Just Grow Something | Evidence-Based Home Gardening

How to Plan a Raised Bed Garden - Ep 269

For this final episode in our Raised Bed series, we’re talking about how to plan your raised bed garden. If you’ve never grown in a raised bed, there are some nuances to the planning and planting aspect, no matter what material you built the bed from. And if you’re already gardening in raised beds, but it turned into a jungle by July and a desert by August, this episode is also for you!So, today on Just Grow Something we’re mapping out a season-long plan. Learn how to plan a high-yield raised-bed vegetable garden - choose smart spacing for airflow and disease prevention, interplant and succession-plant for nonstop harvests, use mulch to save water and block weeds, and more!So, grab a pencil, a piece of graph paper and a coffee, my gardening friend, we are building a raised-bed garden plan. Let’s dig in!Don't forget you can save 20% and get FREE shipping on your new raised bed from PlanterBoxDirect.com when you use code JUSTGROW20 now through October 15th!Resources:Ep. 265: How Big Should a Raised Bed Be? Square-foot Chart free download: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/757286/166825529232590223/shareFor full show notes and transcript, visit https://justgrowsomething.com/episode/how-to-plan-a-raised-bed-garden-ep-269

Raised Bed Gardening with Gardener Scott - Ep. 268

All this month we've been talking about creating new raised beds, what materials to use, and how to fill them. So, I thought it would be fitting to have on an expert on the subject.Scott Wilson, otherwise known as Gardener Scott on YouTube, has been building and growing in raised beds for two decades and has taught others to do the same as both a Master Gardener and a garden educator. His new book, Gardener Scott's Guide to Raised Bed Gardening, is a step-by-step guide to planning, building and maintaining raised beds.So, today on Just Grow Something, Scott shares his extensive knowledge with us including creating your own soil mix, compost, cost-effective and creative ways to create new raised beds and more. Let's dig in!Get your new raised garden bed from PlanterBoxDirect.com using code JUSTGROW20 and save 20% and get free shipping, now through October 15th!Get Scott's Book here: https://amzn.to/3Kgxw4TFollow Scott on YouTube: Gardener ScottGet the full show notes and transcript at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/raised-bed-gardening-with-gardener-scott-ep-268

Layer by Layer: How to Fill a New Raised Bed - Ep. 267

This week we tackle one of the biggest questions in raisedbed gardening – how to fill it! It can be daunting, staring at this gaping box, trying to figure out how you’re going to fill 18” or even 36” of depth without going broke.So, today on Just Grow Something, we’re digging into the dirt – literally – on how to fill your new raised bed. We’ll cover the different materials you can use to get your garden bed off to it’s best start for your plant’s sake, but also for your wallet’s sake. And, we’ll talk about the materials you don’t want to use, even if it’s just to fill space in the bottom of a very deep bed, and the alternatives. By the end you’ll have a pretty good idea of where to start and where you’ll end up so your raised bed materials can settle in over the winter and become the beautiful loamy soil you’ll want to plant into in the spring. Let’s dig in!Save 20% and get free shipping on your new raised bed from PlanterBoxDirect.com by using code JUSTGROW20, now until October 15th!For full show notes and transcript head to https:/justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/layer-by-layer-how-to-fill-a-new-raised-bed-ep-267

Materials to Use for Building a New Raised Garden Bed - Ep. 266

Thinking about building raised garden beds but not sure what materials to use? Today on Just Grow Something we dig into all the options for raised bed construction, from wood, stone, and galvanized steel to creative choices like reclaimed materials, fabric grow bags, and more. We’ll talk about the pros and cons of each, including cost, durability, aesthetics, and safety concerns like chemical leaching or microplastics. You’ll also learn when (and if) you need a bottom layer to block weeds, stop burrowing critters, or protect your soil. Whether you’re a new gardener or looking to upgrade your existing setup, this episode gives you the science-backed insights you need to choose the right raised bed materials for your garden. Let’s dig in!Perfect for: raised bed gardening, beginner gardeners,vegetable gardening, sustainable gardening, DIY garden beds, pressure-treated wood safety, and backyard food growing.Save 20% and get Free Shipping on your new planter from PlanterBoxDirect.com! Use code JUSTGROW20 now through October 15th, 2025!References:https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/soil-compost/pressure-treated-wood-raised-bed-construction-willamette-valleyhttps://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/raised-bed-gardensFull show notes can be found at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/materials-to-use-for-building-a-new-raised-garden-bed-ep-266

How Big Should a Raised Bed Be? - Ep. 265

If you are considering adding your first raised bed or yourfiftieth to your garden for next season, now is the time to be doing it. A new raised planter is going to have to be filled and that material is going to have to break down a bit before it can be planted in order to make the nutrients available to your plants. This is NOT something we want to put together at the last minute in the spring just before we start planting.For the entire month of September, I am taking you step-by-step through starting a new raised bed, from deciding the dimensions and layout, what materials to use to build it, what to fill it with and how, all the way to successfully planting those beds with your first crop in the spring.So, today on Just Grow Something, we’re starting with the basics: how to decide what size and depth your raised bed should be and how it can fit into the overall layout and design of your garden. You just might find they are so versatile, you will eliminate your in-ground beds in favor of an entire yard of raised beds, whimsical planters, and neat little walkways. Let’s dig in!NEW! For a limited time, save 20% AND get FREE shipping on my favorite planters from PlanterBoxDirect.com. Just use code JUSTGROW20 before October 15th, 2025!For full show notes, visit https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-big-should-a-raised-bed-be-ep-265