RETAIL Products Vs FREE Resources Garden Bed Preparation SHOWDOWN! 

G'day Everyone, I hope you enjoy the video! It's getting close to the end of the year, but I won't be slowing down because all this rain and hot weather is turning our garden into a jungle, so I have to keep "getting into it" like Santa on Christmas Eve or nature will take over! Anyway, thanks for your support and I hope you have a happy Christmas. Cheers :)

I lucked out this fall and was at Walmart when they were getting rid of all the gardening stuff on the parking lot. Everything was $1 except one kind of miracle grow. Peat moss, potting soil, pavers, sand, gravel, mulch, everything $1 each! I have a small car, but I made 4 trips and got 140 bags of raised bed mix, potting soil, peat moss, and even 58 bags of miracle grow indoor potting mix. I spent $150 but probably saved $1,500. I topped off my current raised beds and have put in 3 new ones! It was a lot of work but sooo worth it.

You have always consistently been one of my favorite gardeners on RU-vid!

When you were putting the fish waste in, I was recalling what they taught us in first grade about the pilgrims, and how the indigenous people taught them about putting a dead fish in each hill of corn as a fertilizer.

Can't believe a half-an-hour went by already. You have such a kind voice to listen to.

It's winter here in Pennsylvania, US. When my wife and I bought our home last year I used a lot of your videos to start our raised beds. They produced phenomenally, and I'm glad to see a guide to help us use to compost we've been making. Our tiny yard has turned into a dynamo for food and is the gem of the neighborhood. Thank you for your helpful videos and happy holidays to you and yours!

My wife doesn't know it yet, but she bought me a couple birdie beds for next seasons grow. 😂thanks for all the tips and great videos. Love your stuff.

Nothing beats a good organic humor as well...love you mark keep it up🍻🍾

Is there going to be a part 2 to this video, showing how the vegetables grow in both beds if there is any difference?

Every video that concerns raised gardens we watch them multiple time as to not miss anything we are still pretty new to all of this and with your tips our garden has gone crazy. A big thank you Mark and greetings from the prairies in Canada

Mark, don't let anyone give you grief about being dig vs no dig. Everyone's situation is different and you should do whatever works best for you in your area. It's a win either way if you're growing your own food.

I can’t wait to see the follow up on how things grow in these two beds!❤

Just caught myself giving you a thumbs up back 😂 love the videos all the way over here in Florida. I’ve learned a lot watching your videos.

An American programme I watched they did identical garden beds, one with hay as mulch and one with woodchip. The one with wood chip produced about 50% more veggies after one year.

Good day Mark! I can't wait to see the comparison of the veggies grown between the raised beds! Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas and a productive and prosperous new year!🦋

Mark, The chunky bits of charcoal will help the soil by providing a "home" for the microbes in the soil. Love you videos. Can you do a video on signs of plant nutrient issues or disease issues that can be solved organically, or by using the proper fertilizers to help the deficiencies. I have learned a ton of new tips and tricks from your videos. Keep them coming!!!

Good stuff Mark couple of additional steps I use. 1. I never let the weeds go to seed in my garden beds. Even if I just have to cover them with grass clippings to stop them flowering 2. Before I start rebuilding the beds, I leave them fallow for a couple of weeks, get any weed seeds to germinate, and then rake them back into the soil on a hot day. After a couple of growing seasons, the beds become almost weed free, even the onion and nut grass. Cheers

Mark's side gig is off grid burials, his plants really relish a freshy from time to time 😂🤣

Same - My family actually gave me an intervention that I was working too much and that the stress and anxiety wasnheading me to a heartattack. I also gained 30 pounds...I quit in December and Janaury 1, became a consultant of my own! Good luck to us both. Here's to 2024

Great video! I’m moving from buckets to metal raised beds and this helps me out a lot😊

What a great topic! Great timing too as most gardeners here in the northern hemisphere are prepping beds now in time for spring (where the ground isn't frozen!).

Hello from Canada! Love the content. You should look into making a fish fertilizer at home. Just a 5 gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid, brown sugar, and the same fish wastes you put in the bed. Mix thoroughly and leave it with the lid on for 6 months and you’ve got a homemade fish hydrolysate. Amazing stuff! And very affordable

Hey Mark, love your vids. We also use eggshell dust. I bake the eggshells and chuck them through a coffee grinder to mix with my soaked chook food and also use it in gardens with specifically tomatoes and zucchini’s to minimise blossom end rot.

Great vid Mark. I usually put my fireplace ashes into my compost during wood burning season rather than straight on the bed. Seems like it would mix better within the compost.

Thank you Mark, as always you give real life videos for those of us trying to grow a little food. I started watching you in the beginning, now going into my third year, I successfully make my own compost and mulch. I love the fish idea, I will go over to the coast to get seaweed and fish parts and starting weed tea.

Been watching your channel for years, always good solid gardening information. I too use raised beds so I can sit and I reach across with no problem. Mine are 3 feet wide. At 83 they are godsent, since I can no longer reach the ground with my back issues. I love grass clippings, leaves, kitchen waste, etc. to raise the nutrient value in the soil. Previous decades ago I composted using the batch method. Even moved my compost in trash barrels when I moved to a new property years ago. I liked the large U shape wider than deep and used the two corners to pile the compost back and forth to turn the mass every couple weeks. Just a few turns and I had a batch ready to go. I miss those days. Carry on and happy holidays to you also.

Great video. Idk what plans you have for those beds, but seeing a side by side growing comparison with a variety of crops would be a cool video in the future to build off this one. Possibly do a running total of the produce weight harvested by each to see if one would produce better than the other.

Hi Mark and all I use 3/4 finished home compost all the time. I like it for blending into the top 3 or 4 inches of garden beds. Makes a good layer to cushion the chunky mulch for the top layer. Finished compost I use for general fill for the top 12 inches.

This guy seems so genuine and friendly. I bet it's partially from so much time by himself in the garden. Time to reflect.

I imagine each bag you used will be $8-12 a bag. With that said you could have $50-60 a bed. Though it may grow better foods, I can’t imagine the average homeowner seeing it beneficial on a cost basis. I’m interested to see outcome of cheap bed vs expensive bed. Great video

very good, as always!!! i started watching you last year when I only had a small cage with 4 quails, now i have about 20 chickens, 30 quails, 5 ducks, a medium compost pile and almost 19 m² space with large pots lined up for gardening.

I am so keen to see the outcome / harvests from each of the beds. Thank you so much for doing this.

Best gardening channel on RU-vid thanks for everything mark.

Such great information. Kentucky USA here and garden madness planning for our growing season has begun. I need all the free tips I can get. Thanks!

We get horse manure for free. They’ll load it into the back of our truck and then we’ll take it to our compost pile and let it sit there for the spring and and till it into our garden after last harvest so it’s ready for the spring planting

Love how you mention gardening keeping us fit, healthy and also giving us produce in return! It's a win win!

Ahhhh......I so love watching garden videos in our northern hemisphere winter! Keeps the dream alive!!!

Love your tips and tricks mark! I appreciate everything you share with us. Keep up the great work. 👍

Reaching way back to Elementary School days, I recall that native Americans would place a small fish next to the seeds they were planting.

I just love you and your videos so informative for all us gardeners. Merry Christmas to you and the family

Thanks for sharing your knowledge Mark!

My wife and I have been enjoying your videos on our television youtube channel and never get to give you a thumb's up! Thus this comment! We've learned and as I said, enjoy watching your videos. I'm retired but she's not. We live on the Atlantic Ocean in a condo and though the weather's great, and the views are wonderful we intend to move in a few years to a place where we can do some serious fruit and vegetable growing; just an acre or so. I want to landscape with a water feature or two. Up until three years ago we always had a home (four new ones constructed throughout our 44 years of marriage), and I liked landscaping with stone. I hope to do more of that with fruit trees, and grape vines. I have to stay in shape, and nothing would motivate me more.

Thank you Mark you always put amazing information out and you’re so enjoyable to watch

Another great video bud!

The amount of dadness at 28:42 is just absolute perfection

Hello Mark, Always useful information, good humor and great amusing entertainment. I always appreciate the positive attitude. Best to you friend.

Looking forward to future updates on how the two beds produce. 😊

I enjoy your videos you are giving alot of valuable gardening tips.

Absolutely fascinating! Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Thanks Mark. Have a Wonderful Christmas and New Year’s

Hi Mark, I am commenting from Massachusetts USA. love your show been watching it for a little bit now. I’ve been gardening for the last three years now mainly out of 5 gallon buckets, but I’m going to start raised beds this year. Thanks again for all your information. It’s been very helpful.

Thanks Mark. Moved into my forever home in December and hoping to get a birdie's in the next month or so. So eager and excited .

Hi Mark, I just want to say thank you for your channel, I’ve just started following you. I’m a new home gardener in Adelaide and I’m really enjoying your content. You’ve helped me heaps.

Another great tutorial! Great tips. I thank you for all your work to share with us!

G'day Mark, and lovely people, well i have everything i need to start my little container Veg Garden, i've been composting for a few mths now, so really getting on top of that at the moment. I've saved a heap of litter and branches to half fill the beds ect, i live with bush around, so have plenty of organic material :) now all i need is time to get it all together, Thanks for all you do for everyone out here in Veg world :) :) Karla

This is great stuff. I bought some Birdie beds and will be setting them up during this winter. Thank you.

Always enjoy your videos - thank you 💚✌🌿

Mark, thank you for this. I only have a small garden but sometimes when I have setbacks I feel like maybe this just wasn't for me. But knowing that the 'big kids' with big gardens have similar setbacks, I feel like I'm not alone and I feel like I can get up go back into the garden and start over again. Thank you for showing me this kind of video❤

Merry Christmas Mark. That potato salad looked a banger. Ill be setting up some large raised beds like those in this video soon. Looking forward to shortcutting as much as possible.

Another great video Mark thank you.

Enjoyed your time-traveling endeavour 💨 I'll check in to see you and the garden in 2024. Happy holidays. Cheers🍭

Thank you so much for keeping us involved with everything I have learned a lot and also from the dad jokes keep up the good work and Merry Christmas to you and your family😊

Gosh Mark, I think this is your best video yet. Good job!

Merry Christmas from The States, Mark!

Thanks for being an excellent teacher, I really learned a lot ❤

What a timely and informative video, can't wait to get into it 😁 Thanks for your hard yacker, Mark

I LOVE your videos. Just happened to find you. Watch while on the treadmill. I live in Florida but am currently in a community that doesn’t allow gardening. Won’t make that mistake again. I live vicariously through you and your garden. 🥰 You are very talented and entertaining. God bless. Darlene

Thanks Mark for this informative video. I can't manage outside gardening really any more and grow some vegies in tubs on my verandah. I will be buying some zeolite to help refurbish my tubs. I do also use compost and worm compost but we don't generate a lot of that. Hope you had a great Christmas. All the best for the New Year. 😀💚

Thank you for another inspiring video. I’m in the process of trying to restructure my whole garden after it’s lay fallow for a few years and seeing this gives me ideas for how to do it without spending a fortune. I love your channel. Merry Christmas, Mark. 🎄

Thanks for the info. You really help me with my own journey to become more self sufficient.

Great video and information as always! Thank you!

My personal approach is to dig a trench like you did with the second bed (but in different places each season rather than always down the middle) & then put all that grass & garden waste from the first bed into the bottom of the trench upsidedown & then throw newspapers & torn up boxes deliveries come in on top of that to prevent the weeds coming back up to the top (I soak first if the weather's dry or I want everything broken down & productive again fast) & each year I dig that trench, it's moving that now composted material back to the top & around the garden & then I throw a little blood & bone or chicken poo/dynamic lifter onto it if I'm going to grow heavy feeder plants, otherwise just leave as is & I get great results with fantastic biospheres in the garden with worms, mushrooms & everything else in there & soil looks great & holds water great. I think it's great you did this video & showed both options really well & I'm sure a lot of people will really appreciate it, but I think people often want to overcomplicate things & feel like they need to do more than they actually need to. If you put what grows in the garden back into it, it will always have enough nutrients present, just needs that small amount of the plant that's harvested to be replaced in nutrient value. & I love compost too, but I have limited space, really not enough for a proper compost, so I have a kitchen flip top garbage bin in my garden, with the bottom cut out of it & I just put all my kitchen scraps directly into that & the nutrients from them leach down into the garden where the plant roots can access them, as can the worms, making it an in-garden worm farm & when it fills, I just stop adding new stuff for a few weeks (I've got a second smaller bin to use during that time) to let the last added stuff break down & then move it to a different location & spread the stuff above garden height into the garden around the bin & that corner becomes my super growing spot next planting :) I'm taking my ground level garden into a raised garden bed right now, have put 1 layer of besser blocks in position & all my hedge trimmings & paper/cardboard waste is being dumped into it section by section to build it up to the besser block level & once it reaches the top, I'll add a second layer of blocks to raise the height. Sweet potato & beans growing in it at the moment, they seem happy to grow over & around the cardboard being added & when I harvest the sweet potato, I will end up mixing the cardboard into the ground soil & if it's the same as my main raised garden bed, I will probably need to add a bag or 2 of sand at some point for better drainage, but my main raised gardenbed is basically ALL compost/garden waste/paper & a little sand, nothing else & everything I plant grows super well without the need for any additives, have been for 12 years now, have never seen any productivity lost. Lots & lots of carbon (compost, ash, manure etc etc) in the soil is absolutely the secret to a super productive garden imo & avoiding chemical fertilisers over time really improves the soil & makes plants FAR more productive due to increases in soil microbes that break down everything to release micro-nutrients in plant available forms Just wish I had more space available, love the amount of space & set up you have!

every autumn I collect Leafs from the neighbors. They usually dump it away and let the city collect it... so i offer to clean the driveway and take care of the Leafs. Best mulch and an easy compost element especially when combined with kitchenscraps and grassclippings. + I can get Horsemanure from a local stable which only feeds organic hay so potential herbicides are not a big issue

Hey Mark. You are my absolute favourite RU-vidr. Thanks for explaining things so clearly and making it fun too! 😊

right on ! they are all good idea's ...hope you get to feeling better ...👍👍from mick on the Oregon coast

Great video. The compost tea is a great tip. I have done this myself with weeds from the garden. It is a great way to put nutrients back into the garden without putting the weeds back in.

Thanks Mark, very useful information.

Happy Christmas to you and yours, Mark!

Fish waste, heads, guts, etc is great to keep moles out of your yard. Bury some in the path and they will turn around and go away. But it is a free fertilizer. Thanks Mark. Wishing you and your family a Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year from Texas.

Merry Christmas!!

Good advice Mate, Looking forward to the New Year 😄

Most potting mixes use worm castings, good quality ones at least. So you're spot on! Technically it IS actually adding compost most of the time!!💛 Great idea. I would add though, if you want to use any water based or brew, just toss an air pump and airstone and will be night and day difference in number of the highly beneficial aerobes. Can use solar pannel/battery to avoid needing any wires💪

That was an awesome comparison video! Thank you.

This was genuinely helpful. Great video!

Thank you for the video. Just ordered the 82ft Hoselink set with your promo code. Can't wait to use it.

I am keen to see the outcome of these two beds. Sadly I have lost all my gardens that were in my planted raised garden beds this year. Due to the relentless heat we have had, just couldn’t keep the water up. I have a medical condition that when the heat and humidity elevates it means I need to be inside in the air conditioning. My Vegepods are doing ok with greens mainly for my chickens. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you Mark and the family.

I’m progressively feeding my plant beds,ready for the new season 👍

Well, now I will use the whole fish I catch. Bury in the garden I shall do. Excellent video. Just waiting for the snow to go away to get into the garden here in Canada.

Thanks for a very informative video. Really enjoying your content. Cheers from Bowral NSW.

Just found this via gardening Australia abc. Thanks from Australia 😊❤🙏🇦🇺

I love this style of video!

Wow! Zeolites!!!🎉 last year I grow potatoes in it…2-4 mm granulation… 30 cm deep, in 60 liters containers… production, 18-20kg on square meters Feeding culture with liquid type Jadam from grass this year, I put in zeolites to grow onions, garlic 🥕 carrots and potatoes

I started using horse alfalfa pellets to return nitrogen to the soil. WHAT a difference I am seeing. Especially for peonies and roses. Also, the rhubarb and veg gardens are just starting to take off. I am in arid Colorado, USA so it has also helped keep moisture in the soil. It's only 8.00 a bag at the farm store for a 40 lb bag. A neighbor gave me a huge, gutted fish, it went in my big tote with the musk melon plants.

For a minute, I thought you were going to show us free bed! Got so excited!! I'm also excited about the free bed filling. 😊❤

Merry Christmas mark as always a great video beenun watching since acouple of your 1st videos

Great video mark, I started my garden with the aim of going all natural and free, 4 years later, I finally am able to produce enough waste from my garden (and chooks) that I can top up my annual beds. Even enough I can wood chip our pathways and I have larger logs for mushroom inoculation. Just had to wait for everything to establish so we could prune it back and use it. And by going no dig. And using only home made products I’ve noticed a vast increase in the amount and variety of insects and fungi. I guess because commercial mixes may have pesticides or herbicides that could remain, and I couldn’t control that, hence to all natural home made I could control. I have three 1m cube compost bins, 3 black compost bins, 5 worm farms, and a chook compost (thanks to your idea, btw how is yours going?) that all now feed into my 20 garden beds 🥰

Thanks for another great video!

Awesome shoutout for the fishing channel!!!! Super excited to check it out! 🎉

The Tree trimmers were here trimming around all of the wires... They ran everything through a chipper. I asked the guy what they were going to do when the chipper truck was full. It was a big dump truck mind you. The chipper sprays it all right in the back of it. He said we pay to dump it. I said you can dump in my yard for free... Two years later after turning it occasionally, I have a mountain of really good compost. It almost looks like potting soil... The best part is: It was FREE! It would have cost me a pile of money to buy all of that compost...

Nice work ❤