I have been slowly switching over to raised beds because of my health, but found out the true benefit when my daughter was paralyzed 2 years ago. She doesn't have to depend on me to get fresh veggies and fruits...she can reach them herself (and her chair doesn't get bogged down in the dirt like it does in our main garden).
We raise bed garden in Africa, but have to do it more with rows of piled dirt. We dont have access to the nice containers and the indigenous people could not even afford bricks to outline the beds. So, we just use heaped up compost/soil. The things you teach are very useful, and actually work even with rows of dirt mounds.
I watched a video awhile back, and that is how they did theirs. Sticks, logs, and other organics first. Then, the dirt/fertilizer. Worked out just fine!
I just realized I've been watching your channel for 7 straight hours. Hahaha, love ya Mark! You're a bloody legend and have gotten me back into my passion for gardening after a real dark period in my life - with your enthusiasm and great advice!
Well done for making the effort to speak nice and clearly and using lots of gestures. Makes such a difference for viewers who don't speak English as their first language or who aren't used to an Aussie accent. Top work.
I started using raised beds about 25 years ago. Only 12 inches high, they still allowed me to sit on the edge to weed and my knees thanked my son for building them every time I weeded. Now I'm 70. I've built a single story (as opposed to a three story) home and am looking for something higher. My son is married in California and your link takes me to a product that looks like it might be suitable for a lousy DIYer like myself. I can't wait to get some dirt under my fingernails again.
Great video mate. I loved raised beds especially at my last garden, this one I haven't got around to building them yet but they are on the agenda. Reason number 11. In cooler climates, the beds warm much quicker than the ground does too. Fab stuff
I just love how cheerful you are when greeting us with your "G'day" at the beginning of your videos, it's not much but to me, it makes me want to listen even more.
Great episode, thanks. No one, that I can remember, explained it as you did, I always hear “ with raised beds you have more control” and that’s it. On the other hand, you explained what that control is and how to enjoy and appreciate the raised bed gardening concept. Thank you again.
Eleventh reason for raised-bed gardening: Adequate cover in the event of gunfight with outlaws and armed possums. Twelfth: Painting wicked flames on the sides of the containers to prove you haven't gotten old and lame. Thirteenth: Empty out a bed, hop inside, pull layer of mulch over yourself. You are now less likely to be spotted by Australia's native fauna and eaten by giant spiders or roving land-trilobites. Fourteenth: The Man says you can't, and you'll show him! Fifteenth: Raised-bed gardening enables you to make pretty cool videos about raised-bed gardening. Sixteenth: Even if your crops are crap, they look like you brought them up crap on purpose, as opposed to sticking them in the dirt and forgetting about them. Seventeenth: Get to use the word "Huglekultur" or whatever it was. Eighteenth: Bottom of beds is an excellent place to hide bottles of alcohol from your wife/kids/sponsor. Nineteenth: Get the chemistry right -- You could be the first human being to cultivate truffles in a subtropical climate. Twentieth: Dump out dirt, fill with hot water = Budget Jacuzzi
@@BevCurrie oh wow, I thought I had a short season here in Austria... been around 20C for some time now - warmest spring since I can remember and no rain! Luckily forest garden is pretty resilient and still thriving ;)
We are definitely making the transition to raised beds! Not only because my husband and I aren't getting any younger, but because we have many oil wells in our area and I'm concerned for the eventual toxicity in our soil. Thank you for sharing these tips with us!
Thank you! Always inspirational. Awesome advise and quality delivery. I use layered, heavy cinder blocks for my raised bed garden. No tools, no nails, no screws, no stakes, no posts...just stacked bricks. I can reshape beds if needed also. I live in northern California, USA. I look forward to more input from you, thx again!
I was just telling my daughter in law about raised beds the other day, and recommended your channel to her, as she would like to grow some veges, but has a bad back that limits her doing any bending. will be sharing this video with her to show her the advantages of them. another great video as always :-)
Putting up a 16' greenhouse dome (Pacific Domes, Oregon, USA) w. earthen floor in the sun-drenched high desert of New Mexico next year. Very sandy, rocky soil. Was planning on container gardening, but raised beds w. the tall Birdies and a greenhouse dome (special covering w. a solar fan for circuation) will be a killer combo !!! Love this guy!!
Because of your hugelkultur video and other videos my 2 children and I in rural QLD (hard dry clay sand soil) use your methods and advice. We now have multiple raise beds growing tomatoes, beans, watermelon and pumpkin with plans to do many more. So thank you for you time and effort!
We used boards for raised beds but took them out last year. So we planned on ground level gardening. After watching your videos - especially this one - I will have to save up to get these Birdies raised beds. So if I can get one kit every 2 to 3 months I may have enough for next years veggie gardens. At 76 now and knowing I will be another year older next year these Birdies raised beds will help my back and knees considerably. Mark, THANK YOU SO MUCH for putting THIS so very important video out. Judi
Hi from Japan. Haha... "Climbing the garden fork"! Indeed. I'm ordering those boxes right now, for the coming spring. Thank you for your wonderful videos.
Rewatching this after a few months and dreaming of post-moving gardening...I can't wait...it's going to be lovely. I have mobility problems, my joints have pretty heavy arthritis damage, and standing for too long is pretty painful. I'm excited the more I think about raised gardens, especially when I consider the fact that I can get some sort of seating to work alongside them. A bench seat, a pathway made with pavers or concrete and a seat with storage and wheels, or something along those lines, alongside the raised beds, would be absolutely amazing.
We've been using raised beds in many forms over the last few years but have progressed to wicking beds made from IBC boxes cut in half, very successfully, in South Burnett. Love the effort you put into your videos.
I'm a younger Gardner and i use an old family trick. It is a mix of manure and river dirt. This allows the soil to hold water on hot days and prevents flooding. The manure allows excess nutrients that allows tomato, pepper, and several other plants flourish and produce larger veggies
Hey Mark , Just wanted to say a BIG thank you . I’ve learnt so much from you Chanel and really enjoy all you tips , and wicked sense of humour . The ten tips for raised beds helped me out today as I too was feeling frustrated with floor beds . Also in a sub tropical climate , tablelands Herberton QLD , but the best place to grow plants . Thanks again , I look forward to your upcoming videos. Sam
I do LOVE the really large and impressive garden beds shown here. And, the larger raised garden beds are going to be the most impressive garden beds of course. But, it is best that the company "Birdies" is shown here that it is their best garden beds shown to bring up here and NOW. SO, is that acknowledged here and now. But, I must mention that I have bought 1 of my beds from "Birdies". It was my 6 feet long, 3 or 4 feet wide,,AND 36 INCHES high. And, I have already filled it up with good soil,., and all is GREAT. BUT, it is not always clear that everybody is willing to support their RELATIVES all "easy peasy'.
We have a huge rabbit and groundhog issue with our gardens every year. Definitely going to be doing some raised beds this upcoming season. Although the winter just started here in New England so it'll be awhile. Thanks for the awesome content!
It's been lovely to watch your garden grow and change through the years you are such a trier and we Aussies love a trier good on you mate your such a pleasure to watch you always make me smile
Greetings Mark, as you know, I only grow in raised beds using organic materials. Saves me tons of money by not having to convert the hard clay and river rock riddled soil into a plant friendly growing medium. Also has eliminated weeds from my gardens and made them harder to access by rodents and other pests. Great video!
Love your post. I ritually watch one to two a day. This one particularly hit home. I was a professional firefighter for 21 years.(so was my husband and son).. I Fell off a ladder when it collapsed under my weight and i fell 10 ft in a sitting position breaking my back in 2 places and was paralyzed. 3 surgeries, respiratory arrest from blood clots due to surgery I had to learn to use different muscles to walk. Learned to walk with a year of physical therapy and 4 years later I'm a force to be reckoned with. I have PTSD from the fall and gardening has calmed my inner soul. I always say if you want to get closer to God get on your knees and garden, God will talk to you during that time. But raised beds are the way for me. My husband built them all so I don't have to bend to garden. But I have purchased 4 Birdie raised bed to expand the garden. And funny, my granddaughters name is Birdie so it was meant to be. Keep them coming. It's my mental health late at night when my nerve damaged legs hurt too much to sleep. Hugs from Texas Mark. ....Doti ( using hubby's acct. But you're adored by the Texas woman)
Awesome video as always Mark. One point I'd like to add is with the organically rich lightweight medium that you use raised beds can be used for terrace gardening especially in hot countries like Australia and India where practically every house has one. Plus doing this will keep the house much cooler in the summer months
I’m getting one for my birthday to start growing my own food! I found a supplier in the UK that sells them. Thank you for the tips, it really helped me to overcome the fear of failure and get started on being more self sufficient :)
Sweet Mark, thanks .... you’ll get a “rise” out of me ....for raised garden for sure. Such a super idea to go with, and NOT having to knell down either. The gears are turning now ..... Cheers
While you have changed my mind regarding raised beds, and I will certainly consider them, there are some disadvantages as well. - They are expensive, especially for large areas. I have a 2000+ sq ft garden and to raise that much space would be costly. - It is easy to water an entire garden automatically with a sprinkler when it is not raised. - If you have good soil (we get runoff from horse neighbors) you can't take advantage of it. You have to put every and all nutrient into a raised bed. - I can bury nutrients in one part of the garden and share it with the entire garden....on the downside, some plants steal nutrients from each other I think your advantages of raised beds are great as well, but the biggest difference may come from having access to good fill. Your tree and compost fill looks amazing, but without good access to so much good fill I think the raised bed would be a challenge.
I just bought my first raised bed - Birdies - because of your videos! You've reinvigorated my interest i gardening and I can't wait for it to arrive. Thank you for all you do.
We have just finished our 10th raised garden bed at waist height using second hand corrugated iron and recycled wood. As always, continually inspired by your videos
Raised bed gig or was it a rain dance ;-) Un level ground is also a good reason. My planting area has a good slope although the are not high like yours.
Depending on who is doing the gardening, but for me, the best reason is that i do not have to stoop down or bend my back to reach the ground. Unlike when we were much younger when bending our knees would be quick and easy, with a raised garden bed, we can still touch the soil and have fun.🌸🌸. You are such a blessing bro, carry on but watch your spine.😎😎
Thanks for all the informative videos. My husband built 2 large hugelkulture beds this spring and we are really enjoying growing in them. Really like the taller raised beds.
Different methods work in different parts of my garden. There is a section of my garden with shade cast by a retaining wall. A raised bed lifts my plantings and allows them access to full sun. I am so tickled to hear these are going to be available in the states. I have been pea green with envy.
I have Parkinson Disease like you said can no longer bend down to do garden work none of the family got what I was doing until my first crop came in and using the sq foot method of gardening can grow a lot of food in raise beds
I was surching for a video to explain this. In my country, Bulagria, we have furst (blacksoil) and second class soil so you dont have many problems. I see this for the first time, but it is a great idea.
Well I like your kindness and goodness that 🥬🐓🐿 I want to tell you I just bought 6 raspberry plants for only $3 each and they are well established and strong as well as each is ~3.5 ft each!! 🌺🧄🌱🐐 I am quite happy! (: 🍃🥬🥬🥑🐓
Thanks Mark for wonderful,and useful tips about raised bed...continue to encourage people how to do good gardening.....more video from you are truelly appreciated....God bless you
I just build my very first raised bed garden and then soon after I was hired to build more for others! Once those were finished up I added yet another to my own yard!
While I am still very interested in utilizing cinder blocks for a raised garden due to how strong, long lasting and durable they are in a very windy environment. The only downside is how heavy they are to haul and move around. Where I live in OK, USA we have red clay soil and tornadoes to contend with. Thanks for sharing your ideas, I am in total awe of your gardening expertise.
OMG! Thank you, thank you!! We're doing raised beds this year too! We live in the Seqoiua National Forest In The Sierra Nevada Mountains, Ca. 🌲We just did major work around our creek and cut a few small diseased tree's for our fire break.🌳 We were keeping some of the wood for a small fire at night when we have company. The rest of it seemed to be a burden because it would have to be hauled away. As a matter of fact we were going to have to buy more soil just to fill the beds.🍅After watching your video I was so excited! We not only have the wood, but all of the tree debris that came with maintaining the fire break.🍂We also turned over the land in the back area of our home that has plenty of worms and the highly sought after organic soil their waste produces. 🐉We thought we wouldn't have enough growing medium to fill all of the beds. We do now! 🍃It was just a matter of perspective and seeing what we didn't see before. I appreciate the time you take to inform those of us who are a bit novice in the ways of gardening.🍁 Once again Thank you!! Much Respect Sent Your Way! 😁
I'm planning to get raised beds because our small townhouse backyard gets shade from fences, neighbors' decks, and a row of trees out back, so any amount of height helps increase sun time for the plants (that's my hope, at least).
Mark, love the videos - i live on a sm island in the Caribbean and practice what you do. But I wanted more raised beds - after watching you and wantering around the yard, I now see that two 4 ft cube metal water tanks that are just on the ground , cut in half and the bottom removed will make great beds - thanks for the inspiration .
Another pro, is the ability to test different growing styles, values like pH or even other styles of culture growing like aquaculture [this can't be done without some preparations]
Hügelkultur, a new word of MY OWN mother language i certainly did not expect to learn. If that's no proof of the awesomness of this channel, i don't know what else is.
You are lucky young boy,,, living under the blessed umbrella of God,,,, I always get inspiration after watching your videos and then tries to transfer these inspirations to my students and staff,,,,,, I am principal in a government College here in Pakistan,,,,,
This is an awesome idea! Thank you for going over this. I’ve been talking with my wife about wanting to start a garden and we have a lot of gophers and rabbits in our area. One thing I worry about now is the deer!
Your garden looks great! I have natural stone terraces on my property. I would love to make them into something that resembles a raised bed with access on all sides 👍
Really like using raised beds, but they are a bit expensive to fill when you have to buy the soil from department stores. Started composting this year trying to safe some money.
do hugelkultur like what Mark suggested. i did the same with mine. plus if you know a place you can get free horse manures better with wood chips. then add soil and compost to the top 20 to 30 cm. these high raised beds i am using as composter that you can plant on top.
Plenty good tips there i found this year my rosella plant boomed compared to last year when i had it in the ground. Even got to make rosella jam this year first time and tastes amazing!!!
I'm thinking of making raised beds instead of perimeter fencing. I have a tiny plot of land for my tiny house and this might just be the key for me to nail down two things with one budget: fence + food garden!
OMG, I have bought BOTH Vego and Birdies raised beds. I have been using a "Birdies" raised bed so far. It has been great so far. It was a BIG bed, about 6 feet by 3 or 4 feet wide. Now, I have 2 beds that are the round shaped beds that are BOTH about 42 inches wide by (approx) 36 inches tall. I have yet to put them both together, but, BOTH seem to be great products. The one that I have already put together and have used last growing season is kinda hard to put together without help. That is the 6 X 3 or 4 feet wide raised bed that is about 36 inches tall. So, although you may need help putting it together, once it is together, maybe use some logs and organic refuse like fall leaves, shredded wood to fill in the raised bed. Then, top it off with some good quality bagged soil or bagged cow manure. Just make sure that your crop is planted into some really nice quality "top soil" or good soil. I would have bought another 6 X 3 or 4 foot wide bed, BUT, I had to pay my neighbor to help me put it together, and, I would rather just put together the ROUND beds myself. They are 42 inches wide by about 36 inches wide. UNLESS, I have the measurements confused. Just check the stats before you order. But, I really do think that I am right.
Funny, I just drove past a large pile of firewood rounds earlier, soaking in the rain, wondering how I could use it. Think I'll order these raised beds (gaining better durability at a lower price than lumber) and fill in the bottom with wood and other scraps in anticipation of spring planting. I don't know if I should watch any more "raised bed gardening" videos for now after such a smashing success with the first one 😅
Thank you so much. I just love your videos. This one is outstanding. With much appreciation for the work and effort you put into this to share with us all! 🌿❤️
A raised bed makes it so much easier to attach frame work to for bird or bug netting. I first used just bird netting but quickly learned to switch to bug nets. Also I have to use raised beds or tables with container growing. I have an unstoppable grub problem, coal dust from the previous power plant that destroyed my soil, rabbits, possums, ants are all out of control, skunks, squirrels and plain old worst contaminated sand, clay, and as previously noted coal! I also am forever ripping up choke vines that were all over every tree in my yard and the house when I moved in here 17 years ago. In my raised beds it was a lot easier to control them by just lining the bottom to keep the vines out, and then add my soil. I would love to get the zinc beds you use but unfortuneately are over $200 each in my area and being retired on social security money is an issue. Two years ago I had to lay down grubx to try and get rid of the grub problem but still have a huge ongoing battle with them. They hollowed out the entire inside of my favorite MacIntosh Apple tree that produced no less than 5 forty gallon barrels full of plump juicy apples, until arriving home from work one day to find it lying on the ground a few weeks before the apples were ready for harvest. The tree was mammoth and over 50 yrs old. I have two more though that still stand and produce Cortland apples. Unfortuneately I am allergic to apples but my friends and relatives are not. For some reason they don't mind my poor soil. I replaced the entire lawn and planted new grass with all compost soil which I now use to fill my beds as well with a mixture of cow manure. Maple leaves, grass clippings, and rotten apples make an exellent compost! I live in Massachusetts so my growing season is so so. I'm going to move 6 blueberry bushes into a raised bed next spring to get more growth out of them. I just planted them this year but they really didn't grow much due to my lack of knowledge when planting them. In New England they grow wild everywhere so I thought just throwing them in the ground would be fine. I was never more wrong. I've been addicted to your channel and have watched so many videos I lost count. I watch at least 6 or more a day. I notice you have lemongrass on your property. Have you considered planting it in the front of your house around the fruit trees? It will help keep fruit flies away. I'm sure as a professional you already know this though. I will probably get to a video one day seeing it all over your property. Citronella plants as well. I really enjoy your videos and hope you never stop making them. If you seem to run out of content, which I doubt, a few refresher courses for us old folks with forgetfull memories could use them. From one military veteran to another, your channel is my #1 go to for everything to do with gardening! You rock!
I really hope birdie's expands and sets up a factory soon somewhere in the European union. These are so much nicer than what's currently available here. Unfortunately importing them is stupidly expensive, but if they could be made and distributed here they would be an amazing success!
I just recently started watching your channel and subscribed to your videos. I love your garden. Your knowledge and helpful tips on gardening are amazing. Thanks Mark!
I love the beds and all the reasons to have them, but what do you do about the heat? I see that you use hay as a topper, but when it's above 90 degrees F and beating down on the sides of those raised beds then the roots are getting too hot and the plant won't grow, ends up stressed and dies.
Good if you have invasive tree roots sucking the water and nutrients out of the ground.You'd need to put an impermeable plastic sheet or whatever down as the base in order to avoid the roots coming up from beneath though.
If you use a metal raised bed, are you at all worried about the possibility of the soil overheating? I live in a very hot and sunny climate, so I am worried about using metal for my raised bed because of that.
I love the raised beds but here in the USA and in the south it just gets too freaking hot and mine dry out to fast. Then I saw this video and never thought about adding wood to the bottom.
Drainage. So, several years ago I grew Leeks in a high-clay Indiana soil, and poor drainage inhibited them quite a bit, especially since they had to be transplanted multiple times. Raised beds would have been ideal. Plus, I’m not a huge fan of bending over to weed, being 6’3” it’s a long way down 😆
6'6" here, and yeah, a very long way down. usually I wind up sitting and using my long monkey arms, but I'm getting older, and being a recent amputee, it's hard to squirrel up and down like I used to.
I have been slowly switching over to raised beds because of my health, but found out the true benefit when my daughter was paralyzed 2 years ago. She doesn't have to depend on me to get fresh veggies and fruits...she can reach them herself (and her chair doesn't get bogged down in the dirt like it does in our main garden).
That's definitely a good point. The raised beds help us keep our hobbies through physical disabilities.
Very inspirational! Thank you for sharing :)
We raise bed garden in Africa, but have to do it more with rows of piled dirt. We dont have access to the nice containers and the indigenous people could not even afford bricks to outline the beds. So, we just use heaped up compost/soil. The things you teach are very useful, and actually work even with rows of dirt mounds.
Where in Africa?
Extreme Prepper nice
I was wondering if large mounds of dirt would work.
I watched a video awhile back, and that is how they did theirs. Sticks, logs, and other organics first. Then, the dirt/fertilizer. Worked out just fine!
I just realized I've been watching your channel for 7 straight hours. Hahaha, love ya Mark! You're a bloody legend and have gotten me back into my passion for gardening after a real dark period in my life - with your enthusiasm and great advice!
He is addictive. Keep yourself well mind body and soul. and remember grow grow grow
How do you have that much free time
How dark was it!
@@roywilliams5098 the darkest of the dark.
@@OzGeologyOfficial did you come to christ hes even better than gardening
Well done for making the effort to speak nice and clearly and using lots of gestures. Makes such a difference for viewers who don't speak English as their first language or who aren't used to an Aussie accent. Top work.
I started using raised beds about 25 years ago. Only 12 inches high, they still allowed me to sit on the edge to weed and my knees thanked my son for building them every time I weeded. Now I'm 70. I've built a single story (as opposed to a three story) home and am looking for something higher. My son is married in California and your link takes me to a product that looks like it might be suitable for a lousy DIYer like myself. I can't wait to get some dirt under my fingernails again.
Great video mate. I loved raised beds especially at my last garden, this one I haven't got around to building them yet but they are on the agenda. Reason number 11. In cooler climates, the beds warm much quicker than the ground does too. Fab stuff
There's another great tip Tony - you're full of them mate! Thanks :)
I just love how cheerful you are when greeting us with your "G'day" at the beginning of your videos, it's not much but to me, it makes me want to listen even more.
Great episode, thanks. No one, that I can remember, explained it as you did, I always hear “ with raised beds you have more control” and that’s it. On the other hand, you explained what that control is and how to enjoy and appreciate the raised bed gardening concept. Thank you again.
Eleventh reason for raised-bed gardening: Adequate cover in the event of gunfight with outlaws and armed possums.
Twelfth: Painting wicked flames on the sides of the containers to prove you haven't gotten old and lame.
Thirteenth: Empty out a bed, hop inside, pull layer of mulch over yourself. You are now less likely to be spotted by Australia's native fauna and eaten by giant spiders or roving land-trilobites.
Fourteenth: The Man says you can't, and you'll show him!
Fifteenth: Raised-bed gardening enables you to make pretty cool videos about raised-bed gardening.
Sixteenth: Even if your crops are crap, they look like you brought them up crap on purpose, as opposed to sticking them in the dirt and forgetting about them.
Seventeenth: Get to use the word "Huglekultur" or whatever it was.
Eighteenth: Bottom of beds is an excellent place to hide bottles of alcohol from your wife/kids/sponsor.
Nineteenth: Get the chemistry right -- You could be the first human being to cultivate truffles in a subtropical climate.
Twentieth: Dump out dirt, fill with hot water = Budget Jacuzzi
Richard Stockton gold.
twenty first: Modern research show that it's a reliable way to get people named Richard to write hilarious posts.
Jacuzzi in raised bed gardening without bottom? But the other reasons were pretty good :-)
@N.A.R Channel No way the water will stay in long enough for a bath, so don't even think Jacuzzi :)
And the Emmy for the best you tube comment goes to ............
This is my favourite TH-cam channel! Just waiting for the temp to come up above 0°C to get filling my new beds.
GREAT
Where do you live? Siberia?
Strauch Dieb Rural Ontario, Canada. It is 1°C today.
@@BevCurrie oh,,,, its 35 here in Pakistan
@@BevCurrie oh wow, I thought I had a short season here in Austria... been around 20C for some time now - warmest spring since I can remember and no rain! Luckily forest garden is pretty resilient and still thriving ;)
I couldn't manage without raised beds, mark. I can pull the scooter up alongside and either weed or plant with very little effort.
I think they need walk around space around them to access all sides.
Francisco d’Anconia Yes, you are right. We have about 90cms (3 feet) gap between all of our raised beds. Works brilliantly!
Great stuff Brian! Love your approach to gardening (as you know). Cheers mate :)
We are definitely making the transition to raised beds! Not only because my husband and I aren't getting any younger, but because we have many oil wells in our area and I'm concerned for the eventual toxicity in our soil. Thank you for sharing these tips with us!
Oil wells! Another great reason! Thank you :)
Thank you! Always inspirational. Awesome advise and quality delivery.
I use layered, heavy cinder blocks for my raised bed garden.
No tools, no nails, no screws, no stakes, no posts...just stacked bricks.
I can reshape beds if needed also.
I live in northern California, USA.
I look forward to more input from you, thx again!
I was just telling my daughter in law about raised beds the other day, and recommended your channel to her, as she would like to grow some veges, but has a bad back that limits her doing any bending. will be sharing this video with her to show her the advantages of them. another great video as always :-)
Putting up a 16' greenhouse dome (Pacific Domes, Oregon, USA) w. earthen floor in the sun-drenched high desert of New Mexico next year. Very sandy, rocky soil. Was planning on container gardening, but raised beds w. the tall Birdies and a greenhouse dome (special covering w. a solar fan for circuation) will be a killer combo !!! Love this guy!!
They raise your garden game for sure.
Good one 😂
Taking the comment section to "new heights" i see...
Lucas Lucas Lucas... :)
You are my hero. Stay green. Better drainage is an additional advantage.
Thank you. I've figured this out, myself, too. After years of struggling. But, fields of farm land still look prettier.
Because of your hugelkultur video and other videos my 2 children and I in rural QLD (hard dry clay sand soil) use your methods and advice. We now have multiple raise beds growing tomatoes, beans, watermelon and pumpkin with plans to do many more. So thank you for you time and effort!
I enjoy your videos so much. Your whole personality is just so encouraging and helpful , you're a ray of sunshine!
We used boards for raised beds but took them out last year. So we planned on ground level gardening. After watching your videos - especially this one - I will have to save up to get these Birdies raised beds. So if I can get one kit every 2 to 3 months I may have enough for next years veggie gardens. At 76 now and knowing I will be another year older next year these Birdies raised beds will help my back and knees considerably. Mark, THANK YOU SO MUCH for putting THIS so very important video out. Judi
I am in the process of converting all my gardening to raised beds. Thanks for the great video
Hi from Japan. Haha... "Climbing the garden fork"! Indeed. I'm ordering those boxes right now, for the coming spring. Thank you for your wonderful videos.
Rewatching this after a few months and dreaming of post-moving gardening...I can't wait...it's going to be lovely. I have mobility problems, my joints have pretty heavy arthritis damage, and standing for too long is pretty painful. I'm excited the more I think about raised gardens, especially when I consider the fact that I can get some sort of seating to work alongside them. A bench seat, a pathway made with pavers or concrete and a seat with storage and wheels, or something along those lines, alongside the raised beds, would be absolutely amazing.
When I grow up I want my garden to look as great as Marks! ;)
We've been using raised beds in many forms over the last few years but have progressed to wicking beds made from IBC boxes cut in half, very successfully, in South Burnett. Love the effort you put into your videos.
I live on “ wet land”, this is my reason for doing raised beds.
I'm a younger Gardner and i use an old family trick. It is a mix of manure and river dirt. This allows the soil to hold water on hot days and prevents flooding. The manure allows excess nutrients that allows tomato, pepper, and several other plants flourish and produce larger veggies
Hey Mark ,
Just wanted to say a BIG thank you . I’ve learnt so much from you Chanel and really enjoy all you tips , and wicked sense of humour . The ten tips for raised beds helped me out today as I too was feeling frustrated with floor beds . Also in a sub tropical climate , tablelands Herberton QLD , but the best place to grow plants . Thanks again , I look forward to your upcoming videos. Sam
I do LOVE the really large and impressive garden beds shown here. And, the larger raised garden beds are going to be the most impressive garden beds of course. But, it is best that the company "Birdies" is shown here that it is their best garden beds shown to bring up here and NOW. SO, is that acknowledged here and now.
But, I must mention that I have bought 1 of my beds from "Birdies". It was my 6 feet long, 3 or 4 feet wide,,AND 36 INCHES high. And, I have already filled it up with good soil,., and all is GREAT. BUT, it is not always clear that everybody is willing to support their RELATIVES all "easy peasy'.
We have a huge rabbit and groundhog issue with our gardens every year. Definitely going to be doing some raised beds this upcoming season. Although the winter just started here in New England so it'll be awhile. Thanks for the awesome content!
It's been lovely to watch your garden grow and change through the years you are such a trier and we Aussies love a trier good on you mate your such a pleasure to watch you always make me smile
Greetings Mark, as you know, I only grow in raised beds using organic materials. Saves me tons of money by not having to convert the hard clay and river rock riddled soil into a plant friendly growing medium. Also has eliminated weeds from my gardens and made them harder to access by rodents and other pests. Great video!
Love your post. I ritually watch one to two a day. This one particularly hit home. I was a professional firefighter for 21 years.(so was my husband and son).. I Fell off a ladder when it collapsed under my weight and i fell 10 ft in a sitting position breaking my back in 2 places and was paralyzed. 3 surgeries, respiratory arrest from blood clots due to surgery I had to learn to use different muscles to walk. Learned to walk with a year of physical therapy and 4 years later I'm a force to be reckoned with. I have PTSD from the fall and gardening has calmed my inner soul. I always say if you want to get closer to God get on your knees and garden, God will talk to you during that time. But raised beds are the way for me. My husband built them all so I don't have to bend to garden. But I have purchased 4 Birdie raised bed to expand the garden. And funny, my granddaughters name is Birdie so it was meant to be. Keep them coming. It's my mental health late at night when my nerve damaged legs hurt too much to sleep. Hugs from Texas Mark. ....Doti ( using hubby's acct. But you're adored by the Texas woman)
Thank you for sharing the idea of raised beds. I'm forward to start building them. This is fantastic idea. May the love of God be with you. God bless.
Awesome video as always Mark. One point I'd like to add is with the organically rich lightweight medium that you use raised beds can be used for terrace gardening especially in hot countries like Australia and India where practically every house has one. Plus doing this will keep the house much cooler in the summer months
I’m getting one for my birthday to start growing my own food! I found a supplier in the UK that sells them. Thank you for the tips, it really helped me to overcome the fear of failure and get started on being more self sufficient :)
Sweet Mark, thanks .... you’ll get a “rise” out of me ....for raised garden for sure. Such a super idea to go with, and NOT having to knell down either. The gears are turning now ..... Cheers
It snowed here today, so here I am gardening vicariously through you.
While you have changed my mind regarding raised beds, and I will certainly consider them, there are some disadvantages as well.
- They are expensive, especially for large areas. I have a 2000+ sq ft garden and to raise that much space would be costly.
- It is easy to water an entire garden automatically with a sprinkler when it is not raised.
- If you have good soil (we get runoff from horse neighbors) you can't take advantage of it. You have to put every and all nutrient into a raised bed.
- I can bury nutrients in one part of the garden and share it with the entire garden....on the downside, some plants steal nutrients from each other
I think your advantages of raised beds are great as well, but the biggest difference may come from having access to good fill. Your tree and compost fill looks amazing, but without good access to so much good fill I think the raised bed would be a challenge.
I just bought my first raised bed - Birdies - because of your videos! You've reinvigorated my interest i gardening and I can't wait for it to arrive. Thank you for all you do.
We have just finished our 10th raised garden bed at waist height using second hand corrugated iron and recycled wood. As always, continually inspired by your videos
Raised bed gig or was it a rain dance ;-) Un level ground is also a good reason. My planting area has a good slope although the are not high like yours.
Depending on who is doing the gardening, but for me, the best reason is that i do not have to stoop down or bend my back to reach the ground. Unlike when we were much younger when bending our knees would be quick and easy, with a raised garden bed, we can still touch the soil and have fun.🌸🌸. You are such a blessing bro, carry on but watch your spine.😎😎
Thanks for all the informative videos. My husband built 2 large hugelkulture beds this spring and we are really enjoying growing in them. Really like the taller raised beds.
Different methods work in different parts of my garden. There is a section of my garden with shade cast by a retaining wall. A raised bed lifts my plantings and allows them access to full sun. I am so tickled to hear these are going to be available in the states. I have been pea green with envy.
Controlling invasive but tasty plants.
Nice tip Edie! :)
Yes, and it keeps grass from invading from all directions!
Awesome man, super video. Your enthusiastic voice and tips are great.
I have Parkinson Disease like you said can no longer bend down to do garden work none of the family got what I was doing until my first crop came in and using the sq foot method of gardening can grow a lot of food in raise beds
Raised bed gardening rules! Have an amazing weekend, Andreas from Off Grid Sweden 🇸🇪
Thanks Andreas!
I really like your idea of that type of raised bad
Your work is very creative & genius in raised garden beds.
I have a couple of old baths, they make great wicking beds. An old concrete laundry tub makes a great planter too.
I was surching for a video to explain this. In my country, Bulagria, we have furst (blacksoil) and second class soil so you dont have many problems. I see this for the first time, but it is a great idea.
Well I like your kindness and goodness that 🥬🐓🐿
I want to tell you I just bought 6 raspberry plants for only $3 each and they are well established and strong as well as each is ~3.5 ft each!! 🌺🧄🌱🐐
I am quite happy! (: 🍃🥬🥬🥑🐓
Thanks Mark for wonderful,and useful tips about raised bed...continue to encourage people how to do good gardening.....more video from you are truelly appreciated....God bless you
I just build my very first raised bed garden and then soon after I was hired to build more for others! Once those were finished up I added yet another to my own yard!
So glad you helped get these available in the US. I bought 2, not sure when they will get here. I hope this works out well for all of us.
While I am still very interested in utilizing cinder blocks for a raised garden due to how strong, long lasting and durable they are in a very windy environment. The only downside is how heavy they are to haul and move around. Where I live in OK, USA we have red clay soil and tornadoes to contend with. Thanks for sharing your ideas, I am in total awe of your gardening expertise.
I like shooting the breeze at the end
This video really gives me hope to fullfill my dream of my own food garden! I LOVE IT!
OMG! Thank you, thank you!! We're doing raised beds this year too! We live in the Seqoiua National Forest In The Sierra Nevada Mountains, Ca. 🌲We just did major work around our creek and cut a few small diseased tree's for our fire break.🌳 We were keeping some of the wood for a small fire at night when we have company. The rest of it seemed to be a burden because it would have to be hauled away. As a matter of fact we were going to have to buy more soil just to fill the beds.🍅After watching your video I was so excited! We not only have the wood, but all of the tree debris that came with maintaining the fire break.🍂We also turned over the land in the back area of our home that has plenty of worms and the highly sought after organic soil their waste produces. 🐉We thought we wouldn't have enough growing medium to fill all of the beds. We do now! 🍃It was just a matter of perspective and seeing what we didn't see before. I appreciate the time you take to inform those of us who are a bit novice in the ways of gardening.🍁 Once again Thank you!! Much Respect Sent Your Way! 😁
Great stuff Tiffany! All the best with your garden project. Cheers :)
I'm planning to get raised beds because our small townhouse backyard gets shade from fences, neighbors' decks, and a row of trees out back, so any amount of height helps increase sun time for the plants (that's my hope, at least).
My cauliflower is loving the raised bed I installed this year 👍🏻👍🏻
Mark, love the videos - i live on a sm island in the Caribbean and practice what you do. But I wanted more raised beds - after watching you and wantering around the yard, I now see that two 4 ft cube metal water tanks that are just on the ground , cut in half and the bottom removed will make great beds - thanks for the inspiration .
Great video, thanks for sharing your knowledge & advice! 🌱
Another pro, is the ability to test different growing styles, values like pH or even other styles of culture growing like aquaculture [this can't be done without some preparations]
Another top tip! Thank you :)
You are my raised bed inspiration. ..
Hügelkultur, a new word of MY OWN mother language i certainly did not expect to learn.
If that's no proof of the awesomness of this channel, i don't know what else is.
It's a cool word too lol... Cheers mate :)
Having my own garden I can’t help think how much work a ft job granted the size of this garden can produces a lot
love what you do Mark
Raised beds are also good for increased sunlight hours, especially in the suburbs where if you want to plant near a fence it only gets half day of sun
You are lucky young boy,,, living under the blessed umbrella of God,,,, I always get inspiration after watching your videos and then tries to transfer these inspirations to my students and staff,,,,,, I am principal in a government College here in Pakistan,,,,,
1. easy to assemble 1:16
2.hügelkultur (hill or mound culture) 2:12
3.grow on contaminated ground 3:06
4.grow on poor soil 3:55
5.grow anywhere 4:37
6.mobilty 5:18
7.pests 6:06
8.organisation 6:40
9.weeding 8:01
10.they look good 8:35
This is an awesome idea! Thank you for going over this. I’ve been talking with my wife about wanting to start a garden and we have a lot of gophers and rabbits in our area. One thing I worry about now is the deer!
I love how wholesome this account is
Your garden looks great! I have natural stone terraces on my property. I would love to make them into something that resembles a raised bed with access on all sides 👍
Really like using raised beds, but they are a bit expensive to fill when you have to buy the soil from department stores.
Started composting this year trying to safe some money.
do hugelkultur like what Mark suggested. i did the same with mine. plus if you know a place you can get free horse manures better with wood chips. then add soil and compost to the top 20 to 30 cm.
these high raised beds i am using as composter that you can plant on top.
Plenty good tips there i found this year my rosella plant boomed compared to last year when i had it in the ground. Even got to make rosella jam this year first time and tastes amazing!!!
Like it if you have also joined the raised bed club.
Small Garden Quest You have just made us raised-bed gardeners. Thank you! Here is hoping we can purchase these beds and have them shipped to Canada.
Gary Phillips you can make your own from metal and sheet screws
I'm thinking of making raised beds instead of perimeter fencing. I have a tiny plot of land for my tiny house and this might just be the key for me to nail down two things with one budget: fence + food garden!
OMG, I have bought BOTH Vego and Birdies raised beds. I have been using a "Birdies" raised bed so far. It has been great so far. It was a BIG bed, about 6 feet by 3 or 4 feet wide. Now, I have 2 beds that are the round shaped beds that are BOTH about 42 inches wide by (approx) 36 inches tall. I have yet to put them both together, but, BOTH seem to be great products.
The one that I have already put together and have used last growing season is kinda hard to put together without help. That is the 6 X 3 or 4 feet wide raised bed that is about 36 inches tall. So, although you may need help putting it together, once it is together, maybe use some logs and organic refuse like fall leaves, shredded wood to fill in the raised bed. Then, top it off with some good quality bagged soil or bagged cow manure. Just make sure that your crop is planted into some really nice quality "top soil" or good soil. I would have bought another 6 X 3 or 4 foot wide bed, BUT, I had to pay my neighbor to help me put it together, and, I would rather just put together the ROUND beds myself. They are 42 inches wide by about 36 inches wide. UNLESS, I have the measurements confused. Just check the stats before you order. But, I really do think that I am right.
I meant the round beds were to be 42 inches wide by about 36 inches tall. Sorry that I messed that up.
Funny, I just drove past a large pile of firewood rounds earlier, soaking in the rain, wondering how I could use it. Think I'll order these raised beds (gaining better durability at a lower price than lumber) and fill in the bottom with wood and other scraps in anticipation of spring planting. I don't know if I should watch any more "raised bed gardening" videos for now after such a smashing success with the first one 😅
Thank you so much. I just love your videos. This one is outstanding. With much appreciation for the work and effort you put into this to share with us all! 🌿❤️
Just got my first delivered! Planning to buy many more! Thanks for all the tips Mark!
I am about to start my raised beds
A raised bed makes it so much easier to attach frame work to for bird or bug netting. I first used just bird netting but quickly learned to switch to bug nets.
Also I have to use raised beds or tables with container growing. I have an unstoppable grub problem, coal dust from the previous power plant that destroyed my soil, rabbits, possums, ants are all out of control, skunks, squirrels and plain old worst contaminated sand, clay, and as previously noted coal! I also am forever ripping up choke vines that were all over every tree in my yard and the house when I moved in here 17 years ago. In my raised beds it was a lot easier to control them by just lining the bottom to keep the vines out, and then add my soil. I would love to get the zinc beds you use but unfortuneately are over $200 each in my area and being retired on social security money is an issue.
Two years ago I had to lay down grubx to try and get rid of the grub problem but still have a huge ongoing battle with them. They hollowed out the entire inside of my favorite MacIntosh Apple tree that produced no less than 5 forty gallon barrels full of plump juicy apples, until arriving home from work one day to find it lying on the ground a few weeks before the apples were ready for harvest. The tree was mammoth and over 50 yrs old. I have two more though that still stand and produce Cortland apples. Unfortuneately I am allergic to apples but my friends and relatives are not. For some reason they don't mind my poor soil. I replaced the entire lawn and planted new grass with all compost soil which I now use to fill my beds as well with a mixture of cow manure. Maple leaves, grass clippings, and rotten apples make an exellent compost! I live in Massachusetts so my growing season is so so. I'm going to move 6 blueberry bushes into a raised bed next spring to get more growth out of them. I just planted them this year but they really didn't grow much due to my lack of knowledge when planting them. In New England they grow wild everywhere so I thought just throwing them in the ground would be fine. I was never more wrong. I've been addicted to your channel and have watched so many videos I lost count. I watch at least 6 or more a day. I notice you have lemongrass on your property. Have you considered planting it in the front of your house around the fruit trees? It will help keep fruit flies away. I'm sure as a professional you already know this though. I will probably get to a video one day seeing it all over your property. Citronella plants as well. I really enjoy your videos and hope you never stop making them. If you seem to run out of content, which I doubt, a few refresher courses for us old folks with forgetfull memories could use them. From one military veteran to another, your channel is my #1 go to for everything to do with gardening! You rock!
I really hope birdie's expands and sets up a factory soon somewhere in the European union. These are so much nicer than what's currently available here. Unfortunately importing them is stupidly expensive, but if they could be made and distributed here they would be an amazing success!
I just recently started watching your channel and subscribed to your videos. I love your garden. Your knowledge and helpful tips on gardening are amazing. Thanks Mark!
Your info is very helpful thanks! I use to think that I’ll make my garden directly on the ground but you made me change my mind :)
I love the beds and all the reasons to have them, but what do you do about the heat? I see that you use hay as a topper, but when it's above 90 degrees F and beating down on the sides of those raised beds then the roots are getting too hot and the plant won't grow, ends up stressed and dies.
Question what do you do with excess production of food? Canning?
I live in a flat and we have a very small space. Usually stick to pots but a raised bed would fit and give us more options
Your videos are just amazing ! Well done ! This will save a'lot of lives !
Reason number 10, I literally was thinking "looks cool" then you said "looks good." I would go with "looks cool" mate 😉
Good if you have invasive tree roots sucking the water and nutrients out of the ground.You'd need to put an impermeable plastic sheet or whatever down as the base in order to avoid the roots coming up from beneath though.
If you use a metal raised bed, are you at all worried about the possibility of the soil overheating? I live in a very hot and sunny climate, so I am worried about using metal for my raised bed because of that.
I love the raised beds but here in the USA and in the south it just gets too freaking hot and mine dry out to fast. Then I saw this video and never thought about adding wood to the bottom.
Hello from Vietnam. You have great content!
Drainage. So, several years ago I grew Leeks in a high-clay Indiana soil, and poor drainage inhibited them quite a bit, especially since they had to be transplanted multiple times. Raised beds would have been ideal. Plus, I’m not a huge fan of bending over to weed, being 6’3” it’s a long way down 😆
6'6" here, and yeah, a very long way down. usually I wind up sitting and using my long monkey arms, but I'm getting older, and being a recent amputee, it's hard to squirrel up and down like I used to.