We get asked all the tie what the ideal size garden is for the first time gardener. With so many new home buyers this year and so many people taking charge of their food security, many people have turned to starting a garden. But what is the ideal size garden and what materials should be used?
Gardening realities vs. expectations: https://youtu.be/afSrs5TCzDU Check out our new clothing line! http:www.freshpickedapparel.com
Yep, I threw in some beans for fun this past summer, growing from seed. I got 4-5 bean pods from each of my three or four bean plants. I thought I was growing them wrong. Nope! Turned out that was an average harvest from that variety. Next summer I will definitely dedicate more room to beans instead of having it be an afterthought. lol! I saved some for planting next year and the rest went into a single pot of garden veg soup.
Please clean leaves in your yard. Don't make your neighbor mad.
Hi luke
Amazed at the amount of greens you still have.
Could you do a video just showing what you have planted?
Sort of like a map if your raised beds?
Thanks!
We had so much loss due to critters. Voles, ground hogs, rabbits etc. What can I do?!
With lumber prices high at the moment, I thought I would post some prices using untreated Douglas fir:
Here is the cost for a 4 ft x 12 ft bed using 2×8 and 2×10 lumber. (11/22/2020 Chicago area)
2x8x12 ft = $18.98 x 2 needed = $37.96
2x8x8 ft = $12.57 (1 needed)
Total cost for wood = $50.53 (without tax)
Want to use 2x10s?
2x10x12 ft = $22.52 x 2 needed = $45.04
2x10x8 ft = $15.12 (1 needed)
Total cost for wood = $60.12 (wtihout tax)
If you don't have 3 inch decking screws, you will need to add that.
Recommending new gardeners to start out with 4 beds measuring 4X12 feet seems way too big and overwhelming. Seems like a recipe for one season and done, I give up.
I only have sun in my front yard. This spring I mixed vegetables in with the flowers. In summer we took down a big tree & built a garden there as well. For spring I plan on using the whole front yard to produce more food. Our soil is pretty good. I will mix flowers in with the vegetables, do you have any suggestions for a front yard garden?
Hello friends. Luke also has a really informative video that tells you exactly how many of what plants you should grow for each person for harvesting for however months you want/need. I hope I am making sense here. :/ It might be too much for a beginning gardener just getting their feet wet. It has really helped me tremendously! Thank you Luke.
Sorry about your bean problem, every year is different! I have a freezer full of beans off a 4x 10 beds planted with Malibu and Rattlesnake bush beans, plus seed for next year for all my friends. You never know what crop will have a bad year here in zone 6
Love your videos. I'm a first time gardener and used "feed troughs/tanks" from a farm supply store as raised beds this year and they did amazing.
In the winter when there's snow everywhere, you can taste test all the kitchen spices~
You’re one of my favorite channels and I appreciate everything you do not sure if I copied my raised beds after your suggestion but pretty much I have that same set up. Very happy with it. Neighborhood suburban backyard
I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this or not (I haven't had a chance to read all of the messages) but if your garden bed is along a fenceline or some place where you can't access both sides then 4' wide is too wide – you won't be able to reach the back of the bed. Stick to about 2' wide, 30" max unless you have super long arms.
I notice you have leaves still on the ground. Will you leave them til spring or just didn't take them up yet? And will you use them in your compost?
I got one 2 inch bell pepper and a suprises spaghetti squash this past summer
Thanks for the video! Do you recommend any web garden planning tools ?
Go to the Ozarks or live in the middle of no where
Your intro must have been directed to me! Haha, new home buyer here! We had some zucchini over the summer (at our rental) but now looking at what to do with our new garden
I really want to mulch those leaves for you!
"Mrs. MIGardener" lol! Oh Luke, we love you! Thank you for sharing your wisdom with all of us 🙂 I had my very first garden on my own this year after purchasing my home in 2017. We had a blast with it and have dived into composting and learning every single day since. We are anxiously awaiting our seeds to come in the mail from you and will work on planning out the garden this winter. And yes, I watched your winter composting video so am actively trying to get a nice hot pile going so we have some fresh compost come spring time. Again, thank you and "grow big or go home!"
Much love from South Dakota!
So glad that when I added more raised beds I went with the galvanized steel! They look so much nicer and hold up forever with just a tiny bit of maintenance.In fact, I expect we will replace the 2 raised beds that are still pine next spring.
So cute, Mrs. MI gardener
We just bought our home last fall so I am researching as much as I can and planning for when the snow melts. I have been lucky in the past with porch container tomatoes/ potatoes and figure I would try and see what will grow knowing full well most of what I grow will fail. I am planning on two raised beds which I will grow tomatoes which I have had luck in the past, trying out some cucumbers and peppers. I want to see what will grow in hanging baskets because of space and bunny issues. I am planning on trying out other stuff experimentally in any spaces left over knowing I probably wont grow anything. I am excited to get my hands into the soil even though there is at least 12 inches of snow in my yard
I really thought you would recommend a first time gardener to grow in pots. Much less cost investment up front, easy to manage. But with all methods it does have its pros and cons. One con being watering.
I love 4' wide beds. I can reach across the bed easy enough not to have to step in the bed. I love raised beds but currently I grow in ground but have raised the soil level 4-6" higher than surrounding soil.
How many square feet do you need for a zuchinni?
MI gardener , my favorite garden channel – you need raised beds in town because they look tidy – not an eyesore for your neighbors.
Sorry Luke. I believe 4 48 sq ft raised beds is gonna be a lot for a first year inexperienced gardener. Plus, a LOT of expense to buy garden soil and everything else for that much garden space and the time required. I'd start with maybe one bed that size to get a feel for the obligation required for the space. I would have been overwhelmed with that much space on year one.
Great advice! When I can get a house I CAN do that, I definitely will! Right now I have a trailer house, so I'm experimenting with buckets. Plus, if I was to move "mid season" I can transport my garden to my new home! Love your videos. I have learned A LOT from you!!!