Raised Herb Garden

I really enjoyed your lecture and the touring of your Garden Home vegetable and herb garden. I really enjoyed meeting your cat Marge. I look forward to when I can tour the Garden Home Retreat. Thanks, Debbie

Do you removed these wood boxes each year? Or do you keep the same soil and hand turn it? I've been considering this type of arrangement, but would like to utilize my tiller if possible.

I plan this year to grow herbs too. I will mix parsley in with my annuals. Hopefully, I will have room for 1 or 2 vegtables. I always look forward to this time of year. We just have to wait alittle longer here in Michigan.

My husband came home with 'square foot gardening' book. He made two 4'X4' frames. On my deck on blocks is a 4'X2' raised bed. I planted veggies and fill one lower one. Always had in the ground back-breaking garden with tons of veg. Looking forward to smaller ones now getting older. I'll hjave him make me a herb garden one also. thanks

looks good

I'm going to try raised beds this spring for the first time and am very excited about it. Usually my herbs are on the deck in pots, but this year I will put them in the garden in the raised beds along with veggies.

Your gardens are beautiful! What fertilizer do you use with your herbs?

If someone has room for two raised beds, they can use square foot gardening(google for info) and have not only herbs, but veggies and flowers as well. The concept addresses how to get the most productive crops FOR YOU out of a small amount of space and labor by planting the quanties of crops in accordance with how much you want to eat. Good comment by Susan re: lumber. Janna O.C. UCCE Master Gardener

Hi, Allen. I enjoyed the slide show of your herb garden. It looks so beautiful! I am a garden columnist in Spokane, Wash. and a huge proponent of gardening with raised beds. They have so many wonderful attributes and, as you pointed out, they make an aesthetically pleasing garden to boot. I have one concern, though, regarding your mention of using "weather resistant lumber." I wasn't sure if you were referring to lumber that weathers well, such as cedar and redwood, or lumber that has been chemically treated to be weather resistant. If it's the latter, I would be concerned about those chemicals leaching into the soil, esp. in beds where edible crops are growing. Studies have shown that this can happen and that the edible crops growing within the beds can take up and even store those chemicals. I give a lot of talks about raised-bed gardening in our community and I tell folks that if money isn't an issue, go with cedar or redwood. If it is -- which surely applies to most folks these days -- go with untreated lumber like fir or larch. The nice thing about raised beds is that since the sun hits the outsides of the beds, I find the lumber lasts a lot longer because the wood doesn't stay very damp. We have 23 raised beds in our garden and they seem to last an average of 8-10 years before needing replacing, which isn't bad at all. Thanks again for sharing your beautiful photos with all of us. We are still anxiously awaiting some sign -- any sign! -- that spring is on the way. Take care.

Loved this. Please do more on veggie gardens. I'm new at it, & all info is appreciated. I have joined a garden club in my area & they are starting a group of people that are wanting to share seeds & info on vegetables, I'll be sharing your column with them. Thanks Again, Liz

What do you use as "weather resistant" lumber? Is the newer pressure treated lumber okay to use in vegetable/herb gardens or should we stick with cedar?

What a great idea. I will try making the bed bed, and plant my herbs. What a wonderful idea, I will try that bed soon.

It's a good idea to line the bottom of the raised bed with chicken wire or hardware cloth if you live in gopher country.

Greetings from NW Missouri: Just had to share our very first raised bed harvest experience from 2008: 190.67 pounds yield from 4 "Big Boy" tomato plants and 4 "Straight Eight" Cuke plants-all grown from seed. This is the only way to grow in a small yard. Just remember the most important foundation: the soil mix recipe that Allen recommends.

What size board (width) should we use ?

Thanks so much for sharing the pictures and info. on your raised herb garden. They are beautiful, and have inspired me to try something similar. What kind of treated wood would you recommend? I've heard that cedar does well, but that seems expensive. Thanks!

I have used raised beds for more than 20 years ...and they are the BEST. No weeding . Easy to water . Use lots of home grown compost and some composed sheep/cattle manure . Always have lots of tomatoes and peppers and lettuce and egg plants . Small garden , big dividends ! blessings from the banana belt of Canada ....Niagara

FANTASTIC!!! THIS IS JUST WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW BECAUSE I'LL BE STARTING MY HERB GARDEN HOPEFULLY THIS YEAR!

You said it is best to plant herbs in a weather resistant framed garden. I have heard that weather resistant wood contains poison chemicals, can you still use this wood for an herb garden...thank you

I love your idea's with raised beds. I just started with herbs in pots last season. I brought them in for winter. I will see how they do back outside this year in raised beds.

hi, my husband built me some raised beds last fall that need filled and planted this spring. Can you reccommend some reference tools that can accompany me on my new journey? I am in zone 5. thanks!

I think you can do a great service to this country if you start a program of giving away seed to folks. you maybe call it a Jonhny Appleseed? Somany folks who find more reward in growing their own veggies and teach the young about hard work. JUST ATHOUGHT. I reaaly enjoy your newsletters. Get your hands dirty Pat

Great ideas!!!! I like the wheat straw mulch idea. I am shredding lots of paper also to mulch my garden.