I have these garden beds for 2 years now and I love them and they are much cheaper to buy then 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 regreats and my garden looks esthetically pleasing. I have brought all of my own beds and I don't sell them. To each is own.

@charlescourtney4412

12 күн бұрын

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.

@LS-um3zq

9 күн бұрын

You don't have a heat problem?

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.

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

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.

@chevyiceraw

Ай бұрын

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.

@dronescamerasdogs203

Ай бұрын

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.

@kfx216

16 күн бұрын

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.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

18 күн бұрын

Yes agreed! I’m on Vancouver Island, we have a Mediterranean climate here, hot dry summers, wet rainy winters.

@miitekrob9690

17 күн бұрын

There’s an About button that shows the location where this video was filmed.

@mcgritty8842

4 күн бұрын

@@miitekrob9690and where is this “About button” located?

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.

@ecoendeavour8

15 күн бұрын

Great idea! I have yet to try this

@LibraryLizard

2 күн бұрын

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.

@burntblonde2925

2 күн бұрын

I have cement blocks, lasted for years so far, no deterioration

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.

@brokerken

10 күн бұрын

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.

@mintgreen292

9 күн бұрын

I'm using an upturned Home Depot bucket and a $1 kneel pad from dollar tree. Can't wait to upgrade lol.

@moonlightcrafter6299

6 күн бұрын

I use a plastic milk crate and a cheap kneeling pad. Not pretty but it works.

@bitsandbobs4082

4 күн бұрын

I support this😊 weeding the long long raspberry bed 2 days ago I am so aching still must have cut my circulation

Thank you for being honest - I never thought about the heating problem.

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.

@peachluck1050

Ай бұрын

Thank you for your helpful comment!

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.

@ecoendeavour8

18 күн бұрын

No scripting happening over here 😂

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.

@ecoendeavour8

2 ай бұрын

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.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

2 ай бұрын

The Vego beds look like better quality. I'll be putting my heat loving plants in my metal beds this year.

@Crankinstien

2 ай бұрын

My vego beds are awesome. I have 15 and will never go back to wood beds

@annelauck-desantis9946

Ай бұрын

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.

@kellyrobin718

29 күн бұрын

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.

@fiat1312

26 күн бұрын

@@annelauck-desantis9946 Are you sure the Birdies are not made in China and distributed through Australia?

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.

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!

@ecoendeavour8

29 күн бұрын

Glad you found the video helpful. Happy Gardening

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').

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!

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

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!

@paulandbarbie1969

3 ай бұрын

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 @@ecoendeavour8

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

Yes it sounds like metal beds are best for you. Happy gardening@@paulandbarbie1969

@SouthernPioneer1965

28 күн бұрын

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 .

@paulandbarbie1969

28 күн бұрын

@@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

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

Not true for all metal beds… i have them and they’re never hot also the they come with a rubber for edges. Do you and don’t knock what others want to do when you have not done a full and fair review on metal beds. Also, my 2 are inexpensive from Amazon.

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

Oh I bet it's nice to have the rubber on the edges! The placement of the beds is contributing greatly to them overheating in the summer and it's not something I considered when I set them up last spring. And if you watch to the end of the video, I do encourage people to do what they want to do. I shared my perspectives on my metal beds because most of the other youtubers make commision off of promoting metal raised beds and this can result in biased opinions. I'm glad your metal beds work for you. I'll find a way to make mine work for me too.

@parentingdecolonized

11 күн бұрын

There was no knocking of others in this video. She gave her opinion.

@ItzMeMaxie

9 күн бұрын

@@parentingdecolonized Mentioning another youtuber by name and saying they sold out because they now sell these beds is not "knocking others?"

@eileensnyder3619

Күн бұрын

lighten up Francis. She's just sharing her opinion.

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.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

15 күн бұрын

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!

@jeankuzon1891

14 күн бұрын

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.

Just found your channel and so agree with you on KZreadrs pushing expensive products that they get for free.

Look forward to watching as another Vancouver Islander builds soil from the sand and a food forest of diversity. Often times I forget many KZread garden influencers are in it for the money. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, thoughts and insights.

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

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.

@terrym2210

3 ай бұрын

@@ecoendeavour8 : 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.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

2 ай бұрын

Oh that's a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

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! 😊

@ecoendeavour8

15 күн бұрын

Glad you found it helpful.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

9 күн бұрын

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.

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?

@ecoendeavour8

4 күн бұрын

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

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.

Excellent video. Integrity is worth a lot.

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

Thanks

in the wood raised bed would it make it last longer if you would use metal flashing? I recently got some concrete block how would that affect soil temp etc

@ecoendeavour8

11 күн бұрын

There is a local company where I am that builds custom beds with a mix of wood and metal and they are beautiful. I'm not sure how they work with the heat though. I've never grown in concrete blocks before, not sure how they hold heat or water but it's worth a shot.

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!

@ecoendeavour8

4 күн бұрын

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.

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.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

12 күн бұрын

Amazing! I hope you find a great place.

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.

@andrewlalis

3 ай бұрын

Because wood is carbon neutral, whereas it takes immense energy to mine, smelt, extrude, and transport a metal bed.

@mandocool

3 ай бұрын

You seem to be ignoring the continuous energy used in lumber logistics on a daily basis.

@adrabruzzese7610

Ай бұрын

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

@Feribrat99

17 күн бұрын

@@adrabruzzese7610 Have you ever tried to recycle metal?? I am a blacksmith and you are wrong, so very wrong. have fun with that.

@adrabruzzese7610

17 күн бұрын

@@Feribrat99 okay I will.😊

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.

Did you happen to do the math for the total carbon footprint of the lumber beds, taking into account the number of times you might need to replace the lumber?

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

@AngryManSki

2 ай бұрын

If these are an eyesore then what is your solution?

@user-bb4tz3co1y

7 күн бұрын

​@AngryManSki choose something that isn't an eyesore then, everyone has preferences

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.

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.

@Feribrat99

17 күн бұрын

that would work.

@ecoendeavour8

9 күн бұрын

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

@gwendolynjordan1846

8 күн бұрын

@@ecoendeavour8 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!

@ecoendeavour8

8 күн бұрын

@@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.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

15 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching. Happy gardening

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.

@ecoendeavour8

5 күн бұрын

This is the way to do it! Gardening shouldn't be so expensive and it can be done on a budget! Great tips

Wow. I love your line of taught. Mad respect and instant subscribe!

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

Thank you and welcome ❤

How much do the metal beds rust? I had metal plant containers and they rusted in a couple of years.

@ecoendeavour8

Ай бұрын

These beds are made with corrugated metal which is galvanized so they shouldn't rust, but the screws and bolts are already starting to rust after one year of use. Some brands might come with stainless steel screws but mine obviously didn't.

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!

Thanks for the insight and I know it most likely wasn’t easy to do!

@ecoendeavour8

15 күн бұрын

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.

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!

@ecoendeavour8

Ай бұрын

Thanks for the sub! Some people love the beds, but they are not worth all the hype in my experience.

@leighb.8508

29 күн бұрын

No joke! I was really drawn to them myself but this video was like a slap in the face from a good friend.

Thank you for pointing out how hot they get. I have 2 toddlers so you changed my mind :)

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.

@ecoendeavour8

18 күн бұрын

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.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

15 күн бұрын

Thanks, glad you liked it. And yes, I’ll be trying a few different methods to keep the beds cooler this summer.

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

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.

Thank you for sharing. I was wondering about the heat.

@ecoendeavour8

2 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Another thing to consider with the metal beds is: are they lead free? That type of metal often contain lead.

@ecoendeavour8

4 күн бұрын

Yes I wondered this too! And I actually chose the non painted metal beds because I was worried about the paint scratching off and not being safe to grow food in. From the comment section, I've learned the painted ones reflect the heat better so I guess I should have bought the painted ones. But in the future, I'll stick to wood beds, they are safer and I like the idea of them decomposing and adding nutrients back into the soil at the end of their life.

I appreciate your perspective. I’m going to try both, but I agree about the carbon footprint

@ecoendeavour8

Ай бұрын

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 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.

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

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.

Every gardener knows you have to top the raised beds every year unless you just fill it with rocks. What do you use for a roof material?

@ecoendeavour8

2 ай бұрын

Oh yes of course. My metal beds just seemed to settle more than my wood beds but that's from the layers of sticks and leaves I used. My shed roof is corrugated metal as it's one of the safest roofing materials to collect rainwater from. My house will also have a metal roof for the same reason as I will be collecting rainwater to filter to drink.

I have multiple metal raised beds. And I have never had an issue with The Heat and I bought them off of Amazon and they were 2 beds for $79, which is way less expensive than buying wood to make a raised bed, And to be clear I have both raised beds in metal and wood and I enjoy them both equally. Also, you can use Metal gate post beside the bed, just like you would for a wooden bed and use a cattle panel and have an arch over it. There's many nice ways to make DIY additions to your metal raise beds. i'm not sure where you're going with all of this, but I think you're very wrong based on my experience with these for the last three years

@ecoendeavour8

15 күн бұрын

I'm glad the metal beds work for you. Mine just get way too much direct sunlight and as metal is a heat conductor, they do get really hot and dry out my soil faster. I've planted clover at the base to shade and nasturtiums in the beds to cascade over for shade and I think this will help. Sharing my experience with my metal beds and my honest review has no agenda, just figured it was important to share as they are super trendy right now and they do have some downsides.

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.

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 KZreadr.

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.

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.

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. 🤷

maybe good for seedings in winter or spring in altitude ??

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

Yes good idea. Metal being a heat conductor has benefits for winter gardening and warming soil in spring. I could also rotate them so the shorter part is facing south instead of the longer part.

Try adding a layer or two of burlap around the metal to shade them.

Good point! Thank you I appreciate your honesty..👍

@ecoendeavour8

Ай бұрын

No problem 👍

Thanks for sharing. You made good points.

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.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

3 сағат бұрын

Thanks for the sub and welcome to the community ☺️

Thanks for your perspective

I have cement blocks for my garden bed, then bent metal conduit over them for hoops. I zip tie shade cloth, or insect cloth onto the conduit hoop

I got a pretty cheap one on Amazon. This is my first year using it. Im hoping there is no issues with it heating up the soil too much out here in Central AR where it can get into the 100 F range.

@ecoendeavour8

11 күн бұрын

Consider your placement of them and you should be fine. The 2 beds of mine that have the long edge facing direct south and receive very little filtered shade are the ones that overheat in the summer. I'll be shading the metal from direct sun this summer and that should help with my heat problem. Happy gardening!

Thank you. This helped me make a decision.

Thank you for your refreshing view. I'm on the same page regarding buying these Tartar steel rims for gardening.

@ecoendeavour8

15 күн бұрын

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 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?

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!

@ecoendeavour8

4 күн бұрын

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.

@joannsilva4715

4 күн бұрын

@@ecoendeavour8 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! 😉

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.

@ecoendeavour8

4 күн бұрын

Yes I think that's why the higher quality beds are painted! Something I didn't consider when purchasing

Well thought content, thank you! I've always hesitated on thinking about them because the price. I do wonder if they would be excellent heat batteries for the winter, especially if loaded with brick at the base - to keep temps above zero celsius - in a green house - like a cold frame in a greenhouse (so double greenhousing for some vegetables!)

@JOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOanne

Ай бұрын

also, yes yes yes to your point of promoting consumerism as part as "permaculture" enthusiast. We all need to do what we need to survive the system - but it is refreshing to hear your opinion on consumer culture. The one good thing about them metal beds would be long lastingness. They should not cost a fortune!

@ecoendeavour8

Ай бұрын

Oh geez, I could rant about consumer culture for days. I'm still embarrassed I got sucked into the metal raised bed trend. That money would have been better spent on compost, seeds, or fruit trees.

James Prigioni started out following good permaculture principles. Now he is using raised beds and fertilizer. I binged his channel last year, and then again this year, and I saw the year he made the shift. He used to be primarily a food forest guy, and now he is a KZread guy, mostly. But, I still love his videos, and his dog Tuck. I have a Tuck coffee cup on my desk! Of course, he is in New Jersey. Like you said, it is a cooler place.

@AylaGrassrootGardens

Ай бұрын

I just watched his interview with the Millennial Gardner. He said he wanted to have both! A good forest and an annual garden, so he could grow ALL the things😂

@busker153

Ай бұрын

@@AylaGrassrootGardens I am growing my food forest for the purpose of being able to eat from my yard every day all year. That means perennial things. I also like to grow annual stuff, mostly because it is fun, but it also provides a nice variety. The best food on earth is that which you eat moments after harvesting, so you get all the enzymes that help in the digestion of the food you are eating. My favorite things are my tree collards and swiss chard. They had snow on them three times last winter, and did just fine during the month and a half the following summer when there was no rain and it stayed over a hundred degrees. That's what I call food security! I'm lovin' it.

@ecoendeavour8

Ай бұрын

He has some great videos and I love his energy and little Tuck! But ya, I guess eventually once a channel hits a million subs it becomes more about the business.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

17 күн бұрын

Sounds like you’re doing things right! I need to rotate mine as facing south is just too hot for metal.

Thanks for the vid. I believe these are landguard raised beds. Have you noticed any signs of rust on the beds?

@ecoendeavour8

2 ай бұрын

I just checked my order and they are from Huamao Beauty. The bolts are starting to rust after 1 year but the metal is fine so far.

@Avatar-es5xt

2 ай бұрын

@@ecoendeavour8 oh, I see. Thanks!

If I have to cut down trees I use the trunks as the walls of my beds. They rot but if I have small perennials like blueberries the roots hold the soil in. And then I have mounds which are stealth raised beds but I primarily just grow in the ground

All those points make sense. I also just never liked the look of the corrugated metal and never understood the appeal unless they were cheap, which it seems they aren't.

Thank you I live in Texas and the heat will definitely impact my growing.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

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.

@upliftlife11

3 ай бұрын

@@ecoendeavour8 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 😊

Possible solution: Pool noodle over edge (slice down one side, fit over) will help with edge comfort. Get the fatter ones and you can sit/prop-up on/up-against.

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.

If you’re on a budget just grow on the ground or use the scrap wood. The wooden one I built started falling apart after a while so I bought a metal one and have never had any of the problems you mentioned in this video. Metal can be recycled over and over again and buying wood that is forested at some point isn’t necessarily eco friendly so not sure about the environmental impact.

Regarding #2 - I’ve had wooden beds for about six years, and I have to add soil every year due to settling.

These are some great points. I have Veikous metal beds from Home Depot's website. They are far cheaper than all the other metal beds I've seen. One pro is that as a renter, I've moved once since getting my metal beds. All I had to do is take the screws off one panel, pop them apart, and load them into a moving van. Two cons to the metal beds that I've found are: 1:,they're harder to modify. All those videos where people are screwing hinges for winter toppers into their wooden beds don't apply to these. 2, the round corners are cute but it makes true square foot gardening a little more awkward.

@ecoendeavour8

9 күн бұрын

Oh yes, I never thought about being able to move them from house to house, good point. And yes, I agree, they don’t work the best for square foot gardening. Thanks for sharing

I've used them for 4 years now and love them

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.

@ecoendeavour8

3 ай бұрын

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!

Never had ANY PROBLEMS

I don't know about the heat being a problem but the price definitely wouldn't work for me . I built some with cement board 4 years ago when lumber prices were outrageous. They're holding up well and we're cost effective.

Has anyone planted vineyard, creeping plants along the edge to shade the container walls? South and west sides may be sufficient. I realize it could make it challenging to get close to the planter to work but often these plants are pretty strong & resilient anyway.

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.

@ecoendeavour8

4 күн бұрын

I've never used the grow bags but I've heard people like them. Good luck with your garden this year.

At last, someone being honest about the weird fashion for these useless metal raised beds. Thank you.

@ecoendeavour8

26 күн бұрын

The truth needed to be told! Sometimes I wonder if the people in the comments are supporting the metal beds because they are embarrassed about how much money they spent on a garden beds. 😬

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..💚

@ecoendeavour8

Ай бұрын

Oh great, thanks for the tip, I'll check her out!

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.

Seems like a simple fix- place your irrigation close to the rim. ALL raised beds are expensive to buy and fill. And metal will way outlast the wood, probably resulting in a similar carbon footprint.

Really helpful. Thanks!

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. 😢

@ecoendeavour8

2 ай бұрын

$15 each is a great deal! I'd buy more at that price but the prices now are ridiculous.

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.