How The Raised Garden Beds We Made Are Holding Up 1 Year Later And Common Questions I Receive
A year ago this month my husband and I were knee-deep in building our garden beds. We busted our butts for seven days to make my dream garden layout. It was cold, snowy, sleeting, windy, and yet, totally worth it! Today I wanted to share how it’s all holding up a year later!
For the garden beds post that went viral on Pinterest and is the most read and searched on this whole blog, check it out below:
How To Make Raised Garden Beds That Will Last
I mentioned in the tutorial post for the raised beds, Travis doesn’t mess around when he builds things. Everything he has made will be here until the apocalypse. And these garden beds are no exception. Which is what I wanted! I’ve seen so many people purchase or make garden beds, only to have the sides breaking apart a few years in.
Common questions I get asked:
Is pressure treated wood okay to use in gardens?
It depends on who you talk to. After doing a lot of research, we decided to go for it. I found a great article that talks about what’s in pressure-treated wood, and the other options available to you. If you are going to grow and sell your produce as organic, you’ll have to opt for more expensive, non-treated wood like redwood or cedar.
When people say they’re selling cedar beds though, be cautious. How big are the boards? Are they thick or thin? How are they supported for longevity? Most cedar planter boxes are made cheaply because the wood is expensive. You think you’re getting a deal, but in a few years, your boxes are destroyed.
My reasoning, however silly it may sound, is that gravity pulls everything down. Water goes down, nutrients go down, and I don’t think the amount of anything I’m getting out of the boards is significant enough to worry about.
Garden produce better than store bought organic?
If you’re buying regular, non-organic produce from the store, then friends, your garden yield is 1000% better than that. And truthfully, I’d put my produce up against any of the organic stuff sold at retail stores.
There have been many studies done on organic versus farm-fresh. Fruit and veggies provide the most nutrients within the first two days of picking. How many days did it take that organic tomato to get to the store? How many miles did it travel?
The great thing about gardening is you get to pick what fertilizers you use, the dirt you choose, and personalize it all to what you want to get out of your garden.
Truth be told, I’ve never had a tomato from the store (or bell pepper for that matter) taste half as good as the ones that come from my garden. The taste leaves nothing to compare. To me, my garden trumps anything you can buy elsewhere.
Garden then and now
How it started:
How it’s going:
Honestly, they don’t look much different 12 months later.
And here in the Pacific Northwest, they’ve experienced it all. Extreme heat, extreme cold, snow, rain, everything each season has to offer. I couldn’t be more proud of them, and Travis, who builds things to last. His overkill on projects usual works in my favor. 😉
They’ve settled and shifted a bit, but that’s to be expected, especially when we placed them on an incline. It was minimal though since Travis sunk the corner posts into the ground, offering more stabilization than normal beds have.
The wood has maintained its shape, with little to no warping of the boards.
I can’t wait for planting season and getting this garden growing again! And if you want to know some of the easiest plants to grow, I wrote my favorites here. If your garden isn’t close to the house like ours, (which is in the back corner of our half acre) check out this post on how to get irrigation to your garden without pulling hoses all summer long. It’s been a life saver!
Don’t want to miss a garden tip, trick, or post? Make sure you’re following along on Instagram where I share all my gardening in real-time!
Want all my favorite book recommendations to make your garden flourish this year? Check out this post where I list them all and why!
