat or something. Never seen such a passionate hatred for the poor things. Personally, I'm a fan of concrete formed blocks (though not cinderblocks because I simply don't like the aesthetics.) The ability to easily place the blocks, reshape the bed to your liking over the seasons, and the durability of essentially being a permanent solution is too good. My wife has me building wood frame metal beds because she doesn't want to have to bend over as much, but if it was just me, blocks are the way to go. It's not like lugging 12x10x10' boards is exactly fun either. I'd rather lug the blocks around any day. I do wonder if adding some sort of moisture barrier might help with the drying out issue on cinder blocks.

[@patkonelectric]

The blocks are use to build basements and external walls without major problems.

[@victorialg1270]

The point where you are sitting on a double stack 😂😂. In the desert we double stack and line with billboard plastic to hold the water. A few holes in the bottom for some drainage and as you age you can sit on the edge while you garden.

[@petersoos498]

Growing vegetables is something I do for food and as a hobby. I've been growing vegetables since I was 14 years old (70 now) . I've built beds above ground with no side barrier, with galvanized panels (rusted out), with wood (rotted out and termite infestations - even the cedar ones). In my zone 8a California high desert region 10 degrees to 115 degrees garden, other than food safe container gardens, cinder blocks are for me the best investment. You can abuse any building material or misuse construction techniques as you seem to prove by your lack of knowledge in that area. I am glad you have found "a thousand other ways of building raised beds". Waiting for that upcoming series of videos BTW. Growing veggies is my hobby...not rebuilding and wasting money on raised bed materials every 3-4 years. I recommend your seeds to all of my friends but will warn them off of this video as it ( in my opinion) totally misrepresents a viable building material and it's use. Happy Gardening to all of my friends.

[@nancyseery2213]

We went with 24 feet long, 3 feet wide and 27 inches tall. We use metal roofing material. The bottom was filled with dead trees, weeds, leaves and wood chips and topped with two layers of cardboard when we had filled in the bottom 18 inches. We bought top soil for the last 8 to ten inches. Wood, even treated wood just does not last more than a year or two in my garden. We used repurposed metal shelving supports for the corners and electric conduct on the outside of the metal roofing to support the sides, spacing them about two feed apart. We do have to replace soil every other year as the level drops over the growing year. It has been about six years since we put the first one in and they are still doing just fine.

[@DaivG]

Construction Blocks come in different dimensions. The 4" wide (4x8x16) are a much better option (and cheaper) and some coated rebar stakes are an option anyone with a car can go to the home center and pick up and build a garden with. Getting 10 inch wide board of any reasonable length dimension automatically becomes huge hurdle for most people, while construction blocks are a great compromise (in price and possibility) for people just getting started.

[@jeas4980]

My husband built open sided boxes out of treated lumber and lined the insides with roofing metal. They went together super quickly and there's no soil contact with the treated lumber... the shiny metal is designed to be in the weather so we expect them to last for a long time. We've been very very happy.

[@soulseeker42388]

And also coated with chemicals to prevent discoloration from sun bleaching and to protect it from rusting

[@jeas4980]

@soulseeker42388 it's just zinc.. which is fine.

[@soulseeker42388]

@jeas4980 need to learn about heavy metal poisoning. (While you are safe for a good decade. But over that time period you are building up zinc or over metals that are leaching from that galvanized metal. And you never use galvanized because it can leaching its metals into your soil. Also most soil stays slightly acidic which will over time still oxidized and leach out the heavy metals and you plants with then uptake them with their nutrients.

[@DaveSmith-pm2yq]

The chemicals in pressure treated woods are something you should look into. It might not be safe.

[@soulseeker42388]

@DaveSmith-pm2yq good thing there are other types of wood to use other then pressure treated. You know kinda like heat treated

[@christalhorscroft8131]

I made cinder block beds 2 high, put concrete in every other hole and put caps in them. They look great and I love them. Not for everyone but it works great for me. Had them in place for 3 years now.

[@hoosierpioneer]

Blocks made in the past were smoother and denser than today's. I got old ones for free that have outlived the new ones.

[@mercurybard9794]

How old are you talking? Before World War II, cinder blocks were actually made from coal waste, and I've heard that those can leach some pretty serious toxins

[@robwasnj]

That's something I noticed, needed a few blocks to raise a pad for a pool filter so I stopped at the home center. The things were crumbling in my hands as I moved them! I do wonder if from other sources you can still get better quality ones.

[@marianne8705]

I agree with you. I tried planting nasturtium in cinder blocks and no matter how much I watered they dried up. Your explanation about how they retain heat makes sense. Thanks.

[@samanthabowman6288]

Ermm... I've used blocks in Southern Spain for growing all kinds of veg including tomatoes... not had a problem with them even in the heat we have here. They don't move around either once filled. -

[@natehunter2961]

A lot of people recommend for a super easy assembly using concrete blocks for the corners and lumber for the sides.

[@Technoanima]

You forget they last forever and you can always fill the insides with building sand to strengthen it. And you can stack them for 16" with sand.

[@NashRambler]

We have raised beds made out of various materials including cinder blocks. To keep the 2nd layer from moving we used Rebar and we filled both layers with small stones. What I don't like about cinder blocks is how hot they get in the summer. The soil dries out a lot faster than our other raised beds made with wood. I have to wet the blocks to try and cool them down. Also weeds manage to grow in the openings of the blocks. We plan to replace them at some point. Every design option can have pluses and minuses. I say try all of them and see what works best for you. Happy Thanksgiving.

[@skoalar]

I was going to point out the exaggerations and out right incorrect info in this video on cinder block raised beds but in reading through the comments posted here I can see that you have pretty much heard about it all ready. So let me just say this. I’ve been successfully gardening in “concrete” not cinder block raised beds for over 20 years. There is a difference between cinder block and concrete block OK, yes they are a tad bit on the heavy side at 35 lbs not 50 lbs. each. But at76 years of age I can still manage to move them around no problem. And that is one of the big advantages of blocks I can stack and restack them as I want to any new design need I come up with. Finally, no they don’t break apart in the freezing cold of winter here in Indiana. In that over 20 years I’ve been moving and stacking my blocks I e never lost a block because it was brittle and cracked from a winter freeze

[@johnhilbert3140]

I agree with a lot of your information and I have learned a lot from you but not this time. I set my blocks level and have had great success growing in cinder blocks and after a short time they settle and lock together. I have 6 of them and I want more. I live in Pennsylvania. I had wood raised beds the lasted 4 years. My beds have are more than 10 years.

[@sydohbaby]

I’d say it depends on your climate for those saying they disagree😭 I am in southern AZ and I do agree they dry out real bad and I almost died putting them together lol sadly I don’t have a gate in the alley I could drive up to and had to make 84,654 trips back and fourth from the drive way 😂 we said we would hire someone if we wanted to do more beds from them. I also had them in for three years and they didn’t crack but the end caps did(I don’t like the look of the open cinderblocks so I capped them off).

[@bigjohn6458]

one good plus for the blocks as garden beds, you know each inside square is 8 inches so it helps you measure out your plant spacing.

[@FrozEnbyWolf150-b9t]

I used cinderblocks because that's what we had available. The existing garden had paths made of cinderblocks, and when we had the garden refurbished years ago, we told the landscapers to use the blocks to make raised beds. They lasted a while, but you are correct in that they will eventually fall apart and be much harder to repair. The cement broke down after about 8 years and I had to scoop the soil out of the bed and stick all the blocks back in place. I'm going to have to do this for all of the cinderblock beds eventually. It's not ideal, but it's what we happened to have on hand.

[@mrogers2345]

Luke, I absolutely ❤ how you present all the pros and cons. I absolutely had a love, hate relationship with them. The one thing I liked about them, is how I could move them to fit my needs. Watering was challenging , and you definitely had to water more. The metal beds you mentioned, I am having mixed results. I moved from the N to the S and am learning what works for me. Wood down here, doesn’t last long. Sigh , termites and the sun seem to break them down faster. I am hoping to experiment with some other woods over time and document what lasted longest. As gardeners, we use what we have. I don’t have the luxury of 🌲 access anymore, but I did get left some bricks. Happy Gardening Everyone no matter where you are.

[@MIgardener]

Totally! Nothing is ever a one size fits all solution.

[@marshallfoltz4530]

Yes, all things mentioned about the blocks are true. I'll agree to disagree. I use them for one of my beds. Because in the deep south here in Florida I used pressure treated. And with how wet we get, humidity, rain etc. and the termites and grubs the wood would last at most three years. With blocks they help with excessive moisture, and retaining heat during what little cold we get. I don't worry about the heat retention in the summer because I have them under a large shade tree. Wood might be the smart option there but here it's the block that lasts and works the best. Also like you said I got some logs this year (free) cut so I could carry and used those in two raised beds under another shade tree for more heat and water sensitive plants that wouldn't work in the block bed ( lettuce, garlic etc.) which stays cooler. Just have to find what works for you and your area.

[@rockstar1734]

Respectfully, this opinion seems very biased based on Luke’s location, skill set, and physical size. Yes cinder blocks are heavy, but that’s what muscles and wagons are for. Additionally, in the south, you don’t have to worry about deep freezes and therefore the cracking risk is far less than in Michigan. Lastly, if you’re concerned about shifting blocks, just use sand in your base and mortar and a sealer in your joint. Not trying to argue that cinder block beds are for everyone, but they can be a very good long term option for certain people.

[@mattschnelle9330]

Love your channel Luke, but I would have to disagree with you on this topic. I have had wonderful success with my concrete raised beds, but I’m sure it depends on where you live and the soil beneath your beds. I live in south west Virginia, so water is not usually an issue.The blocks main purpose is to keep my compost from washing away. The only crop that I have issues growing are pumpkins, I need more sprawling room for those. Even if we disagree, God bless you and your family, and I’m wishing you gardening success in 2025

[@TaterFarm]

My experience over several years… I stack the cinder blocks, staggered to 16”. I fill the holes in the blocks with soil to plant flowers for pollinators around the edges. The soil in the holes with planted material holds and regulates the moisture levels, overall. Once they’re in place… they’re in place - they’re only heavy once! Cinder blocks hold the heat of the sun and warm the soil to grow in the ‘shoulder’ seasons. We use shade cloth over all of our gardens, here in Ga. - to regulate the heat of summer, anyway. We’ll have to agree to disagree on this one, Luke. I still absolutely love you, though! Wishing you much success in selling your raised bed kits! The Lord’s continued blessings! ❤️❤️❤️

[@jodip719]

While I agree that cinder block beds are a lot of work to put together, I thoroughly enjoy mine. My husband and myself put together a "U" shaped bed that is 30' wide, 15' long, and 32" tall. The blocks were free so cost was minimal. We strengthened with rebar and cement. Enterting the end of the garden's third year now and its done better than planting in the ground. All of us have different situations. We have a lot of drought where I'm at and keeping that moisture in the beds is crucial for me. We have such hard clay soil here that I would much prefer gardening in a raised bed than in the ground.

[@annagray1928]

We had cinder block beds for 10 years. We had 4 beds about 4ft by 8ft. No problems and great garden. We live in Arizona.

[@cindylee2379]

I am growing in a greenhouse. I was planning to use cinderblocks for outdoor flower beds. After watching this, I will use the cinderblocks for winter heat retention in the greenhouse. Thanks.

[@robwasnj]

Love your channel but disagree on this, you can just use a construction adhesive and use cap blocks on top. As for the moisture you could line with plastic or another sealant but I don't think the blocks soak up the soil moisture ore heat up as much as you believe. My house foundation is on cement blocks (cinder isn't really used nowadays) and my home was built in the 1950's, the blocks haven't crumbled or broken. I think the real advantage of blocks is longevity, I have raised beds built with wood that were put in about 7 years ago, they need replacement likely next season. Where I have room I'll likely go the block route.

[@LisaSimplified]

Thanks for this deep dive on cement blocks in the garden. I tried it, and was unsuccessful for all the reasons you mentioned. Now I have a pile of broken cement to deal with. Also, logs attract insects and is a home for breeding larva. I prefer the concept but found it to be impractical for the garden, unless you want to attract more nature.

[@inalittlebit]

Hey Luke, ALWAYS LOVE YOUR CONTENT! I use cinderblocks in the garden, but I live on a hill. Raised beds are our only options because there is nothing but rocks underneath. My husband and I adopted this idea because we are always losing soil when it rains. I appreciate the information you put together to educate other gardeners and myself who are looking at various ways to build a raised bed garden. What I am going to ask is if you have any ideas on what to remedy my issue for a raised bed on a hill that would be great. Maybe do a tutorial on how to terrace a hill for raised bed gardening and what type of materials would work well. Seriously, when it rains on our hill our wood beds pretty much have to be repaired every time it rains. There is only so far a person can go before you have to chisel your way through Earth LOL. As always love your show and thank you for what you do. We have learned so much 🥰

[@daviddevine2753]

I built 2 beds (4 x 12) out of 2 x 12’s. They lasted 2 seasons. That’s why I used concrete blocks to rebuild them. Yes, I went 2 high. My crops did just fine without any more watering than I did before.

[@renaebettenhausen3611]

Luke, I am new to your channel. I really don't understand your 16 minute rant about concrete block. Every material has it's drawbacks and advantages.

[@ellisshelby8579]

I replaced my rotting wood beds with concrete blocks. They were left over from some demo on our home renovation. So for us, they were free. I use a deep mulch method so the blocks are basically just retaining the mulch and creating a border. I do plant in the holes and you have to water a little more in the spring while the plants are established. Once the roots make it down to the native soil, you don’t have to water. I have established strawberries in the holes that I didn’t water once all year and I had three foot blue spice basil bushes that are just now dying back for winter. I haven’t watered them since May and we had a drought. I have tomatoes on the plants on Thanksgiving. I have Swiss chard in a bed that I haven’t watered in three months and it is doing fine. I think you raised a few valid concerns about the weight and stability but I have never had any crack from temperature changes and if I did, I would care. I wouldn’t have ever gone out and bought concrete blocks but since I had a bunch, I think it was a good choice for us. I would recommend them as an option when combined with a deep mulch method.

[@parham93]

The prices in Central Maryland for dimensional lumber are considerably higher than that. As of today 2x12x12ft are $28 and 2x12x8ft are $19... Granted it would be a bit bigger at 48sf but a 4 x 12ft (48sf) bed would cost $75 just for the 2x12's... due to the length adding in some 2x4 supports to keep the bed from bowing out and the screws/nails needed would push that closer to $90 for the 12" high raised bed.

[@slaplapdog]

This is ragebait, mild ragebait but still very obvious.

[@nik-lc3ob]

BS arguments against cinder block usage. All of them...

[@heatherjolly8389]

reading the comments are interesting. I thought blocks were toxic but I googled it and it's CINDER blocks that are poor to use but concrete blocks are okay.

[@eliinthewolverinestate6729]

We don't make cinder blocks anymore. Those are concrete blocks. Cinder blocks were made from cinders and ashes. A cinder block in black on the inside and really nasty. It kind of like difference between a screw and a nail.

[@karlsenula9495]

True but 1) you know what he meant and 2) I am sure they are still commonly called cinder blocks.

[@mcraw4d]

@@karlsenula9495The problem is he is viewed as a position of authority and he’s addressing some people that have zero knowledge of building materials. He needs to be precise with his verbiage so when the inexperienced people research this topic they are doing so with accurate information

[@rhondabarnes2020]

I enjoy your videos as they provide great information. However, I think concrete blocks are an inexpensive viable solution for starting a garden for anyone, particularly ones just starting out. This is a stretch and a miss for me.

[@123loveyourland]

I appreciate this info! I remember when I was a new gardener investigating every option. If cinder blocks had been on my radar, I may have considered them because they look cool! But this perspective from a seasoned gardener such as yourself would have made me reconsider. Plus my husband would’ve been so annoyed if I’d insisted on these beasts in my 600sqft garden. 😂

[@dyoung-g2k]

I've used cinder blocks, among other things. The only problem I had with them is they sunk into the ground or the ground came up around them. I took the beds apart and still have. Them for other things. The wood beds I replaced them with have fallen apart.

[@leeannluigi1644]

Luke, you need some farm boots! Great video!❤

[@natematheny8710]

Beds last 5 times longer when built properly with concrete blocks. Because something is difficult doesn't mean its not a viable solution in my opinion.

[@retiredinnameonly8429]

Sorry Luke, but I live in zone 9A in the California desert where our temperature extremes go from generally 15 at the lowest 117 at our highest. I’m 71 and I simply don’t have the tools or skills or patience to build. Wood raised beds. In addition, I find that lining my beds with landscape fabric (and underlaid hardware cloth for those pesky pocket gophers ) helps a lot. Just tuck the fabric under the top course. Mine are going in at this new home this next year and will be 3courseshigh, 4x8 and 4x4 beds. I’ll incoorporate native sand ( that is what we have here) and peat moss/coir, planter mix, manure, and compost, mix well and fill. The holes will make dandy placement spots for the posts that will ssupport netting, frost blankets , and shade cloth to keep the garden productve even when we have WEEKS above 100 degrees and one more thing : the blocks make great wind breaks with our almost daily winds.

[@dawnburton5961]

Love your videos Luke. But... I disagree. These work best for me at my age, low income, and messed up back. I have mine at 2 blocks high right now but i may have to go 3 blocks high as i age. Thank you for all you do, but some of us have to use what we can afford, build, and manage.

[@TheSeedsower107]

Obviously cinder block raised beds are not for you Luke but I love mine ! I did a lot of research on raised bed material options and chose the cinder blocks for my garden. Mainly because I wanted to build a perminent portage ( kitchen gargen ) to enjoy through my retirement years. It turned out gorgeous. Wish I could show you , and it is sustainable. No weeding and no need to replace material in years to come. I also painted them and addeed caps for beauty and so that I would have a nice sturdy place to rest while working in them. I have both single and double stacked beds, 14 in all. Love them both for their diversity .

[@gordonblair5372]

I LOVE THIS VIDEO!! Well done Luke. As usual you shared your OPINION on this topic and noted, not everyone will agree. Judging by the response, well you can plainly see. Welcome to the internet. It's his opinion folks, as he clearly stated. You are allowed yours too and he welcomed them but to say he is "wrong" and even go far as to suggest he remove the video, well all I can say is shame on you! Luke, Can you do another video about building beds with glass construction blocks? Congratulations on the new farm and keep up the good work! This Canadian appreciates all your videos. Cheers!

[@littlehappyhomestead7751]

@gordonblair5372 opinion is one thing, stating false reasons that literally aren't true is another and most likely will be followed shortly with buy MIGardeners new metal or wood raised beds 😂 this is why people are upset. misinformation is an issue in this day and age and influences are using their influence to spread it. that hamrs the community

[@Boringcountrylife]

As the wife of a mason I can assure you that Luke's facts are wrong. Even some of his gardening facts are wrong.

[@waynespringer501]

I'm just here for the comments, waiting until I find a SINGLE ONE that agrees with you......

[@wholefoodslifestyles3603]

I have 2 raised beds using concrete blocks and I'm ready to disassemble them and do something else because although they haven't cracked, they don't work well mostly because of the water issue as you said. I do have one that has sunchokes and they do well but any suggestions on how to not disturb them when redoing the beds? They are only 2 years old so they are not terribly established yet

[@natehunter2961]

Sunchokes are very resilient, most people dig them up and replant every winter

[@SconnerStudios]

After watching, I still completely disagree, at least with cinderblocks being bad for everything. They are PERFECT for herbs, especially mints and oregano, which spread like crazy if they're not contained.

[@cypherknot]

Once in place you aren't going to be moving them around. I use cinder blocks as a border and plant in the openings. I like bamboo barrier for raised beds. I bury my raised beds below grade as well as having them extended above grade.

[@johnshopkins554]

Disagree. Weight is no issue, it's a good workout. In terms of roots, 8in of soil to the top and then the ground for the roots to go into. Those spaces in the blocks, I plant green onions and strawberries. It's high up so less insects getting to them. In terms of structural integrity, it's filled with soil so even if it's not flush...hard to move or slip. I'm limited by space so I can grow so much more with tall plants on the inside and smaller plants in the outside. I've learned things on my own while gardening. Sorry Luke you're 💯 wrong.

[@AndrewCalhoun-fo1to]

In Florida, any wood will rot in a few years. Heat wet and termites. They can sink over time unless you place on a flat paver. This also helps with the leveling. Leveling doesn't have to be spot in just close. I agree that in other parts of the USA will be better off without cinder blocks.

[@rogaineablar5608]

Couple things.... if you mix in the soil, you can get 10 inches of plantable depth easy. Also, you get great mini planters for herb and flowers in the holes in the bricks.