# Raised bed from scratch



## PHXCobra (Mar 20, 2018)

Wife and I took the kids to Home Depot this weekend (my almost 3 year old loves it) to get some fertilizer and other things. We happened on this display out front of the garden center and it piqued my interest.



I like the customizability of it. The bricks will look better than just wood nailed/screwed together. As well as the ability to stack it and try to keep the dog and rabbits out of it.

We already have a spot picked out for it but not sure what to grow in it's place. It gets hot in AZ and this will catch the full brunt of the summer sun. There is a sprinkler line under where I want to put it so watering shouldn't be a problem.

Now to my questions:
I can fill this with just about anything I want. What is the ideal fill dirt for this growing peppers, maybe tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, etc.?
Will all of that stuff survive the extreme sun/heat that it will be subjected to? If not, what will?


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## probasestealer (Apr 19, 2018)

PHXCobra said:


> Wife and I took the kids to Home Depot this weekend (my almost 3 year old loves it) to get some fertilizer and other things. We happened on this display out front of the garden center and it piqued my interest.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I know little about AZ, but I've always used compost in my raised beds, holds and drains water very well.


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## chrismar (May 25, 2017)

You can use pretty much anything you want. I got a few yards of a special mix a local place sells, but I've used things marketed as "garden soil", "raised bed soil" and just regular old potting mix. All have worked well. I amend them all with compost throughout the season and again heavily at the end of the season to prep the beds for the winter and next season.

As far as what to grow, peppers and tomatoes are heat and sun loving veggies. As long as you keep them irrigated I think they'd be very happy! Cucumbers are a little more delicate, so you may want to plant them in a cooler spot, if have one available.

The best thing about gardening, though, is it's pretty cheap and easy, so try it out and you'll know for next year what works and what doesn't!

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it works out for you!


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## probasestealer (Apr 19, 2018)

Can you grow avacadoes? If so, I'm super jealous (I realize this is a tree and not for a raised bed)


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## PHXCobra (Mar 20, 2018)

probasestealer said:


> Can you grow avacadoes? If so, I'm super jealous (I realize this is a tree and not for a raised bed)


I'm not sure what kind of climate they require. Can't think of any avocado groves around here. Citrus grows very well as long as you keep it watered. If it does I wouldn't mind. I'm a fan of guac and avocado on my sandwiches etc..

This bed is actually going in a place where a lemon tree was. The tree got a disease so we stopped watering it, killed it, and dug it out. Now it's just a big bare spot of rocks in our yard and it doesn't look good. You can actually see the dead tree and the spot it's going in in this pic.


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## Rackhouse Mayor (Sep 4, 2017)

PHXCobra said:


> Now to my questions:
> I can fill this with just about anything I want. What is the ideal fill dirt for this growing peppers, maybe tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, etc.?
> Will all of that stuff survive the extreme sun/heat that it will be subjected to? If not, what will?


I recommend reading "All New Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew. It's an easy read - I think i've read it 4 or 5 times over the years. He teaches using 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss. I've done this several times and can tell you it's some times hard to find vermiculite. I've had to buy on amazon before. This last time I just bought the Miracle Gro Raised bed soil. It's on sale at Lowe's right now 2 for $12. Verdict is still out on whether it's worth the money, but it seems fine so far.

I can't speak to AZ heat but I can MS heat and humidity. The heat/humidity is hellacious here and MS is full of farms, so, I think it'll be fine. Peppers, cukes, and tomatoes will survive for sure. Herbs can be finicky in the heat - keep them watered.

If you take nothing else away from that post go read the book.


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## Highyellow1 (May 27, 2019)

PHXCobra said:


> probasestealer said:
> 
> 
> > Can you grow avacadoes? If so, I'm super jealous (I realize this is a tree and not for a raised bed)
> ...


I have nothing to add to this post but this reminds me of the house we had in Goodyear, AZ. I wish I would have made it back to that area!


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## Thenenk (Sep 14, 2018)

If you can before you put in dirt at the base put in woody clippings, tree trim, or any material you would normally compost, it takes a while for it to break down but by the second season your plants will have better nutrition and if you use enough woody material the beds will retain water at the lowest point where plants roots can access it even in dry weather. Look up Kugelkuktur. (Not sure the spelling.


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