9 Beginner Raised Bed Garden Mistakes to Avoid

A few good soil mixes:
- 1/3 perlite, 1/3 coco coir, 1/3 compost
- 1/2 topsoil, 1/4 compost, 1/4 grass clippings, straw, leaves, etc.

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[brennandaniel]

I am 12 and I started gardening this year! I only did 2 dwarf tomato plants and 2 bell peppers plants. Your videos has helped me a lot and I am going to be doing my first harvest in about 2 weeks (I started late but I know I can move them indoors because I have a room that gets ton of sun) Thank you for all of your help!

[Thingys-Jill]

It is better to have a small, well cared for garden than a huge one that becomes overwhelming to you. Start small and you can always add more!

[lukiebillings]

1. And 2. Are Bed Placement for sunshine
3. Plan for irrigation
4. Invest in good raised bed soil mixed with compost
Research good mixed soil.. and compost blends
5. Use Mulch (composted)
6. Make space for pathways - minimum 24”
7. Planting space…and placement. Plants that grow taller in a place that won’t shade other plants
8. Take care of your bed soil over time… during fall and winter… make use of a cover crop
9. Label, track and record your plants, date of planting, expected harvest date, etc

[vee]

Im 13 and just got my wood for building my planters this year, thanks for the advice! I found where my great-grandpa had his garden and apparently has good soil and sun, im doing half in ground patch - half raised beds. I really hope I can get all my perennials started like any berry bushes, rhubarb and asparagus so I can have some self-sustainability by the time im 15

[CheneicaPrescod]

I'm 18 and I started gardening as a healing journey and it has thought me patience and resilience so far, I am excited to see what more I may learn. These videos make it so much easier.

[Cola]

A mistake I made early on was relying too heavily on interventions like soap spray and copper fungicide. Eventually, I realized that when shield bugs and cabbage moths and aphids got too numerous, they just naturally attracted their own predators. The key was creating an appealing environment for them to hunt in—one that mimicked a more wild or natural landscape.
Every year now I find frogs in my garden. I hatch mantises. Ladybugs descend in huge numbers and breed in my garden. I plant a wide variety of native flowers around the edges of my garden and let some areas get weedy. I don’t spray anything anymore, because what kills the bad bugs always kills the good bugs.
This year, juncos are nesting in the tall grass along my fence. They eat bugs when they’re raising chicks, so when I pull weeds I don’t want, they follow along and pick up all kinds of goodies in the exposed soil.
It’s important to remember that your raised beds are as much a part of the landscape as a park or a vacant lot. Creating balance in your garden isn’t just good for you, it’s good for everything around you.

[glendacash]

I'm definitely new at gardening but I don't think it's ever too late. I'm 71 and I want my grandchildren to learn to eat more veggies, so we're going to learn together!

[sheryllbaskin]

One thing in raised gardens is remembering that the soil level is going to drop as it settles. Also how much root space is taken up. e.g. the depth of your root crop (carrots, parsnips, potatoes) compared to the top croppers (peas, beans and brassica) are vital things to look at when planting and sowing. Love the video, very informative

[frederickjohnh]

Tips: Regarding watering consider making your raised beds wicking beds. The other idea to consider is using the German Hügel Kultur method and filling the bottom of the beds with logs, branches etc. This saves on soil and as it breaks down, adds nutrients, will retain water and provide a home for many organisms that will improve the quality of your soil.

[ALxoxo]

Awesome video!
Kevin's List of 9 Mistakes in Order of Severity/Permanence
1:21 #1 Not putting your garden in the right place
3:03 #2 Not planning for irrigation
3:44 #3 Not investing in good soil
5:03 #4 Not choosing the proper soil mix
6:04 #5 Not mulching
7:42 #6 Not initially making enough space for pathways
8:44 #7 Not thinking about what the plants will look like when fully grown
9:55 #8 Not preparing your beds throughout the seasons
11:25 #9 Not labeling/tracking what you planted & when you planted it

[Elizabeth-]

I have been gardening with my dad since I was about 7 or 8, helping with the strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, etc. I started to upgrade and had about 10 plants that I crammed in my room. There is a huge window in my room so they all did pretty well. Now I’m starting to grow my own fruits and vegetables in my own garden! My goal is to study botany in college and to become a botanist ! You videos have helped a lot. Keep doing what you do Kevin

[romulusrabalais]

Just wanna say what a grateful fan I am of this channel!
I started gardening to give myself a healthier habit than smoking to deal with my anxiety and depression.
I knew pretty much nothing but have successfully raised some crops in raised beds and containers, have some plants that have survived into their second year, and improved my health (through diet of increased veggies, and better mental health)
All thanks to your videos!
Thank you for the videos and tips they have improved my garden and my health.

[elainemagson]

He starts straight away. No waffle. A lovely chap!

[kittykat]

Also, if you live in an area where you have lots of leaves falling in the Autumn season DON'T rake them all up!! MULCH them with a mower and use them in your garden. They provide lots of nitrogen for your soil ALSO rotate your crops!! don't always be planting the same things in the same raised bed since different plants use different nutrients from the soil

[lindseywelsh]

Loved this video! The only extra tip I’d offer to the community is to make sure we are planting the “right” companion plants together and not plants that harm one another if in the same bed. Also, plant flowers (particularly nasturtiums) to bring about the bees. :)

[kathryn-ds]

Two years into a massive garden and I can 100% confirm that this is all good advice, whether you're planting in raised beds or not!

[Risaala]

I started gardening when I was a kid and making mistakes was how I learned! One of my rules is to just try something and it's always ok if you have to compost the plant. The more you try, the more you learn!

[claireisacamel]

Along with your last tip: take pictures of everything along the way! I have lots of pics w/ the seed packs laid out where I planted my seeds, which helps me remember what is where before they start fruiting, but I also just love the reminder of how much the garden changes! (And I can see “oops. Those peppers aren’t doing so hot there, next year they’ll need to find a new home!”

[liberationnature]

Everything that was covered in this video were great tips for the beginning gardener. A few more tips that I was taught, and have been very successful with, is to select the right seed - lets use sun flower seeds as an example (type doesn't matter in this example) In a packet of seeds, not all seed look the same: some are flat, others are thick, an others are somewhere in between. Select the thickest seed (ovary) because it has a greater probability to start to produce a healthy plant. Then double up the thick seeds (with some separation) - if they both grow, you could either separate/transplant them when they get big enough or cut the weakest one to the ground.

[jordanwhite]

Heard you say plant with a Southern orientation for the best sun . . . . . as a resident of middle TN, I'm here to tell you that there IS such a thing as too much sun. Even my tomatoes need shielding.