Wooden edges (1) - why and how to remove sides, two stages

Bed edges are often useful to start out, then it's a question of how long to keep them. Here I show you removing five year old sides from a no dig bed created in 2015.
Then how to retain the sides? Or not - here I add compost to make rounded edges, after adding cardboard to create a weed free edge.
Shortly after we had filmed this video, we also removed the sides of my two trial beds in the middle of the garden. They were eight years old but made of oak, so not too rotten. However I had been noticing some slug problems and the birds are now wider for having no sides. Now the only remaining wooden sides are on the new bed which I created one month ago, for this recent video • Creating New No Dig Be...
You can see me cropping this bed in 2019 here • One bed - results of s...
I detail the plantings on this bed during 2018 and 2019 in my two online courses charlesdowding.co.uk/product/...
And you can buy one section of the course with Small Space Successions charlesdowding.co.uk/product/...
For Starting out No Dig, on many weeds and without sides, see my earlier video • No-Dig Gardening for B...
Filmed and edited November 2020 by Edward Dowding.
At Homeacres 1000sgm, quarter acre no dig market and teaching garden in Somerset UK, temperate oceanic climate zone 8.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @charlesdowding1nodig
As a member, you can watch a new video each month, exclusively for members. Your payments support my promotion and teaching of better, easier gardening. I offer bursaries for day courses and online courses, through individuals in charge of community gardens/allotments and school gardens. Contact us through my website to enquire about bursaries charlesdowding.co.uk/contact-us/

[@stephanier1336]

I watched this with my 6 year old daughter. She said wow mom, that’s a really good guy isn’t he? I said yes he is he cares for even the littlest earthworm. Thanks Charles.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Ah that is sweet, nice he watched and say hello from me 😀

[@mshirey2799]

I absolutely LOVED Charles saying “You know, maybe we’ll do a thing” and then the editor cutting in a snippet of him doing the thing “a few hours later” or “2 weeks later.” Such a fun addition!!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice work Edward, my son is the editor 😀 and it's fun working together

[@geirbalderson9697]

I am in California and have all raised beds. I use your compost method and as we are so dry here, the beds help keep the water in the bed. We shall see the longevity of the beds as they are all redwood from an old deck. Wish i had your rain totals. Good video as always Mr. Dowding.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for sharing, your dryness is a challenge

[@daxapanchal9959]

Love, love your concept of saving money, not to be showoff gardener, proud and perfect, but just grow??? Plus no washing is just the best myth to blow out! Thank you 🙏🏽

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yes! Thank you!

[@robc2536]

I'm inspired to go out and pull the rotting wood from my beds but they are under 6" of snow right now. It's always a pleasure to watch your videos, even when I can't go out and garden.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So different to here, best of luck and thanks

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Hi Charles, I love watching your methods and approach to gardening. My Mantra is "One Day at a Time " and after 50 years of gardening and turning the bed each season I feel like I'm learning gardening all over again. 👍

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for sharing Peggy, it's exciting 💚

[@littletuber3634]

Hi Charles I am from Hyderabad, India. I love gardening. But I have no place to grow plants like this. But by watching these videos I am regaining my energy. Thanks a lot for making videos

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I wish you healing, and then gardening 💚

[@the_artisan]

I've just bought your book Charles, started watching your channel in March and now I'm starting my own no dig beds!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Have fun Matthew and thanks!

[@Cyclonut96]

...and you can use the box the book came in to define the edge of your raised bed LoL

[@gertwolmarans6974]

Looks much neater without wooden sides anyway. Thanks for the video. Always lovely hearing your voice.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So nice of you Gert

[@sanjeevkumarsharma855]

Greetings from North India sir, setting up my farm for a food forest and no dig patches in between. Thank you for all the information that you impart with kindness, full of heart emotion. Thank You again.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Best of luck Sanjeev, and thanks!

[@atikagoswami3245]

Best of Luck Sanjeev!!

[@Cheriesgardenvegplot]

I'm turning my entire lawn over to veg next year and this video has saved me spending a fortune on wooden edges. Thanks Charles. Have a wonderful Christmas

[@davelawson2564]

use garden fabric (plastic) does not rot , suppresses weeds very well. gets hot and not great place for slugs to hide.

[@Cheriesgardenvegplot]

@@davelawson2564 Thank you

[@edallay6186]

@@Cheriesgardenvegplot Garden plastic will eventually rip or fail and then you will have an absolute nightmare trying to remove it. There's no need for plastic at all.

[@Cheriesgardenvegplot]

@@edallay6186 Thank you but I had no intention of using plastic. I am using cardboard to suppress all the weeds.

[@tinahart1712]

I loved your comment at the end about the lady whose husband was delighted he didn’t have to spend a lot of money after coming on your course. Back in the 80s, I used to practically worship Geoff Hamilton from BBC Gardeners World. He was always demonstrating new ideas for gardening and coming up with things that people could build themselves for less or practically no money at all. One was his windowsill box that reflected light back onto plants for people who had no greenhouse . I think that he was just getting into “no dig “before he died and came to see you once, he really was quite a pioneer of his time. Thank you for another great video, I have some vegetable sides that are rotting and will just pull them out next year, it’s so great watching you do this as it gives us confidence to go ‘sideless’, throw our cautions to the wind and still grow amazing veg. ❤️

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Lovely to hear this Tina, and yes I really liked Geoff when I had the pleasure of spending two days with him, back in 1988. He had great originality, because as you say he was just getting into No-Dig and he was one of the 1st to really promote organic as well, when it was not fashionable to say the least.

[@acolley2891]

You reminded me of an excited little boy when describing the earthworms, tiggywinkles and slugs. It's nice to love what you do isn't it?😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks and so true 😀

[@PurringMyrrh]

Oh my goodness, Tiggywinkles! Ive never heard them called that here in the US before. 😄 Fantastic.❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

From the work of Beatrix Potter!😁

[@PurringMyrrh]

I JUST discovered and ordered her biography A Life In Nature after seeing a bunch of her mushroom art! Just astoundingly gorgeous! We used to have a hedgehog when my brother and I were kids. Such strange and amazing creatures. 😄🥰

[@apsarasor]

I love your principles. I applied them in my garden. Simplicity is more. Strangely, I love listening to you at bedtime. The contents and your voice really helps me fall asleep. My husband doesn’t like that I am falling asleep to another man’s voice. Lol thank you for always adding new video. I look forward to each video. I love seeing and looking at the garden.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you like them and yes less/simple is indeed more. 😀

[@anilkapur1584]

Since the beginning of October we started undoing our second lot of raised beds which had roof clay tiles used as a border, we made the soil level and have made composted beds without borders on them. We have also removed all thick plants and mowed the whole farm with our very effective new electric lawn mower, we hardly have any slugs now, compared to approximately 7000 we killed since April. The hoops and fine mesh has reduced our work considerably and winter (your spring climate) vegetables are doing very well. My organic farm now looks like a organic garden, everyone visiting says it’s beautiful. We have achieved most of this in such a short time! Thank you very much Charles 🙏

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

How wonderful and you and thank you so much for sharing your results, which I find very heartwarming and encouraging!

[@thevegancorner]

The pleasure I get from watching your videos!!! :) I've literally bought myself an apartment with a proper piece of land with the sole purpose of replicating your way of growing. It is working wonderfully for the moment :) Thanks for all the precious information

[@AtheistEve]

I love your channel. Thanks for all _your_ precious information, too.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That is awesome! I wish you a happy time growing 💚

[@tallulahbeaverhausen4382]

The Vegan Corner !!! You are awesome and I really miss you, your top quality recipes and videos and your top notch humor. I hope you you are doing great. And I hope you'll upload new content when you'll feel like it !

[@GoustiFruit]

Yeah, we miss you, TVC ! I regularly re-check your videos and recipes (on your website too), hopefully you're happy even without your life on KZbin :-p

[@thevegancorner]

​@@GoustiFruit That One Piece avatar always comes to mind when I think about the KZbin channel; you must have left something like a few hundred comments over the years and oh my god have I enjoyed reading them :) Thanks for the continued support, it really means a lot even after years of ceased production.

[@pleasantwalks5833]

It appeared as though, in pulling that parsnip, you were pulling the drain plug on the whole of southern England.

[@thelees-livinginhislight]

😂

[@JoeMcKnz]

I get excited every time I get a notification that you've uploaded a new video. Started no-dig for the very first time this year, and it's going fantastically.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks. Rock on!

[@awinbisa]

Really refreshing to hear this.i know there are plenty of people who would buy specialist raised bed kits or buy timber costing hundreds of pounds just because it feels like that's the right thing to do.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🦉!

[@barkershill]

Yes that’s true. Same goes for decking . Neither of these are a good idea

[@bostonterriermom]

My sweet hubby replaced all my wooden sided beds with 8ft watering throughs. They are 2 ft tall and perfect for someone like me with a bad back. Always love watching all of your vidoes.... thank you

[@totolattetah7216]

Many thanks from France... Any of your videos is a kind of fairy tale... Every thing seems so easy and in fact, it is!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you like them!

[@stingaling]

I have been battling the raised bed edgers for ages. Thanks for the vindication! :-)

[@seattledrygardens]

I have watched dozens of your videos and they have meant so much to me. Thank you for everything you do. Here in the Pacific Northwest of the US a lot of people are devoted to their raised beds, but I have found in our drought touched summers they dry out much too fast and then you have to spend more water on the plants. Thanks again, I will keep watching!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Best of luck with new bed approach Hannah! Thanks for your comment

[@AmeliaRate]

I was so happy to hear about methods that don't require lots of wood and extra potting soil (aka $$$$), and I've already seen the benefit of creative shapes with cardboard. Right now I have one "traditional" bed I'm working on that is rectangular, but two others for flower plantings that are more naturally shaped. I used cardboard for the initial shape and am piling leaves on top, then as I plant them out I'll use compost and mulch right on top of all of that. Thank you for sharing all this knowledge with us!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds excellent Amelia, and great you are being so creative

[@fatherofchickens7951]

I loved the soft sell for the books as you started edging ❤️😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oh thank you 🍺 glad you noticed!

[@seansrecords]

To be fair , I only have 2 books on gardening and they’re both written by Charles , my bibles for my allotment

[@ucklaw2327]

Such a pleasure to hear you referring to other habitants of our Earth so gently and respectfully: i.e. "worms are shy" (in your "Compost Q&A" video, or "I have nothing against slugs" in this video! Love it.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks

[@MarshallSimmonsTV]

Very righteous and judicious throwing of the slugs into your hedges Charles, lol

[@that_auntceleste5848]

I like to this toss grubs and cabbage worn caterpillars where the birds can get em.

[@catherinegrace2366]

@@that_auntceleste5848 I wanted some chickens to get them 🤷‍♀️

[@maartenvt]

I sometimes do that too. But when there are too many, I go out at night, when the air is not too dry, with my pruning scissors, walk through my beds, and cut the "heads" off. It might seem rude, but I find this way to do this nasty job very fast, with least of suffering for the slugs. Kills them instantly. When the pest is very bad, it can be dozens a night, for a few nights. Then the pest is much less afterwards. Especially the large ones which are very visible and harmful. When it's under control I also throw the ones that I find behind the fence, where there's some wild nature going on. I think finding balance is important. But do it with respect and don't take all. Make some sacrifice for nature too. If I would kill all slugs, no predators come to my garden. That's also what I think of wildlife management in general. When wild boar is getting to numerous for instance, this could be very harmful for nature and farmers. Because there are no more wolfs or other large predators, I think it's ok for man to intervene. But hunters are thinking of themselves as conservationists. But they just try to justify and sublimate their lust for the kill and play. I find that ridiculous. Population control should be the work of veterinarians or other people that care for the animals and find it a bad job. Nobody should be allowed to kill animals for pleasure, even if it serves a useful purpose. Although a good experienced shooter makes a swift kill. I make my garden hospitable for hedgehogs, and I'm also getting rid of all those bed edgings I made in the past...

[@debstarcrazy]

We had a massive slug problem when we first moved in and started gardening. The previous owner had used pellets with no success. When we started gardening we really struggled at slugs ate anything that wasn't in the house! After a season we decided to put in a small wildlife pond as I had read that frogs eat slugs. Within literally days we had tadpoles, and now we rarely, if ever see slugs, and even then only tiny ones. Gardening organically has, as you say Charles restored the balance here and our wildlife diversity has increased noticeably year on year. We do the RSPB Bird watch and this year saw almost 80 individuals over a weekend, from 30 species. Not bad for a suburban garden. We still get a number of snails but they are much easier to spot and move on, plus one of our favourite moments was seeing a song thrush crack one open on our path recently. We have raised beds due to very heavy soil but I haven't noticed them harbouring pests, I will have to look carefully now I have watched this video though. Thanks again, Great information that I will probably use on our next set of new beds.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

This is great to read and congratulations on all those lovely successes

[@gabrielagoralczyk1468]

Dziękuję za rady ! Nauczył mnie pan w ogrodzie więcej niż rodzice.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Przepraszam za błędne tłumaczenie i wielkie dzięki :)

[@kashifrancis5537]

I love the way you show share the whole process of spotting something to improve, then go about it in way that involves the least effort and resources to get the result. Your relaxed approach to gardening certainly helps reduce the stress. Thank you.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you very much Kashi, glad to help

[@watercolordixie]

I think my wife is giving me your recent No Dig book for a Christmas gift. I cant wait!

[@peachesandsugar1]

I never had wooden sides, why kill a tree to raise veggies, I used cardboard on my front lawn and compost on top, been growing and eating for the past 3 years and loving it. Thanks Charles.

[@Dragons_Novel]

With the new beds I made this summer, I followed your advice and didn't put wooden sides on them. They are slightly raised and butt against the path. The five small beds I made many years ago will be dismantled next summer. I had a horrible time with slugs in them this year, so I'll see what I can do to eliminate these pests. As always, thank you for sharing your expertise.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice to hear :)

[@momcation9786]

“Have fun and be creative” is what I learned from you today. Thank you Charles! I won’t use any wood borders and will follow your lead. Also no-dig garden does not involve lots of money thank you again for being a great teacher! Stay safe and healthy!

[@1fanger888]

Hi Charles! Good to hear from you today. I have been into horticulture and lawn care for about 50 years now. I have learned about pressure treated wood, just a few things. In the States, it was known as "Wolmanized" for decades, until the patent ran out. Then, a whole industry sprang up, and quality went down. I figure, if you have to inject harsh chemicals into wood to make it last longer, it can`t be good for plants.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for sharing and I guess that is correct!

[@denisebrady6858]

There we go " NO DIG GARDENING " Perfect Charles once again. Merry Christmas from Denise - Australia

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Denese and I wish you the same in your hot and lovely summer!

[@lewisrogers3991]

Charles, I've following your videos for a year now and watched most of your back catelog! The results in my veg garden using no dig this year have been phenomenal. This is despite our very destructive puppy in the spring and summer! Applying no dig meant less time preparing beds and weeding and meant I could spend more time raising plants indoors for transplanting outside. This to me has been invaluable. Thank you for all the great content! I'm looking forward to January to start it all again with a slightly better trained dog that will hopefully stay off my beds!

[@lewisrogers3991]

#nodog

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Hi Lewis, what wonderful news and thanks for sharing this, plus I hope your puppy watches a Wallace and Gromit to learn intelligent behaviour!

[@cynthiafisher9907]

Finally someone has said what I’ve been saying for a long time, wooden sides harbor pests! Thank you!

[@sandyg3772]

Wooden sides (or any other material) keeps my brother from tilling up my beds. Until he sees the wisdom of no-till gardening, I will keep putting some sort of barrier around my beds. BUT, I understand your point.

[@NS-pf2zc]

@@sandyg3772 lol, thankfully I never tilled starting out. I think it gets addictive to people and is a hard habit to break. Personally I get sad every time I see tilling.

[@sandyg3772]

@@NS-pf2zc he's got a John Deere tractor (man toy) and the open space is too big of a temptation. And, we have large-scale farmers in our blood-line, so he has generations of teaching to undo. It saddens me to see the tilled earth too. It looks like giant scars.

[@NS-pf2zc]

@@sandyg3772 Oh yes, large scars indeed! You have an uphill battle there! We farm with livestock and gardens without a tractor, but I’ll admit, once a family member lent one to me for a week. I moved massive amounts of compost in hours compared to days. I honestly want one, lol. I just can’t justify the cost. 😊 you might want to sneak some Gabe Brown stuff in with him. They farm a very large tract, but with no till and get magnificent results.

[@lynnrushton7458]

This year in my plot, slugs MADE IT PERSONAL! I’m gradually reducing my wooden sides, now that my plot is taking shape .......thanks Charles 🙏

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Graphic description Lynn! Slugs don't like a dry sense of humour! I wish you well

[@lynnrushton7458]

Charles Dowding 😂😂👍

[@ontheotherside4611]

I so appreciate this video! As my raised garden beds break down this helps me in the transtions of the beds thank you so much! Onward and upward.

[@NS-pf2zc]

There is a part of me that loves the wild and messy, but your beds just make me swoon. They are just so gorgeous and tidy!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Haha thanks! Tidy can resonate

[@SayHelloToOblivion]

I absolutely agree. All of my raised beds have termites harboring in the wooden sides. I’ve had these raised beds for about two years now (untreated wood) and just noticed it this autumn. They are two feet tall and I will eventually convert them to shorter, cinder block beds.

[@thetessellater9163]

I kept a small area of my previous, larger garden where I would put any old rotting wood. This became a great habitat for all sorts of things and supported a large colony of woodlice, which in the depths of winter, small birds would peck through to feed on. They didn't seem to mind that it may have been treated, if well weathered. Try it. Recommended.

[@markw5779]

I am loving this no dig approach,It’s my first year at trying and have had rewarding results,I am on super heavy clay and digging was a nightmarish backbreaking chore,I used feather edge fencing boards at the start of the season and bought in compost,I removed the boards a month ago to create more no dig beds,the compost is nicely compact but not solid and now slopes down to wood chipped pathways,would never of considered going full out gardening again if I had not discovered your channel,massive thumbs up from me and I have a very nice calendar for next year too, I

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It's lovely to read this and thanks for your feedback, I am very happy that you are so enthusiastic now!

[@2011sophiee]

Another fantastic video as always Charles!

[@chriss2295]

Happy Holidays!, Charles. Thanks for all the great content and your books in 2020. A Godsend!

[@taffpatch1]

Loved watching you tugging on your parsnip, Excellent video as usual keep em coming xxx

[@westlakefarms]

I also started my no dig garden with raised beds of wood, and after the first season, and lots of slugs, I removed them..still have some slugs but not as much. New York, Zone 7a..Thanks for the video Charles !

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Progress!

[@teddybear1757]

This gives me great ideas for my beds. Thanks!

[@GardensforLife]

Great info as always! Thanks Charles for making your videos! All the best and Happy Christmas!

[@amycrowell3972]

I learn so much from his videos and smile the whole time while doing so! 😀

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😀!! Thanks Amy

[@MegaMidds]

Rather than laying a path of cardboard in this situation especially I would use a spade to create a wedge trench to put the card in a d make a vertical barrier. I've done this method using newspapers before. It works well

[@ClausenWorld]

Always a wealth of great knowledge. Thank you.😊🎄

[@karchvs]

I watch all the time. I used your examples creating a rose and flower bed last year. It worked great. This year I have expanded. Thank you!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Wonderful Karen!

[@waynesell3681]

Thank you Charles. Been watching and listening to your videos , maybe a dozen so far. Im in Michigan zone 5b. Our first snow is about 4-6 inches happened over the weekend. Beds are tucked in under leaves for the winter. Will be watching thank you ..

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good luck with winter Wayne, enjoy the videos

[@maryrobison1984]

Good to know this. Lumber is expensive now in the US, where card board boxes are cheap or free lol. Thank you 💘

[@serapulku4964]

My husband and I have received very valuable information about horticulture by watching your videos...First of all, thank Mr.Dowding ..We are lookıng forward to your every video, hope to see you

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It's my pleasure Serap

[@JasonLockwood87]

I just got your calendar for my Birthday. Can’t wait to put it all to practice. Thanks for everything Charles. I’ll send you a video tour when it’s all up and running 😁

[@rocmann461]

The calendar is amazing 😍

[@Honest_Reviewer.]

Amazing video. Really enjoy seeing something that takes my mind off the "world". Thank you for doing these videos.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you like them!

[@markd5804]

Thanks for another great video! I currently have 8, 4 foot by 10 foot beds with 2”x8” sides, great to know I don’t really need the lumber to add more.

[@jeshurunfarm]

I was not aware of your neighbours, even after you mentioned them. Send them my regards. Respect from Africa 🇿🇦

[@cierradaniel7764]

Thank you for all the videos. I appreciate it here in the States. I'm starting my first garden this coming year and i have been watching and studying all the videos I can. You're such a delight and very informative. Hopefully it wont be anxiety filled process as I thought it would be.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I still have worries after setting plants in the ground for example, will they survive? Amazingly they mostly do and I wish you a lovely time creating your garden.

[@jimsgardenproject3507]

My beds are made from pallets and have given their all. I was thinking about making proper raised beds but 200$ is a lot of money to invest when all I need is some cardboard and compost. More time spent on what goes into the bed rather than around it. I’ll give it a shot.

[@camicri4263]

Awesome! That is so right, you don't spend a lot of money and I think that what gardening is all about! Merry Christmas to you and your family Charles!🤗🌲

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you Cami. You too!

[@lavondacarter7228]

Hello from Tennessee, always enjoy your video's !

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you like them!

[@isabelleblain9657]

We just built our raised beds this spring, using untreated pine wood. Knowing that it would rot eventually we tried to delay the inevitable by putting a layer of thick plastic on the inside between the soil and the wood, and painting the outside. We had to build the beds fairly high (20 inches) because our native soil is pure sand, 150 feet deep of it!!! We used hugelculture principles in the beds. Hopefully we are several years away of having to take the wood out.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I wish you success Isabelle!

[@rachelroelands9928]

You've certainly saved me money. Wood is expensive. I made a wooden rased bed our of a pallet a few years ago, but that was a lot of work

[@JP-xj7xc]

Here in the US (and I suspect in the UK) there are two levels of pressure treating. Larger dimension lumber (4X4, 6X6. etc . in the US) are treated for ground contact, and will survive for a very long time. Dimension materials like those you were using to form your beds are not treated for ground contact, only for weathering. So, they will rot at nearly the same rate as untreated lumber when in contact with soil, as in your case. The treatment is the same, it's just a matter of how much treatment compound the manufacturer uses and how deep the material penetrates into the wood. The label- in the US- will tell you which treatment level you have.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Many thanks JP, useful information. I needed to use untreated.

[@goatgate3815]

Always smart info. Thank you. I'm using large, heavy sheet cardboard from a local glass shop. Style it in one piece with 8" sides and 20" aisle, temporarily held in place by stepin hot wire poles. Which have many other garden uses. Example when the wind blows step them into tarps, cardboard etc. Save bending over too. The aisle is filled with sweet gum balls, commercial wood chips, straw and leaves. Five 60 foot beds, 36" wide and 10" deep.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That's a lot of great ideas!

[@esrcornwell]

Oh man that last bit was perfect. My wife says that all the time, lol.

[@samyu2971]

That is a wonderful idea! I have an edge that needs to be refined and I don't want any bricks or wood at the edge. Thank you, Charles!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Very welcome!

[@julesb4887]

Thanks Charles. Two of my raised beds have rotting wood. and I was thinking of removing them completely. I definitely will now. Thanks for all the great info and stay safe.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad I could help Jules

[@craigmetcalfe1749]

Once again Charles you have taught me the power of observation in the garden. Not just as the well spring of life long learning but as a real situational awareness that requires thinking on ones feet and always looking to turn problems into solutions. I try not to miss any of your videos as there is always something to take away and use even if it seems unrelated to the focus point of the video's title. I hope you are planning a Christmas feast from your garden and would love to see a video of what you selected and why. If you ever write a cookbook, I will be your first customer. Stay safe and test negative!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks so much Craig, nice to hear. Yes we shall feast from the garden, just a little more than every other day!

[@helenedgington3135]

Going to start this on our allotment this year thanks 🙂

[@vintagemaison3553]

I took all the wooden sides away last year due to slugs and snails. I've gone for gently rounded beds, and it's worked very well for me.

[@robynnbryar1977]

But why? Why don't the slugs and snails more easily enter your rounded edge beds? I am curious? I don't have raised beds I have compost and no till perenial beds that are ravaged by these monsters. They just crawl on in. I swear they must crawl through the street and over gravel unless they are dropped in by birds.

[@sandrafuentes3449]

Hola señor dowding mucho gusto de verlo. Feliz día ♥️

[@chwastozercyancientslowfoo205]

That's very helpful tip, thank you 💚

[@RiverPlaid]

Thank you Charles 🌸

[@Nori-xt8uj]

I love your garden so much 🇺🇸

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thankyou Nori

[@vanessataylor4125]

Loved your video Charles. I am slowly getting rid of by raised beds and also the membrane I laid underneath them. It is a heavy workload as I have 17 of them two scaffold boards high. I have had really really bad slug problems and then of course the problem of my beds drying out in hot weather. It was a good idea at the time, but as they say you live and learn! Keep up the good work.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Wow membrane too! Great you are changing it Vanessa.

[@bucurgabriela2083]

Great advice! Thanks!

[@Chris-op7yt]

when i finally worked out that the expensive raised sides garden beds have been mostly responsible for mid-summer crop failures in my dry climate, i was not too pleased. they cant keep our grass out anyway, so always had that in check. most of us beginners go to the expense, ongoing work and try to deal with attendant problems of being boxed in, because we didnt know any better how to organize a plot and many people on the internet push the idea of raised beds providing a perfect ground (replenish compost every year) for best veggies ever. most of it lies, including the less bending lie being sold. a 1.2 metre deep standard raised bed is very inconvenient ergonomics when you have to stretch as you cant get on top of it. i have repurposed some of the half rotten wood as large pot plant stands, garden seat and a table, and still have more left over from originally having made six raised beds 1.2 x 2.4. not going back to raised beds, seeing how much better standard rows are. raised beds are a double whammy, as you spend lots of time, energy and more money trying to make enough compost to keep up with receding soil levels. good riddens raised beds.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cheers Chris, and a good point about the ergonomics because yes, although raised, you maybe have to bend more since it's further away!

[@ben-fe3zy]

Bindweed loves following the wooden sides of raised beds in my garden.

[@estyria5961]

We have bindweed where we live as well, pretty flowers, but annoying when it grows where you'd rather have veggies.

[@auyannaplants]

I love using cardboard in the garden especially for suppressing weeds but I find that it becomes a breeding ground for cockroaches in my area. Thanks for sharing.

[@AmeliaRate]

Where are you located? I'm in Augusta, GA. I started using cardboard, but I'll keep an eye on the cockroaches, thank you!

[@auyannaplants]

@@AmeliaRate I am in the Savannah area. The cardboard definitely works but I don’t know if it is the trees surrounding us. I sprinkle food grade diatomaceous earth to keep them from taking over the garden 🪴

[@MariA-nw5qx]

We (UK) have slugs and you have cockroaches - that's so fascinating to hear different locations have different challenges!

[@inbloom2006]

Excellent timing, my original beds are falling apart and I was wondering how to repair or replace them. Perfect answer, just don't!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Perfect!

[@andreagatti4830]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig First of all have my greatest compliments for all you are doing. I really liked the “philosophy” behind your work and your teaching. You would be the perfect neighbor to “stalk” with huge number of questions but also to be grateful for years.

[@andreagatti4830]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig I would like to ask one first question (you may have addressed such question in many occasions but I am not aware of): how and why you feel secure about the the cardboard you so extensively use? I understand that you use cardboard without writing/labels of any sort, but what about the matrix itself (the assembly of several layers). I heard that some sort of glue is used to make up cardboard and glue in general is never a safe material. You may have info that I ignore and I would really like to know. Thank you in advance and best season’s wishes.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

@@andreagatti4830 thanks Andrea and a good question, which I don't know a lot about, I read in the New York Times that Stanford University have trialled cardboard and found that fungi eat the glues. I actually do not use cardboard very much, only in starting out to help kill weeds by smothering, and after that not at all except in making compost.

[@andreagatti4830]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you very much for considering my question. I think it would be interesting to pursue a sort of “opinion campaign” to lobby in favor of safe cardboard (recyclable and compostable and above all atoxic). I understand that some companies produce “clean cardboard” or more likely “cleaner cardboard”. That may have a huge impact on the levels of pollution given the extreme increase in on-line shopping all over the world.

[@belindadomingo]

You’ve talked me out of adding wooden edges to my garden bed now! The way you’ve changed it is how I do my bed now 😀 but I do find it tricky to stop water from running down the slope and soil eroding. Be interested to hear how you manage that

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I wonder if your bed contents are more soil and compost, because I find that mine of pure compost absorb water readily and there is no erosion problem at the sides.

[@belindadomingo]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig that is spot on! Mine is a mix of garden soil, compost and aged chicken manure... with sandy soil underneath as we’re coastal down here at Phillip Island, Australia. I’ll keep adding compost which sounds like it’ll help with my problem. Thanks Charles and happy holidays 🎄

[@stefandomagalski3722]

Looking beautiful Charles! I personally dampen my cardboard before laying it down. That helps to keep it in place. I wish you a merry Christmas and happy New Year 👍Keep up the great work! You are an inspiration to humanity 💚🌍

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚 thanks Stefan

[@milkweed7678]

Neat video as always! I have tried two different thicknesses of cedar boards at two different times and both started rotting within two years. Each board could have been used for various different building jobs. Now I'm trying covered heavy, durable, landscaping fabrics near the edges of wooden beds and no sided beds.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Interesting!

[@kjrchannel1480]

The only advantage to a wood side bed would be if it is on a down hill to act as a terrace, or you are in an area that doesn't get rain soaked. Over the years even an in ground garden will end up with raised beds if you don't elevate the pathways with the growing areas.

[@Lauradicus]

So funny to watch you tossing slugs. I throw mine up on the hillside, lots of decaying matter up there they can attend to! It has been tempting to put side on with all the rain but I’ve resisted the temptation and only one small section has crumbled - so far. Fingers crossed!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😀

[@OrtoInScatola]

Raised beds with wooden sides are very comfortable on the back and allow people with back or knee issues or with other types of disabilities to garden. They are certainly expensive but they also are beautiful to look at. After many tries killing couch grass with cardboard and compost I have given up on the cardboard method, which does not work, at least not with the kind of grass I have in my garden here in Italy. Even with 50-60 cm of compost on top after 5 years they still find their way through.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Interesting! I am not sure that the grass roots can be surviving for five years in a dark place with no light at all, and think it must be coming in from the sides, which always need controlling by mowing and trimming. Whatever, good luck with alternative methods!

[@pio4362]

Your garden is looking splendid this December! Over here I've got puddles of water forming on the paths between some of my ND raised beds (which have no timber sides either). I'll be planting the rest of my broad bean plugs soon, though I realise I may be taking a risk given all the winter rain which has made the bed surface extremely damp. I guess I can come back and try again in January should they fail, but I have been impressed with how well they germinated indoors this dark time of year.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good luck, forecast is drier weather from 24th, anticyclone near W UK

[@terrypatterson1481]

Happy Christmas to you and your family Charlie from all of us here in Wallsend.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cheers Terry and ❄️

[@cg2247]

Es una maravilla todo lo que usted hace sin gastar mucho dinero. Gracias por la traducción .

[@pricklypear7516]

My guiding question (for just about everything, but especially gardening) is this: If it requires money, is it really the BEST way, or the way that's being promoted to line someone's pockets? It's amazing what good results you can get for cheap or free.

[@bernboncay7644]

Amazing, thank you, since I have allotments I always dig non stop because, weeds like magic 😂

[@christianpetersen1782]

Hi Charles, we had to have sides for our raised beds in our small garden. They were tanalised too and soon rotted in the constant damp from the soil. I replaced the corner posts with an ‘imitation wood’ product made from recycled plastic and the sides from builders scaffold boards. I lined these with dampcourse, stapled on. I laid the boards on the edge of the path paving slabs and screwed them to the rot-proof posts. it seems to have worked so far. I would like to use your mound design but the boards enable us to maximise the grow area in our small garden - needs must! I hope this helps your followers with small gardens. Thanks for the inspiring video. Happy Christmas and New Year. Stay safe.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Many thanks for this question and I quite agree you have an excellent solution there, for your situation. Happy Christmas

[@sophiematern8357]

Always valuable information to apply to creating a successful No Dig garden. Can you please create a video for Canadian climate No dig garden.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Noted and it is turning frosty here next week!

[@dianaluna4277]

Hola , desde Argentina te saludo. Aprendo muchisimo con tus videos y voy implementando poco a poco todos tus consejos y obtengo excelentes resultados .Muchas gracias.👍

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Maravilloso Diana, gracias

[@grigorasdoaga3520]

Be creative...this is what we all must remember!!!