3 reasons NOT to buy metal raised garden beds
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 มิ.ย. 2024
- Hey there nature lovers, in today's video I share my top 3 reasons why I regret buying metal raised garden beds. I have my permaculture design certificate and a masters degree in sustainability and I still got sucked into the raised metal bed trend. As this channel is all about my eco endeavour and sharing best practices when it comes to permaculture and sustainable living, I figured I'd make a video offering up a different perspective for you to consider before you spend your hard earned cash on an expensive metal raised garden beds.
Almost ALL of the youtube videos about metal raised beds are giving you a biased opinion because the youtubers sharing that information are trying to sell you metal raised beds through affiliate programs, meaning they get money if you buy the raised beds through their link after their reviews.
I'm not against affiliate programs because I do think they are a great way to share the wealth. But I do believe that an unbiased perspective should be shared, and the influencers pushing consumerism through affiliate marketing are not sharing an unbiased opinion.
In my humble opinion, I believe influencers have a responsibility to be mindful of the environmental, social, and economical impacts of the products they are influencing others to buy.
I hope this information in this video can help you decide if buying a raised metal garden bed is the best choice for you. - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I have had these garden beds for 2 years now, and I love them . They are much cheaper to buy than wood and easy for this 68 year old woman to put together myself. I live in SW Florida, and I garden year-round, and I haven't had any issues with them. I have no regrets, and my garden looks esthetically pleasing. I have brought all of my own beds, and I don't sell them. To each is own.
Agreed. I'm in north central Florida. My beds are the better quality coated versions from Olle and do not noticeably heat up. I quit using wooden beds, because untreated wood will rot within 1-2 years in my climate and I don't want treated wood chemicals anywhere near my food source.
You don't have a heat problem?
@@charlescourtney4412 Are Olle beds insulated or made of a different kind of material used? I have the tall and short stock tanks that I put holes in living in Virginia 7b. This is my first year so I'm not sure about the heat factor but I can tell you that I'm dealing with underground critters (moles, voles, gophers, chipmunks, etc.) which is why I went this route meaning having an open ground bed wasn't an option. With the short stock bed (12" high) I drilled holes through the sides 1" above the seam line to retain some water so it didn't flow out the bottom as much so when water starts coming out I know to stop watering. Water is so expensive where I live. This is an experiment so I have no idea how it'll work out. I got the idea from winterizing in water jugs and makes for a great mini greenhouse environment. Found the idea on YT and worked great for me and all are flourishing in the garden plus I had a jump start to the season in Spring. I've never heard of the Olle brand so I'll have to check them out. If they do well in FL then they'll well anywhere.
I haven't had a problem in Florida either plants love them. Heat doesn't effect them at all I have 9 of them all thriving plants after 2 years no problems! What works for someone else doesn't always work for you!
Wood beds in my climate would be a waste given how wet it is and how quickly they would rot. I agree, to each their own.
Hot tip for all gardeners: buy a sturdy plastic stool so that you don't have to squat, kneel, bend over, or sit on the side of your garden bed. Just about the best $10 you can spend on your garden.
You could get one of those shower stools cheap or even free if you check Grandma's old stuff. You can even leave them outside because they're waterproof.
I'm using an upturned Home Depot bucket and a $1 kneel pad from dollar tree. Can't wait to upgrade lol.
I use a plastic milk crate and a cheap kneeling pad. Not pretty but it works.
I support this😊 weeding the long long raspberry bed 2 days ago I am so aching still must have cut my circulation
As with any gardening project, experiences vary. You want a hoop structure for metal raised beds? Try four or six short lengths of rebar pounded into the soil next to the bed, then slip conduit/pipe over it and bend it in an arch - works great. An arched trellis over the top of my beds gave my tomatoes and cucurbits plenty of space to grow vertically. Don't like leaning on and over the beds to harvest and plant? I love being able to pull an outdoor chair next to the bed to do whatever I need to do. I didn't have the same experience as you did with superheated soil in my painted (color exterior, white interior) beds. My tomatoes, squash, eggplant, etc., gave bumper crops. Perhaps the white interior was reflective, or my lining the beds with surplus cardboard boxes helped insulate the soil and retain moisture. My soil does settle some from season to season, but that's a benefit! I'm able to mix fresh compost, peat, etc., into my beds to build up the soil level and the nutrients for each new season. Personally, I'm not physically able to build my own wooden beds, nor can I kneel on the ground to tend my garden. Sit on the ground to garden, as you demonstrate? Not going to happen. It's raised beds (to a height that I don't need to kneel - mine are 17 inches high) or no beds for me. And, like you, I'd much rather grow my own vegetables than purchase them. I don't disagree that the metal beds are more costly than the wood ones (assuming one already has all the tools and is able to find scrap wood and build one's own beds rather than purchase wood and hire someone to build them), but I was able to buy my metal beds at a great discount by purchasing in the off season. I was able to sit outside on the back steps and assemble them, no problem, then pull them into place. I wouldn't have been able to do that with wood beds. My opinion is not sponsored, doesn't contain affiliate links, and is not otherwise on behalf of any particular company. It's just my experience and circumstances, which differ from yours. I don't at all regret my purchase. I'm sorry that you do.
That's exactly what I did to make my hoop house over one of the metal beds. I'm glad they work for you and that you were able to find some affordable ones. They definitely have some benefits for sure! I imagine the white paint and location of your beds could also be helping to keep the soil cool. As soon as my plants grew bigger and grew over the sides of the beds, the soil stopped drying out along the edges. Last summer was my first time using them so I'm sure I'll learn new tricks this year too.
I was thinking the same about the usefulness of these beds and how to think outside the box when it comes to using them. There are so many benefits with this metal.
We do the same thing as you with our beds like these with the rebar and pvc pipes. We keep those up during the winter for the frosts and to get early start on other things. Love these beds and we haven't painted them white or anything, they've done great for us here in Florida.
Ha - I'm picking up rebar tomorrow to do the same thing! Also have used 8' #3 rebar to hang deer fencing for a cheap enclosure.
Concrete blocks are the way to go. Cheaper than wood and lasts forever. You can stack another layer of blocks on top every 10 years or so to raise the bed height with time and save your back when you are older. The openings in the blocks can be used as either planters (I have strawberries in some and insect repelling flowers in others). You can also use some of the holes as places to secure hoops if you want to cover your plants. No real issue with chemical leaching on modern concrete blocks. (Cinder blocks used long ago would have been a different story.) Biggest downside is the labor involved in initially building them.
Great idea! I have yet to try this
Yeah, I think you’re right. Wood rots, and I’m tired of the time and expense of replacing rotten wood. Metal has the drawbacks she listed. Cement blocks solve all the issues, with the exception of not looking very pretty.
I have cement blocks, lasted for years so far, no deterioration
I found it to be very heavy. But it's just me so I guess that's how it goes.
Ooh. Theres an idea mate. Thank you. I am really convinced now that reading the comments under instruction videos is a great thing to do. (Except for people who abuse the poor video-maker. ). Im 62. The idea of adding concrete blocks / bricks to my changing gardening needs really appeals. I might be able to get some second hand ones from wreckers, (I’m not buying new stuff). Ive been meditating on how raised beds get hotter /etc. I thought i might pack dirt around the outside of the raised bed, like an extra three inch thick wall of external insulation, and then hold it in place with mesh. Just a thought. Ill try it. I could do that just as well on the outside of concrete blocks, as i could on any other raised bed , couldn’t i ? I like your idea too, because I don’t know how people garden without sitting on the side of their raised beds. (Maybe I’m weaker, or lazier, than many folks, lol ). But it makes me able to stay there longer, reach to the centre easy, stop and have a think, and -importantly- its more social. Something not mentioned a lot. Having my elderly neighbor, or just friends over , sitting on a big wide ledge of the garden bed, creates an environment where we can sit and talk about the garden, or the world, whilst gardening. You can sit your cup of tea there. The cat can sit beside you whilst you garden (important to me!) . And your concrete block idea allows all of this. Plus i could add extra ones and make a seat beside the bed. And then I could dismantle the seat or re-build different things at will. Thanks heaps for this idea mate. Greetings from Melbourne Australia
I watch quite a few gardening channels. One thing I would like to see is the general location of the person teaching in the information. It makes a difference.
Yes agreed! I’m on Vancouver Island, we have a Mediterranean climate here, hot dry summers, wet rainy winters.
There’s an About button that shows the location where this video was filmed.
@@miitekrob9690and where is this “About button” located?
Self Sufficient Me loves his metal beds, and he’s in Australia.
I notice he uses straw on top for moisture control; would also mitigate heat.
Haven't been a problem, my tomato and pepper grows great in them. Awesome harvest with photos to prove it. I'm more northern side, but we get to high 80s to low 90s here in the summer. I enjoy hand watering daily which is probably redundant, I do not like automated gardening where I have no interaction. I do add compost every fall to my beds as a replenishment and then cover it with a few inches of leaves which breaks down over the winter, this amount of organic matter helps with water retention.
The beds I bought on Amazon in 2020 were 5x2.8' for $90. They're still holding up great four years now. I found a 6x3' one for $53 just now which is even cheaper. Not sure the need for spending $300 for one. I don't like buying beds that are wider than 3ft because it's hard to reach to the other side. Also the bigger they are the more issue with flexing and bowing, hence I like these round beds that are no more than 3ft wide. Wood beds are just as expensive imo, in fact sometimes more expensive because of increased cost of lumber.
You can use PVC pipes to make hoops and attach your nettings to it, cheap enough. I actually find it to be much more durable than the junk hoops they sell on Amazon.
Every gardening and farming supply are very expensive now, so I agree it's important to be frugal. But 53 post-inflation dollars for a 6x3' metal bed that lasts more than 10 years, I think it's a good investment.
I do agree that some big youtubers do shill very overpriced products. The youtuber you mentioned sells a small bag of fertilizer for $64, this is rip off on a level that even I would be ashamed of.
Thank you for your helpful comment!
I'm a super cheapo guy... so... three, four hundred dollars are big bucks to me! Nope, never going to spend that kind of money on a raised bed... even without the problems you have presented. I make my own raised beds for free... with untreated woods from pallets, or even from scrapped woods laying around the house (or friends' and neighbors').
These lower height planters should be all soil, no perma underneath. My gardening experience has taught me that plants need a minimum of 24 inches of soil. Right now you have maybe 6-8 inches which isn’t enough. I’d remove the wood underneath and fill it with compost. Since your summer is really dry, you will need to run the drip system around the edges. Lastly, you can make a hoop system from cow fencing or rebar and conduit since it’s galvanized. I honestly don’t think you set the beds up correctly considering your environment. If you build the hoop system, the mesh will help keep the sides cool. You can also paint the sides white to reflect the UV rays. It’s going to be more expensive to purchase Cedar (don’t use pressure treated wood) and build new boxes. It’s still early, fix them and I bet you will have a better experience. Oh, raise the ground with dirt or rocks so the beds will be higher.
Great advice, thanks for sharing! I only used really small sticks on the bottom and a bunch of shredded leaves to reduce the amount of compost and soil needed, but I think you're right, I should have done all compost and soil. I also plan on painting them white as I think this will help. Ideally I'd move them so the long part isn't directly facing but oh well, lesson learned.
Thanks SO MUCH! I am the most frugal person I know and I have been plagued by the metal raised beds. I couldn't get a $459 one off my mind, and it wasn't even large enough for my needs! I didn't want to want it, but I couldn't stop wanting it! I wanted it SO BAD! The color was so .... aesthetically pleasing and all the pieces ... I could shape in so many ways ... AGGHHHH! -- Then I've had the 2 x 6's and some corner brackets in my on-line home depot cart for 4 months that would cost me all of $20 to make a perfect-sized bed for my needs. FINALLY I can buy the stuff from home depot and get my summer stuff down. Thanks SO MUCH, Truth Lady!
Glad you found the video helpful. Happy Gardening
Thank you for your honest opinion. Not being scripted is also appreciated as a clear conversation. I get everyone has opinions. And budgets so it's good to hear negatives as well.
No scripting happening over here 😂
I love my Vego beds. My tomato plants, onions & peppers do so well in them. I do not regret them here in zone 8 in Texas. I will not to back to wood raised beds.
The Vego beds look like better quality. I'll be putting my heat loving plants in my metal beds this year.
My vego beds are awesome. I have 15 and will never go back to wood beds
I'm surprised to not see more comments about concerns around Vego beds being manufactured in China where there are less restrictions around safety with the coating on the materials, etc. I am really concerned about toxins leaching into my soil. Birdies are at least made in Australia.
I have both Vego and birdies raised beds, they are both made by the same manufacturer they are identical and the colors also. Mine in SWFlorida are not too hot also she looks like she needed more irrigation. I make my own soil buying cheap top soil peat moss and some perlite, along with my homemade compost. My bed stay moist enough in the hottest southern sun 80-100deg. I decided on the 17” tall beds when the plants grow their up higher anyway and we must move to stay healthier and young, if you can bend down that’s a good sign, if you can’t stretching should allow you too. My soil is just as hot in my 2 left wood beds, ants devour the wood here.
@@annelauck-desantis9946 Are you sure the Birdies are not made in China and distributed through Australia?
I've had a garden for over 20 years and have always used wood. Personally, any time I can do something once and not have to do it again, I'm going to go that route. As I get older, I realize I've done A LOT OF STUFF around the house and therefore that means I have a lot of maintenance. I built a tool shed from scratch many years ago and the roof needs de-mossing and my compost bin has broken down and needs rebuilding and my screened porch floor rotted out and needs fixing. I told my wife that I literally could spend 8 hours a day just fixing things around the house.
I've recently gotten into hydroponics and if things go well with that, I think I'm going to switch over to that more. But even with my raised beds, I think I'll be switching to metal. 20 years from now, it'll still be there and I won't have yet another chore in rebuilding it.
I have purchased 10 metal raised beds and in the last 3 years. 3 have rusted, 1 has severe rust and will not last through the year. I had wood beds in the past but they showed signs of termite damage. I think I will move more towards how I started, direct sowing in the ground 😂 FYI-I live in zone 9.
None of this is my experience. I have a variety of metal beds from Vego Garden, Subpod, Vegega, Amazon, and more. I love them all. The heat is not an issue. Most of them do not get hot at all. And the soil does not get too hot to grow things. That is a myth. I grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, and more in them without a problem. I have been using them for 4+ years now and I get a huge harvest every year. Mine are all 17" or higher, so no stooping. And yes, the wood will break down and need to be replaced. The metal will outlive me, so actually that is a benefit, not a bad thing.
Need to sit? I have a little garden stool that I lug around. And you can still use trellises and covers. I'm about to build a PVC one for one of my beds.
I think if you made some adjustments they would work just fine for you. If things do not seem to be growing well it could be the soil. 🤷
I got sucked into buying them when they were cheaper and on sale. I am very cheap. The biggest ones i got were under $50 and a few smaller ones at $20.
A couple remedies is i am only using them in my perennial food forest which means they do warm up sooner in the spring before the leaves start diminishing the light and in the dead of summer they have partial shade so they don't get as hot and dont require as much water.
To counter the sharp edges, i get pool noodles at walmart, cut half lengthwise and cover that edge.
I would never buy them for my regular garden for a few reasons. If i were to do raised beds i would need to get the ones 36+" tall because i am aging and as such would need to build my garden up to be able to continue with potential mobility issues and that cost is even more exhorbitantly high and of course the heat that would be generated.
I do appreciate your honesty about them as everyone else is just jumping on the bandwagon.
Yes they do have the benefit of warming the soil early in spring. My food forest was in its first year last year and all my trees are still just babies and don't offer much shade yet. I definitely put these in the wrong location and I've planted clover around the edges now to grow up and cover the metal.
I've seen a few people comment about using pool noodles but I worry about the sun degrading the pool noodles and micro-plastics shedding into the garden bed. I suppose it would take a few years for that to happen though.
I appreciate your comment, it was easy to be honest because I am not selling them, or sponsored by the company, of have an affiliate Amazon link for them lol. Happy gardening!
I'm in my 60s and building wood beds that need replaced every couple of years isn't an option for me. I buy oval galvanized livestock tanks--no sharp edges and a side that can be sat on because it has a rounded top edge. They're made to last 10-20 years holding water year-round. Also, a 4x2×1 (LxWxD) is about $130 and a 4x2x2 is about $150. Much cheaper and will last much longer than metal raised beds that need to be assembled or wood beds that need to be replaced/rebuilt every 2-3 years.
It is usual for me to completely disagree with an entire gardening video but this one clicked disagree on all three. I still greatly enjoyed and appreciate this video so this is not an attack. Just sharing my feeling and interacting with the video to support you. We don't have to all agree to support one another. Thank you for the content.
Great comment! We definitely don’t all have to agree to support each other. I shared my opinions based on my experience with them so far and from the comment section I can see that they do work for some people.
We actually purchased some from a company in Toronto. I’m so sorry you don’t like yours 😢 we love ours way taller than yours.
My vegega beds don’t get hot and they last 20+ years. My gardens grow wonderfully. I even added drip tape irrigation with an automatic timer. You can by hoope made for the beds and also trellises.
Thank you for being honest - I never thought about the heating problem.
One easy thing you can do is just pile up woodchips against the bed on the outside. I do this in the winter to keep them warm, and I've done it in the summer to keep them cooler. Since they're metal the woodchips won't hurt them.
Oh that's a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Look forward to watching as another Vancouver Islander builds soil from the sand and a food forest of diversity. Often times I forget many TH-cam garden influencers are in it for the money. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, thoughts and insights.
Oh my gosh, my soil is sandy gravel. I dug a trench to plant an asparagus bed yesterday and added another 7,000 rocks to my rock pile lol. My food forest turns 1 in March and the soil building takes time, but it's happening.
@@ecoendeavour : yes, there is no just digging a hole and planting a tree on ‘the rock’ = Vancouver Island. There is picking rock, shifting gravel until you get down to sand and then adding (whatever amendments you can source)to build a soil structure that microbial life will thrive in first. We built our vegetable garden in raised beds once we saw how compacted it was here.
Buy 2 2x12 pieces of lumber, cut 2 ft off both pieces and you have a 2x10 raised bed for about $13. Or you can buy 2 2x12 and 1 2x8, cut that in half and you have 4x12 for about $20
Thank you for your perspective and your willingness to share your experience. We are property shopping for a small regenerative homestead, so I'm learning all I can in the meantime. Being able to see different opinions helps me consider different angles.
Amazing! I hope you find a great place.
I can't believe I just stumbled across your stuff, as I am always looking at gardening channels. Thank you for sharing, I've always wondered about that exact same thing but, no one has ever mentioned it. I'm in central Texas and the temps during summer months, where I'm at, reach 100+ for extended periods. I was about to purchase galvanized water troughs to use as raised beds, now I'm thinking of making my own beds, Thank you for covering this.
The 2 beds with the long edge facing south get very hot. I should have rotated them for this season but I already had my garlic planted in them.
Wow. I love your line of taught. Mad respect and instant subscribe!
Thank you and welcome ❤
Love my raised metal bed! Mine was $60 from Amazon, 6'x3'x12", painted light green and has a top rubber like edge. I am in GA and do not find heat a problem. Wood beds filled the same way would need to be topped off after time as well, or more likely just need replaced due to rot.
Thank you for your honest evaluation of these metal beds. I’ve been debating on this type of beds for months but I think I’ll just stick to my wood beds. Thanks again! 😊
Glad you found it helpful.
Just found your channel and so agree with you on TH-camrs pushing expensive products that they get for free.
The heating up of the metal in California summer is why I decided to build the wood raised beds myself. It's a lot cheaper as I wait for lumbers on sale from Home Depot.
We have super hot summers in the midwest and my metal beds don't get hot. Mine came with the rubber edging but I didn't put it on. Also James Prigioni isn't a sell out just because you want to say so.
SOME OF THE METAL BEDS DO HAVE A RUBBER PIECE THAT THEY PUT OVER THE SHARP EDGES OF THE BEDS. THIS WOULD DEFINATELY HELP. HOWEVER, IT WOULDN'T HELP WITHT THE TEMPATURE OF THE SOIL IN THE METAL BEDS. SO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD PERSPECTIVE. TO PREVENT THE WOOD FROM ROTTING ON A WOODEN BED, A PERSON COULD PUT NEATS FOOT OIL ON THE WOOD, JUST BRUSH IT ON. WAIT TWO OR THREE DAYS, THEN SHELACK THE BEDS TO PREVENT ROT FROM THE RAIN WATER.
Thanks for saving me $1200 or more! I have been on the fence about these corrugated beds. I don't like the sharp top, but they "seemed like a good idea". You got another sub for your honesty!
Thanks for the sub! Some people love the beds, but they are not worth all the hype in my experience.
No joke! I was really drawn to them myself but this video was like a slap in the face from a good friend.
Excellent video. Integrity is worth a lot.
Thanks
This approach didn’t work as well as hoped. It’s nice of you to share failures as well as successes for all of us to learn. Thank you for your perspective! I now know the limitations of these beds. Keep doing what you do!
We're in Northwest Florida zone 9a. We used wood for years but had to replace too many times and lumber is getting very expensive. Switched to metal raised beds over the past few years and love them. We do not have heat issues with soil like you mentioned having, curious if your problem was because of the type of bed in your video? Appears to be galvanized without any type of powder coating. We decided to purchase Birdies beds and so far after 3 seasons they're showing no wear & tear. Yes, I agree with you as far the cost, but I'm 54 and convinced I most likely will not have to replace in my lifetime. Where are you located, and what type of wood is available in your area? Good luck with your garden and have a blessed day!
Yes I think the powder coated metal beds must reflect the light more and keep the soil cooler. I'm on Vancouver Island and have pretty good access to scrap wood and locally milled wood. My last place had garden beds made from rough cut hemlock and they were going on year 8 and just starting to show signs of wear. I'm curious how the powder coated beds hold up in freezing temps... like will the paint eventually flake off? The metal beds are still fairly new in the gardening world and it will be interesting to see how well the various brands hold up over the years and in different climates. Good luck with your garden as well!
Pretty much all we have access to in Florida is southern pine, which if not pressure treated will rot quickly, usually in two to three seasons. You can get cedar but very expensive. We too try our best to leave as small as of a footprint as possible, and for our area metal beds are the way to go in my opinion. One of your viewers commented the metal is an eyesore. They're not an eyesore to me but do agree wood is much more pleasing to the eye. Anyway, I appreciate your perspective and honesty. Good luck with your garden, and have a blessed day @@ecoendeavour
Yes it sounds like metal beds are best for you. Happy gardening@@paulandbarbie1969
I’m in northern fl .. and you can make your beds out of cedar wood or cypress wood .. it’s big and water resistance, last longer then regular wood, and still WAY cheaper then those metal beds or Birdies metal beds . Those things are up to 300 bucks a bed. By time to factor in the soil cost, that is crazy , but to each their own. I going to use the cement garden corner blocks so that when or if I need to replace the wood , I only have to take out that one piece. You don’t have to tear apart the whole bed .
@@SouthernPioneer1965 the cedar I had access to was at Lowe’s and Home Depot, and way too expensive. The metal beds are expensive too but a good choice for us. I like your cement corner idea
I agree with everything you’ve just said I stayed away from these beds because I know that they would heat up however I have considered them for possibly front landscaping for aesthetic purposes, but I know that the front lawn gets a lot of sunlight and gets really hot so common sense tells me to just stay away from them. I have wooden beds that are now about eight years old and they are still holding up strong. I’m in the process of redesigning my backyard to something more simple and plan on doing just one wooden raise bed.
We have the Vego beds and they work great in the Nevada desert zone 9. I think the difference is they are coated with an aluma-zinc process they are not bare galvanized steel.
Yes I think that's why the higher quality beds are painted! Something I didn't consider when purchasing
I mentioned to a neighbor that I was thinking about using a horse trough as a planter and the first thing he said is to surround it with a wood (scrap wood, e.g.) skirt to protect it from the sun's heat. In fact, there's a neighbor here who's done the horse trough thing, I should check on their experience. I've also seen a video that recommends bulk burlap material as a sunscreen skirt for anything you want. So, there's two solutions to the solar heating issue. Personally, this video pushes me back toward the "making beds from scrap palettes" but also not filling all my space with such beds but rather leave space to rebuild beds every 5 years (so maybe 20% of the allotted bed space is empty at the beginning of the year). Good video.
Thanks, glad you liked it. And yes, I’ll be trying a few different methods to keep the beds cooler this summer.
Thank you for pointing out how hot they get. I have 2 toddlers so you changed my mind :)
Thanks for sharing. You made good points.
Great video with information, thank you. got my metal beds for $70 from Tractor supply for my roses. I use the cattle troughs and take out the bottoms or the old ones rusted out. Ok so the only thing that might bother me is the heating of the metal and that could be taken care of with paint, mulching, taller grass, small bushes, etc, the second one: I buy soil/mulch by the truck load-its cheaper and add anything I might need. the third is not a thing to me.
Thanks for watching. Happy gardening
Expensive to fill is a necessary evil of ALL raised beds, regardless of what the frame is made of. And ALL raised beds need to be topped off every year, especially if you did a modified Hügelkultur. You should have known that before starting a raised bed garden. The sharp edge and "hot" surface is because you bought the cheap amazon version. IMO, it's almost impossible to find an amazon branded product that meets the quality standards of the original manufacturer. If you would have bought a reputable brand such as Vego, you would have gotten a much sturdier, painted metal bed. The outside paint helps to insulate and the white painted interior reflects the heat. Also, being in Kansas where the wind NEVER stops blowing, the metal beds actually slow down the drying out of the soil compared to a wood framed raised bed. And you would have gotten a protective metal reinforced rubber gasket for the top edge so you don't hurt your hands on the sharp edges. BTW...the rounded corner pieces go OUTSIDE the straight side pieces, not inside as you have done. Vego's simple, detailed instructions clearly explain this and why. I bought my beds directly from Vego, without any influence from YT. As my gardening needs expand, I will continue to purchase more of these Vego beds because they work FOR ME.
Glad to find your channel! I wondered about these myself. We are moving into a new home and I thought how great will these look…. But i wondered about the heat. I love the look of wood and I love that hoop cover. Great idea for wanting to start extra early in NC.
I appreciate your perspective. I’m going to try both, but I agree about the carbon footprint
I'll be keeping mine and planting my heat loving plants in them. I'm also going to plant a cucumber in one to cascade over the south side of one of the bed as this will keep the direct sun off the metal and keep the soil cooler. There's always a way to make what you have work for you.
I'm considering my options. This year I planted in the ground. Next year I hope to have raised beds. The metal ones like yours came off the list as there was no wide rim to rest my knees on. It's just a relatively thin metal lip -- even the kind with a rolled edge. I also thought about the heat. Good to hear that I was correct in my thinking (though a number of people commenting don't see to have a problem with it). The last thing, and it was not covered in your video, is the galvanized coating on the metal which makes it less prone to rusting and corrosion is sure to leach into my soil. I'm sure there's "safe" versions - perhaps the stuff used for livestock water troughs is less harmful, but it certainly can't be better than untreated lumber or whole logs.
Thanks for this post. I have Hugelkultur Brush drains in my garden for my annual beds. I have been watching some of youtubers, promoting the metal beds, but intuitively I felt it seemed counterintuitive …All your points confirm my concerns. Thank you again. Great post. You might like Morag Gamble’s approach. I love her permaculture designs and her own garden. She is in Australia. For the past five years I have used her super easy sheet mulching method and it rocks..💚
Oh great, thanks for the tip, I'll check her out!
Thank you I live in Texas and the heat will definitely impact my growing.
I appreciate hearing your in-the-field evaluation! I guess if you can find a metal raised bed at a reasonable price, you should buy one and test it out before committing to more -- but there's never any need to purchase through the youtubers selling them in their stores-- many of these channels have become commercialized, and I prefer to support independent local businesses, including single-owner run ones based out of a home. I get many of my native perennials from a single owner selling healthy zone-hardy plants grown in his back yard at very reasonable prices.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I would have been scared off by the price.
Looking at ideas for some more of these beds. We have quite a few of these types of beds here in Florida. LOVE them. We started with wood, but won't do that anymore, attracted more bugs and break down and rob the soil of so much nitrogen. We use native soil for the base (sand, dirt, for the base, then we make a soil consisting of peat and black kow with a bit of sand mixed in. We rarely need to fertilize and the plants do amazing. June through August we pull anything that won't take the heat, regardless of the bed or in the ground, but have our cold crops ready to go in. We do add a leaf mulch that helps retain moisture and keep them cooler.
Thank you for sharing. I was wondering about the heat.
Glad it was helpful!
How can you talk about a carbon footprint of metal when it will outlast dozens of wooden raised beds? My metal raised beds do fine in a California high desert.
Because wood is carbon neutral, whereas it takes immense energy to mine, smelt, extrude, and transport a metal bed.
You seem to be ignoring the continuous energy used in lumber logistics on a daily basis.
But trees are chopped down for the wood. And all the energy put into growing trees for lumber is no different than metal. Affects the enviroment negatively.@@andrewlalis
@@adrabruzzese7610 Have you ever tried to recycle metal?? I am a blacksmith and you are wrong, so very wrong. have fun with that.
@@Feribrat99 okay I will.😊
Thanks for your perspective
I am in Tennessee and experienced the same thing. I had 3 huge metal raised beds (hügelkultur).By summer my plants were getting burned and failing. Lots did not make it to production. I switched to wooden raised beds with a ledge.
I got lucky, because I work in a soil testing lab that receives large bagged soil samples every day - I filled old poly sand bags with compost that was too young and hot to use yet, and stacked the bags to form a roughly oval garden bed.
Placed it right over existing grass - no ground prep, no leveling, just fill it up and go.
Worked great, and when the season was over, I could dump ready to go compost out of the old bags.
Held moisture and insulated wonderfully.
I have a very small budget for gardening so these beds are out of the question for me. I currently have eleven wooden beds, four made of reclaimed concrete blocks and one made of brick and stone. Total cost of all? Less than $100 and $15 of that was for a 4' x 6' cedar bed kit I purchased at a yard sale. With the exception of my first two wooden raised beds, all materials were scavenged and I even reused some of the nails during the pandemic. I'll admit that the ease of pulling a bed out of a box and putting it together is enticing but unless I find a used one cheap, it's just out of my budget.
As for soil, I used to have access to a good quality top soil for less than $2 a bag but the quality has greatly diminished over the years. Lucked into a pallet of organic raised bed soil on clearance for $2 a bag a few years ago and just used the last of it yesterday. Also produce as much compost as I possibly can and grab free wood chips whenever I can.
Thank you so much for your honest review as I notice so many vloggers are recommending them.
This is the way to do it! Gardening shouldn't be so expensive and it can be done on a budget! Great tips
Thanks for the video. Good point about the heat. I had not factored that in, and I'm on the Texas Gulf Coast, so heat is a huge factor.
I currently use landscape timbers to make raised beds. I double dig the soil under the beds and then spread some compost and manure before adding my soil to the beds. I have to rebuild the beds about every 4 to 5 years since they break down. Northern Tool has 3ft x 6 ft beds for $69. They also have other sizes. For now, because of the heat issue, and because I don't think the metal ones are very attractive, I think that I'll stick with the method I'm using now. Cement or cinder blocks are starting to sound better though!
I haven't tried planting in cement or cinder blocks and wonder how hot they would get? I really like the curvy planters that can be made with ferro-cement and I'd like to try to make one of those eventually. Even though wood does need to be replaced more often, I still think it's the best material for raised beds. I made a few raised beds with just logs from the bush this year so will see how long those last. With the metal beds, I've learned from the comment section that the painted ones are cooler and that my placement of the beds directly south isn't ideal. Good luck with your garden projects
I cannot imagine putting plants in a metal box in the summer. They are way overpriced too. If you want to try it go buy a large stock tank first. A lot cheaper and you can use it for something else if it doesn't work out. Nice to see someone finally speaking up about them. People are just making money.
Better to use wood, logs or boards. Even if they decompose over time, they serve as compost and place other
I have 4-wooden raised beds, 2-birdie's, 8-galvanized bushel baskets, & a cheaper metal bed. But I am old school & had wooden beds for about 20-years! I like the wooden ones, you can mark for square food gardening & I like the natural look! Yes metal looks nice & does get warm, to me wood is timeless!
Yes well said! Wood is timeless and functional. I just added a trellis to one of my raised beds for my cucumbers and add a hoop house frame to another wood bed for my tomatoes and peppers and there's something to be said about the simplicity of adding these things to wood beds.
@@ecoendeavour I have a trellis with T-post & left over wire fence from my round pen on one side & the other bed is marked with eye bolts in square foot measurements & run a string so you have block measurements. I also used two old wooden screen doors & attached chicken wire for trellises too! Been toying for yrs to get used windows & doors I see people toss in the trash and do a small greenhouse shed. It seems like it's a fad now but it's on my Maybe list! Good luck! A garden is a work in progress but exciting to plan for improvements! Have fun learning & growing & planning! Recycling & free is a great way to save! One man's trash is another man's treasure! 😉
Good video. I salvaged bunch of corrugated metal roofing from old sheds and chicken coops. The beds are deep enough for me to tend without bending over. The free price was right. I’ll keep an eye on the temperatures as we go into summer
Not true about these galvanized raised beds cost. I bought mine off season for $28 each, 6x3x1 ft. Works for me. You should not have a problem accessing your veggies of you do not put your grow beds close to the wall. And about carbon footprint… the metal bed will last for many, many years while wooden ones will rot and need to be replaced. Which means more trees will be cut, more trucks needed for logs delivery…tell me about carbon footprint.
Northeast PA here. I have grow bags, metal beds and large containers. I love my metal beds. I use the metal beds for tomatoes, eggplants, blueberries. Last year potatoes were in them. I put organic material; cardboard. twigs,, old mulch and then add compost, worm castings and then top soil. I have great crops and no problems. For the blueberries, I have an easier time controlling PH in them. My only tip is for the soil and climate here, add some blood meal or other calcium for the tomatoes.
Sounds like you’re doing things right! I need to rotate mine as facing south is just too hot for metal.
I grew tall weeds around sun exposed sides of the cattle troughs to keep them cooler in SW Missouri. They were cheap to buy at an auction.
I appreciate your assessment of those raised metal beds. I have another reason I don’t like them…no comfortable ledge to sit on. At my age, I need a way to sit on the edge to plant, maintain and harvest each bed. I have a few metal raised beds. Here in Oklahoma, they get way way way to hot to touch in the summer and then way too cold in the winter. I do, however, prefer raised beds as Bermuda grass will take over everything here…especially a garden that is watered and fertilized on a regular basis. It’s a nightmare! We use 4x6 cedar posts. It’s a wood that is easy to get in this area and lasts for years. It can also be treated inside with a food-grade sealant to make them last longer. I also have a mole problem. If I didn’t use raised beds and hardware cloth, moles would tear up everything.
I hear you and appreciate your experienced opinion, but I'm going to buy a stock tank and paint it to look faux CorTen steel.
My neighbors have an aggressive maple tree that spreads roots halfway across my yard. Nearby, the roots are fibrous and every year it takes me hours to cut them away. That can't be healthy for the tree.
I plan to bury the shallow stock tank (about a foot tall) and use that soil to fill it along with branches, leaves and compost, of course, I'll drill a few drainage holes. I'll plant it with perennials and maybe then they'll survive. I'm tired of trying to grow plants that are touted as easy to grow only to have them succumb to root competition and dryness. This area is partially shaded by that aforementioned maple tree.
Oh yikes, ya that sounds like an on-going battle with the maple tree. Have you looked up companion plants or tree guilds for maple trees? Your solution sounds like it will work.
Agree Zone5a, the metal is good for spring but only on the edges the middle stays cold. By July and August it's unusable. The soil inside is not healthy and after 4 years I'm done. Trying to create a reuse for them. Thanks for the honest post!
i'm gonna be honest, most of all I think they're an eyesore, even the super expensive ones. But I hadn't even thought about the scorching heat
If these are an eyesore then what is your solution?
@AngryManSki choose something that isn't an eyesore then, everyone has preferences
The first thing I thought when you mentioned the sharp edge was...pool noodle it. I have some scrap metal laying around that I'm considering using for raised beds, and I was already thinking of how to mitigate that sharp edge.
I am trying to wean my family off the corporate teat, while being kinder to Mother Earth, so I don't want this metal to end up in the landfill. Even if I don't make beds out of them, I have to find a use for them fo rmy own peace of mind.
Thank you for the tips and info. I will adjust my plans accordingly.
that would work.
I’ve seen some people make beds out of a mix of metal and wood and they look really nice. Metal is used for the sides and wood is used for the corners and on top to provide a ledge to sit on. I’ve been thinking about the pool noodles but my neighbour has used some to mark the property line posts and the sun has degraded them so much already that they are shedding microplastics everywhere. I don’t want that to happen and contaminate my soil so I’m going to cut and old kinked garden hose and put that over the edges as it might hold up better. And yes, so much weaning from the corporate teat you be done! Thanks for doing your part, your kids are lucky to have you
@@ecoendeavour I was worrying about how much the noodles might break down and shed in the yard or worse into the crops. But I couldnt think of anything else I could use. I'm trying to live frugally, as I only work part time, and that isn't hourly work (freelancer/gig life) so funds are not freely avaiable for this project of mine.
I do have some old hoses laying around though and those would work. Also, using wood to create a place to sit/kneel is a good idea too. I'll play around with some ideas, and share if I come up wth something.
Thanks for the insight!
@@gwendolynjordan1846 I am also on a frugal mission and love to repurpose things. The hoses might slip off, but it's worth a shot. I imagine the pool noodles would hold up better if removed in the off season. Good luck with your garden.
I have two Horseradish roots I planted last summer in a metal wash tub because I didn't want them spreading all over the place. Not only are they doing great this spring, but will be harvesting some roots this fall. Don't fall for the propaganda. If we ever achieve carbon zero, you'll have no plants to eat. Plant life needs carbon. I put my potatoes in pots(plastic) and could care less about my "carbon footprint". I'm looking for the ease of harvest(just cut tops off and dump into wheel barrel) and planting.
Good point! Thank you I appreciate your honesty..👍
No problem 👍
Thanks for the insight and I know it most likely wasn’t easy to do!
Thanks, I hope it was helpful. They seem to work for a lot of people, but I just don't get how people are saying the metal doesn't get hot.
I agree with you on all points. I am growing in a temporary location this year and went with grow bags (which require more watering also). Next year I will be able to build a wooden garden infrastructure.
I've never used the grow bags but I've heard people like them. Good luck with your garden this year.
Try adding a layer or two of burlap around the metal to shade them.
I have 9 yes nine various sized 17 inch deep Vego metal raised beds in South Florida and have no soil heat or skin burn problems. These beds are coated, have trimmed top edges and have performed exceptionally well for me. I can easily change sizes to fit my needs. Fantastic beds!!!
Every year I grow anything I always put extra leaves or old branches because the best thing is that they decompose now your building into the bed and eventually you will be using that first for other parts of your yard. It just does not stay the same level because it’s not all dirt it’s your leaves or wood. If you do this in order for the decomposing part to happen it needs to heat up. Peppers love it, when you start early planting. I don’t have these planters what I used was cement blocks for the corners and my wood in my back yard to keep the dirt in the bed.
I have the tall Vego beds. I started last year with four of the square ones and two of the round ones. They worked out great. This year I bought three of the rectangle ones. They work wonderfully. I'm replacing my wood beds. The wood lasts about two years unless you were to use pressure treated. Regular pine just can't take the soil contact. Yes, you are going to get settling. All soil settles and the deeper it is the more it will settle. Depending on your local building code, you can't build on fill for something like 5 to 10 years for a reason. I haven't noticed any problem with warmth. Many plants like warm soil. Peppers love hot feet. The best pepper plant I ever had was a potted jalapeno plant that I kept on my patio all summer (pavers). They aren't a cheap option but I think you will like them more if you give them some time.
Love your perspective in this video! I was heavily considering the Birdies beds promoted by Epic Gardening, but I'm not fully convinced given the cost. Haven't made up my mind on what to do yet.
Always pros and cons to consider! Some people in the comments have said that the painted beds don't get as hot. If you have a very sunny spot like I do, you could position them differently as well. But for me, I'll be spending my money on seeds and fruit trees and making beds from scrap wood.
@@ecoendeavour Yeah, for sure! The expense alone is a big con and has me leaning towards a salvaged bed if I can manage it. For now, my containers will have to do as a starting point 😊
I think brand matters. My Vego beds don’t get hot and have a rubber gasket to protect you from the edges. I bought the first 2 four or five years ago and have added a couple each year. The first ones still look like new. I have to add soil each year to wood beds as well. The first year is the worst because of settling. I am forced to make a major move in a few months. I will be able to disassemble my beds and take them. Of course I lose the soil. I am 75 and building wood beds is difficult but these I put together with no assistance. This is like many products. If you buy the knock offs you don’t get the quality and features of the original.
I have had my metal beds for over 7 years now. 2’ high. I’m in Delaware near the beaches. My gardens are awesome and I share tons of produce with my neighbors. 5 of my metal beds were only $25 each. IMO, a lot of what she said didn’t make sense to me. I tried wood, it rotted in 3 years. But to each his own, i love my super cheap raised beds and will continue to buy more as needed.
I planted arugula, radishes, green beans and peas in four 4x4 metal planters and had to cover them with white mosquito netting last summer to keep the grasshoppers off. It also seemed to keep the beds cooler. We bought them on clearance for a huge discount in the fall a couple years ago. They were $15/ each. The same thing today is over $250. 😢
$15 each is a great deal! I'd buy more at that price but the prices now are ridiculous.
Thank you for your refreshing view. I'm on the same page regarding buying these Tartar steel rims for gardening.
Glad it was helpful!
I make my beds out of concrete blocks and actually plant my garlic and onions in the holes. Ran out of money, and had so many rocks of a fair size I made two beds out of rock laying around. They are great. Anything that can hold soil in will work. Thanks for the heads up.
I got a metal bed for $50 on Amazon. I filled it with blackberries. They’re doing fine. The bed gets partial shade. Most of my raised beds are recycled wood. My biggest beef is with the plastic tomato clips. I bought some, (and yes James Prigioni is recommending these, too)thinking I would use them for years. They do not last and I have little broken pieces of plastic in my garden. I am instead using covered wire, and even the Velcro garden ties are lasting for years, even with some being left out during the winter. Thank you for the advice!
Oh good to know about the tomato clips! I've considered buying them but did wonder how long the plastic would last. I like the green garden velcro and use it to train my grape vines and it has held up so far since last year.
Thank you for posting this opinion. I agree that those metal raised beds are ridiculously expensive for what they are. My mind immediately goes to how many pounds of garden edibles I'd have to grow to to justify the cost, when I could more easily buy veggies from the supermarket at far less cost. Sort of defeats the purpose gardening when you think about the real cost of a radish that you may grow in the damn things.
When I started gardening 20 years ago, I initially went with wooden raised beds. I had 3 4x24 beds and still not enough room and after 3 years of that I finally gave it up to plant directly in the ground. I ended up having 4 24x24' beds fenced in. Just in the last couple years I saw everyone going for the metal raised beds. They were too expensive for me. What is not esthetically pleasing about a nice, fenced garden area? Lot cheaper. As far as the wooden boxes... so what, 5 years later you might have to replace the lumber?
Planting directly in the ground has its benefits for sure! My soil is very rocky so my root veggies are best in raised beds but I hope to reduce the amount of raised beds soon as I also like the look of a fenced garden area with in ground planting. Thanks for sharing
My metal raised beds are painted, and I did not have the issues you described. Mine came with a rubber edge, but I never put it on. You may want to set up shade cloth if your summers are that hot. Wood is not cheap, trees have to be cut down, and it deteriorates versus metal beds that last much longer. I bought my bedditectly from Amazon for a really good price, not from a TH-camr.
We are in south central Texas. Translated that means high summer temps. We have 21 17-32" metal raised beds. Never had any issues with getting crops from these beds if you use the correct soil, fertilize and water correctly there will be no issues. All edges of Vego beds are protected by a top rubber strip.
I’m in the Sacramento Valley which has absolutely brutal summers. I had been considering giving metal beds a try, but had been concerned about heating. Good to know.
I am in southern Arizona. I have not had this same experience although I have the name brand birdies not Amazon ones. I’ve honestly never noticed them to be hot.
Thanks for your honesty. maybe use them for composting
Thank you. This helped me make a decision.
I live in the outback of Australia, hot to an extreme, dry to an extreme, and I have a yard full of specifically Birdie's metal raised garden beds, yes, the painted ones. I've never had a problem with heat, nor drying out too fast, no rust, no problems at all. Then again, Birdies is an Aussie company, they make their beds for Aussie conditions, they've been around for a long time, was the first company to make and sell them and their beds have been in Aussie gardens for over 15 years. I'd say you get what you pay for, but there's a lot of dodgy metal bed companies popping up nowadays that are charging big dollars for the crap they're selling, but it's obvious from just looking at your beds that they're of rather low quality, so for you to have had problems with them is not surprising at all. As for problems filling the beds, it's got nothing to do with the bed itself, if you fill a wooden bed of the same dimension in the same way with the same materials, you'll have the same cost and sinkage.
I love my Birdie beds. I'm 61 and while I was still working, I bought a few of them to help as I aged. No bending over so much.
i have metal beds like yours and i agree about the sides drying out. at my local menard's (like a home depot or lowe's) they sel 1' x1' rubber squares which are used as stepping stones. i took them and lined the top 1' of my beds with them, put a little soil between them and the bed, and the drying out has lessened. yes it is more money but its better than the current situation.
absolutely correct. i make my metal beds from used metal roofing and only use them for heat loving plants like melons. if fact any fruit crop does pretty well in them. i also make them 4' wide. and i put a board on top to lean on. still, i would not use them for veggies. and all of my raised beds cost me less than one of those you show here. when they first became popular, i looked at them and did not see how they were better than mine. as for filling your raised beds. i get tree service people dump their arborist wood chips and i age them. i never purchase soil, compost, or mulch because of this. you just have to plan ahead to be successful. fresh chips will reduce in volume to 1/3, so you need to start with 3x the volume you need. it also takes 3yr! i have a continuous flow of chips for my orchard. they dump fresh on one end, i use aged from the other. the very large chunks of wood, i make bio-char with. in 15yrs, i completely changed the soil of my whole orchard. i do not have to water my mature fruit trees at all now, even when i get no rain for 4 months. i do seed the piles with cover crop after the 2nd year which attracts deer and turkeys that poo over the pile while eating and further enhance the balance. after 3yrs i can grow anything in it. i do not buy any fertilizer either. each year my production and soil quality improve and i buy less to do it. to succeed we must work in accord with nature 🙂
That was my main question….they would just heat up too much in the sun here in Southern CA after spring probably until December at least.
You just gained another subscriber. I'm in NC, never thought about the heat issue. I've just never trusted the metal in those beds, no matter who is promoting them. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the sub and welcome to the community ☺️
Subscribed because I want to see your house plans. I'm in the process of perfecting my own house plans - fully compliant with wheelchair accessibility codes so it's a lot bigger than my current house because wheelchairs take * s p a c e * - and I love seeing what other permaculturists think is most important when designing their forever home.
You can use pool noodles to cover the edges. Just slit down one side and pop on. Paint them gloss white on the outside to cool them in the summer.
I'm looking at them for a few reasons: keep my blackberries where i planted them, to keep critters from tunneling into them by being able to run wire mesh in the bottom, and because i can't dig up all the gravel, concrete and sand to replace with good soil. In some areas, i actually have to build up to get around these problems.
Yes my soil is very sandy and full of rocks which is why I bought raised beds for my annuals. Mesh on the bottom should help with your critters. I know a lot of people love their metal beds, they just don't function as well for me during my hot and dry summers. Good luck with your blackberry project!
I agree. I bought just the 2 small round metal ones but its just for the style and its easy flower beds for someone who does not have much time to build a wood one. Otherwise wood is way better. I wonder if treating wood with raw linseed oil would help preserve it?