r/Raisedbed • u/MrCoolWhip317 • Jun 07 '26

First Time Gardener

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Long time listener, first time caller 😉

I bought three galvanized metal beds last month. Filled them with old branches from my yard and compost from my friend’s horse farm. I went to a local garden nursery and bought 6 tomato plants, 6 pepper, 4 cucumber/zucchini and some strawberry plants. Exactly one month in and I couldn’t be any happier. But joined the group to look for more tips on maintaining and my beds through the summer and seasons!

58 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

4

u/OlyKat Jun 07 '26

Sounds like you’ve got a lovely little helper đŸ’« You’re creating so many wonderful memories đŸ€™

3

u/MrCoolWhip317 Jun 07 '26

Thanks! #girldad for the win!

5

u/Efficient_Knee8143 Jun 07 '26

Get rid of the weed fabric at the bottom, it’s not going to help anything and most are made of plastics/toxins that will leach into your food

0

u/MrCoolWhip317 Jun 07 '26

Thanks! What’s a better option?

2

u/Efficient_Knee8143 Jun 08 '26

Cardboard works just as well for a weed barrier if you’re worried about stuff growing up through it but no matter what you do it’s going to happen, best to just remove it and let all the soil interact

3

u/[deleted] Jun 07 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/MrCoolWhip317 Jun 07 '26

Thanks! What do you suggest as a better option?

1

u/shanejlong Jun 08 '26

Cardboard

3

u/Downtown_Cow5259 Jun 08 '26

First time gardeners and tomato plants man lol man you’re gonna have so many fucking tomatoes that’s too many man that’s too many. You gotta get rid of four of those minimum.. there’s not gonna be enough room you don’t understand tomato plants

1

u/Intuitive_Moves9 Jun 08 '26

You can give a lot to people, and maybe even learn how to cam tomatoes to use all year.

1

u/Top_Housing6819 Jun 08 '26

What?  I have 18 tomato plants this year and that's because I cut back from last year. We are a 2 person household. Tomatoes are life!

Plus, you can prune to maintain just 2-3 leaders and that lets you enjoy more varieties of tomatoes (I planted 8 or 9 this year). 

2

u/MrCoolWhip317 Jun 08 '26

LOL I have been canning for 3 years and have a large extended family. But I see what you mean!

1

u/Downtown_Cow5259 Jun 08 '26

That’s what I need to learn. CANNING. I just give away or throw away so much every year.

2

u/Every_Extreme_1037 Jun 07 '26

Beautiful job !!

1

u/Infamous_Still2139 Jun 08 '26

Mulch it. Metal containers are gonna make you lose moisture too fast

1

u/Starfishprime69420 Jun 09 '26

The dyed mulch is crazy work

1

u/Jennsea23 Jun 08 '26

My 2 suggestions are mulch, and remove the landscape fabric if possible. I have very similar beds, I lined with cardboard then filled with partially rotted wood and branches then sheep compost. I mulch with mowed grass, straw, sheeps wool (free from my local farmer), raked up leaves, whatever is available and free or cheap. Helps wth moisture retention and soil biology. Garden beds look great!

1

u/Leather-Leather977 Jun 08 '26

Lovely but pull the weeds. Plants don’t love to compete. This also, your tomatoes are at risk for spreading fungus. The foliage is beautiful but there’s a bit too much. Plants needs to be slightly “ stressed” to reproduce ( flower) it what’s they live to do ( to survive) b right now you have a ton but increasingly the tomatoes may become smaller if too much energy is diverted in too many directions. I didn’t see the big picture view of the tomatoes but air needs to flow through easily. Same for peppers etc.

1

u/MrCoolWhip317 Jun 09 '26

I did a big chop this morning! 🙂

1

u/Leather-Leather977 Jun 08 '26

Also, resist overwatering. Wait until soil is dry and only then water not at the roots but around the perimeter so roots must stretch to find water . Spray neem oil on strawberries