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The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening: All the know-how you need to build and grow a raised bed garden (Volume 3)
Setting up your first raised bed garden? With help from YouTube gardening star CaliKim, you’ll soon be growing your own fresh, organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers like a pro.
Whether your yard is big or small, raised beds are the perfect fit . They allow you to create a controlled growing environment, filled with fertile soil, where plants thrive. Raised beds help gardeners overcome rocky or less-than-ideal soils , there’s little to no weeding involved , and they can be as large or as petite as you’d like. You can even use an elevated or mobile raised bed if the only sunny space you have to grow is on a patio, deck, or driveway. In The First-Time Raised Bed Gardening , you’ll learn how to select the best raised bed for your space , what to fill it with , and tips for staking and trellising plants to save space and improve yields .
Additional advice found inside Raised bed gardening is perfect for beginners , as long as you have a pro like CaliKim sharing her essential know-how and cheering you on to veggie-growing victory.
This book is part of The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Growing Plants and Flowers and The First-Time Growing Vegetables . Each book in The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that’s presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.
Whether your yard is big or small, raised beds are the perfect fit . They allow you to create a controlled growing environment, filled with fertile soil, where plants thrive. Raised beds help gardeners overcome rocky or less-than-ideal soils , there’s little to no weeding involved , and they can be as large or as petite as you’d like. You can even use an elevated or mobile raised bed if the only sunny space you have to grow is on a patio, deck, or driveway. In The First-Time Raised Bed Gardening , you’ll learn how to select the best raised bed for your space , what to fill it with , and tips for staking and trellising plants to save space and improve yields .
Additional advice found inside Raised bed gardening is perfect for beginners , as long as you have a pro like CaliKim sharing her essential know-how and cheering you on to veggie-growing victory.
This book is part of The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Growing Plants and Flowers and The First-Time Growing Vegetables . Each book in The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that’s presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.
- GenresGardeningNonfiction
176 pages, Paperback
Published April 12, 2022
4 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 13, 2022
This is a great book if you're new to raised bed gardening. There are lots of photos and there's a wealth of information. There are already so many books on this topic and many of them are very good, but this is a great addition. I appreciated the focus on sourcing good dirt and how cheap dirt will sabotage your garden, and also how to avoid toxins in the wood and other materials sometimes used for raised beds.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for an honest review.
April 8, 2022
Early spring always seems to have me eager to diving into a gardening book while I (im)patiently waiting for the last frost and a chance to get outside working in the soil. I’m avid, but nowhere near pro-status so I perked right up when I saw this First-Time Gardener series book by YouTuber, KaliKim. Raised bed gardening is something to which I’m a relative newcomer and I want to expand so I eagerly dove into this quick-read book with the colorful photos and graphics sprinkled throughout.
Raised Bed Gardening covers several elements from an overview on what it is, the differences and advantages to doing a raised bed, and types of raised bed before diving into starting a raised bed garden from the soil on up.
First, there were discussions about plotting out where to put them (even for patios if a yard is not available) or even on slopes. Planning what to grow and what sort of light it will need should play a part in where to locate the beds.
There was a section on building easy raised beds of various types or purchasing one. Personally, I’ve got a square wooden one about a foot high and about 6x6 ft. I was intrigued by the makeshift circle of cement blocks filled in with soil including the hollowed areas of the blocks themselves since my husband has extras of those leftover from a different DIY project and I could put these to good use now.
Next, was the discussion about the soil composition needed to fill the raised bed. I appreciated the inclusion of the recipes for making natural and compost filler for the bottom layer saving the cost of all soil. She also put in soil recipes and a method of checking to make sure any soil being used is viable (moist and clumps, but also arable enough to break up, too). My own garden bed is small enough that the cost of buying bags of special raised bed soil to get started was not too much and I simply add some brown compost enrichers and a new bag of soil on top for the new season.
After the soil discussion, she talks of what to grow in the beds with charts for theme gardens (salad, butterfly, salsa, etc) and where and when to place the plantings to best advantage.
Then a nice reminder about how to keep the soil enriched with fertilizer at periodic moments during the growing season. This is where I fall off the wagon and have the least knowledge so I was glad to get her suggestions for what type of fertilizer was needed with planting time, and then the various intervals of growth even to that last point in the fall before the garden is done (at least mine is here in the north).
All in all, I thought I got an excellent overview of raised bed gardening and some good practical points and tips to make it a success. Definitely a book I would recommend for those interested in the topic.
I rec'd an eARC through NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
Raised Bed Gardening covers several elements from an overview on what it is, the differences and advantages to doing a raised bed, and types of raised bed before diving into starting a raised bed garden from the soil on up.
First, there were discussions about plotting out where to put them (even for patios if a yard is not available) or even on slopes. Planning what to grow and what sort of light it will need should play a part in where to locate the beds.
There was a section on building easy raised beds of various types or purchasing one. Personally, I’ve got a square wooden one about a foot high and about 6x6 ft. I was intrigued by the makeshift circle of cement blocks filled in with soil including the hollowed areas of the blocks themselves since my husband has extras of those leftover from a different DIY project and I could put these to good use now.
Next, was the discussion about the soil composition needed to fill the raised bed. I appreciated the inclusion of the recipes for making natural and compost filler for the bottom layer saving the cost of all soil. She also put in soil recipes and a method of checking to make sure any soil being used is viable (moist and clumps, but also arable enough to break up, too). My own garden bed is small enough that the cost of buying bags of special raised bed soil to get started was not too much and I simply add some brown compost enrichers and a new bag of soil on top for the new season.
After the soil discussion, she talks of what to grow in the beds with charts for theme gardens (salad, butterfly, salsa, etc) and where and when to place the plantings to best advantage.
Then a nice reminder about how to keep the soil enriched with fertilizer at periodic moments during the growing season. This is where I fall off the wagon and have the least knowledge so I was glad to get her suggestions for what type of fertilizer was needed with planting time, and then the various intervals of growth even to that last point in the fall before the garden is done (at least mine is here in the north).
All in all, I thought I got an excellent overview of raised bed gardening and some good practical points and tips to make it a success. Definitely a book I would recommend for those interested in the topic.
I rec'd an eARC through NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2022
Vibrant photos, engaging descriptions with a step by step how to guide to becoming a great raised bed gardener! Although, I really think this book would be great for any type of gardener whether in raised beds or traditional gardening. This book is perfect for beginners as it is so detailed in a step-by-step way while being conversational and engaging! This book was fun to read on top of being incredibly informational. I am not a beginner gardener, yet I still found myself enthralled with the book and taking notes on ways to improve my gardening. This book is a great book for anyone interested in gardening whether beginner or old-timer as there is great info to be gleaned from this book! This book has gone on my must own list so I can add it to my gardening bookshelf. I will recommend this book to anyone asking about gardening information!
April 20, 2022
This is a great little book for anyone thinking about starting a raised bed garden. It's even a good book for experienced gardeners. Myself, I have been using raised beds for over a decade, and I picked up many good tips here.
Chock full of information, wonderfully photographed, easy to read, this book has it all!
From the initial planning, through the construction, the filling, the planting, all the way to harvest. It's all in here.
This is a great resource.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
Chock full of information, wonderfully photographed, easy to read, this book has it all!
From the initial planning, through the construction, the filling, the planting, all the way to harvest. It's all in here.
This is a great resource.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
April 8, 2022
The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening by CaliKim is basically a gardening book.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Quarto Publishing Group – Cool Springs Press, Cool Springs Press and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis and Opinions:
This is a self-help book, with instructions for raised garden beds.
The author takes you right through the process. It starts with planning -- how many beds do you want, where will you place them, deciding on a shape, and height. She then gets into building the beds -- with actual designs included. Then there is a section on soil, before finally getting into plants, and mulch, and trellises. Note that there are a number of pictures and lay-outs which I thought were useful.
It is a great introduction to raised bed gardening, and very straight-forward. Plant recommendations were common species ... and not in Latin.
Overall, I found the book to be very informative, without being overwhelming. I may have to talk to my hubby, and see if we can find a spot (or two).
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
March 4, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Raised Bed Gardening is one of a series of gardening guides aimed at the new gardener written by CaliKim. Due out 12th April from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
Like the other, similarly formatted, books in this series, this installment provides a good solid introduction to raised bed gardening, why it makes sense, what the benefits are to this approach, and how to design and implement raised beds into a homeowner-type (suburban) garden. Although the guide covers all the salient points, it doesn't overwhelm by info-dumping too much instruction in too little space with difficult or confusing terminology or extreme costs from unnecessary or overly complicated tools and supplies.
The introduction provides answers to anticipated questions from readers on how, what, where, and why grow food crops and flowers in raised beds. The author covers siting, materials, sourcing materials, and more. All of the tips and possibilities are accompanied by photographs which are clear and easy to understand.
The following chapters are arranged thematically: building beds, filling the raised beds (really good soil tutorials and info here), planting and growing in raised beds, and a selection of customizable plans to work around what the individual reader's needs might be. Graphically the whole book is high contrast, full of photographs and step-by-step instructions. Salient points are set into highlighted text-boxes in small easy-to-digest bits in simple language.
Plant recommendations are listed by common name (no botanical (Latin) names). There are a few places in the text where the author recommends her own seed blends and sources, but it's not at all obtrusive or "infomercial"-ish. The author has also included handy appendices: charts for succession planting, resources and links for sourcing seeds and materials, as well as a cross referenced index.
I found the book useful and logically arranged. Information is easy to find and understand. It's complete, but not too overwhelming. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, gardening group, allotment and group/community garden, etc. It's aimed mostly at suburban type gardens, but there's a lot of info here which is perfectly suited to urban settings (in fact, soil in urban areas can be so damaged and polluted that raised gardens with fresh soil are necessary for health reasons).
Five stars. This book, along with the companion volumes in the series will provide a solid basis for learning to garden.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Raised Bed Gardening is one of a series of gardening guides aimed at the new gardener written by CaliKim. Due out 12th April from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
Like the other, similarly formatted, books in this series, this installment provides a good solid introduction to raised bed gardening, why it makes sense, what the benefits are to this approach, and how to design and implement raised beds into a homeowner-type (suburban) garden. Although the guide covers all the salient points, it doesn't overwhelm by info-dumping too much instruction in too little space with difficult or confusing terminology or extreme costs from unnecessary or overly complicated tools and supplies.
The introduction provides answers to anticipated questions from readers on how, what, where, and why grow food crops and flowers in raised beds. The author covers siting, materials, sourcing materials, and more. All of the tips and possibilities are accompanied by photographs which are clear and easy to understand.
The following chapters are arranged thematically: building beds, filling the raised beds (really good soil tutorials and info here), planting and growing in raised beds, and a selection of customizable plans to work around what the individual reader's needs might be. Graphically the whole book is high contrast, full of photographs and step-by-step instructions. Salient points are set into highlighted text-boxes in small easy-to-digest bits in simple language.
Plant recommendations are listed by common name (no botanical (Latin) names). There are a few places in the text where the author recommends her own seed blends and sources, but it's not at all obtrusive or "infomercial"-ish. The author has also included handy appendices: charts for succession planting, resources and links for sourcing seeds and materials, as well as a cross referenced index.
I found the book useful and logically arranged. Information is easy to find and understand. It's complete, but not too overwhelming. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, gardening group, allotment and group/community garden, etc. It's aimed mostly at suburban type gardens, but there's a lot of info here which is perfectly suited to urban settings (in fact, soil in urban areas can be so damaged and polluted that raised gardens with fresh soil are necessary for health reasons).
Five stars. This book, along with the companion volumes in the series will provide a solid basis for learning to garden.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
March 17, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening by CaliKim s an amazing and beautiful guide to keeping the perfect raised-bed garden. The book contains gorgeous full-color photos of gardens, and the author gives us step-by-step instructions for building our own raised-bed gardens and keeping them like the ones in the photos. According to the description, readers will "soon be growing your own fresh, organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers like a pro.."
Overall, The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening is a gorgeous book that would make an excellent coffee-table book as well as a guide to gardening. One highlight of this book are the amazing photos. I was blown away by how beautiful some of the gardens looked. Another highlight are the wonderful tips that the CaliKim gives us from her experience growing raised-bed gardens. I was especially impressed by the step-by-step directions with accompanying photos. If you're intrigued by the description, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in April!
The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening by CaliKim s an amazing and beautiful guide to keeping the perfect raised-bed garden. The book contains gorgeous full-color photos of gardens, and the author gives us step-by-step instructions for building our own raised-bed gardens and keeping them like the ones in the photos. According to the description, readers will "soon be growing your own fresh, organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers like a pro.."
Overall, The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening is a gorgeous book that would make an excellent coffee-table book as well as a guide to gardening. One highlight of this book are the amazing photos. I was blown away by how beautiful some of the gardens looked. Another highlight are the wonderful tips that the CaliKim gives us from her experience growing raised-bed gardens. I was especially impressed by the step-by-step directions with accompanying photos. If you're intrigued by the description, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in April!
January 12, 2022
The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening by CaliKim is the perfect guide for a beginner interested in growing their own produce. This is definitely directed at beginners who don't have very much experience (e.g. me).
This has step-by-step guides for building your own beds (or you can buy pre-made ones), what the different soil options are, details about different crops than you can grow, layouts you can use, and planting schedules. There is also info about trellis structures you can build, and how to protect your plans from the elements and pests.
For me, one of the most useful parts of the book is the set of tables at the end that list a huge number of produce types you can grow, whether to start them inside, when to plant them, preferred temperatures, and more.
I appreciated that the projects are budget conscious and that there are different options depending on the climate you live in. It's January but I'm planning my spring garden now. I imagine I might get carried away after having read this.
Thank you to CaliKim, Quarto, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This has step-by-step guides for building your own beds (or you can buy pre-made ones), what the different soil options are, details about different crops than you can grow, layouts you can use, and planting schedules. There is also info about trellis structures you can build, and how to protect your plans from the elements and pests.
For me, one of the most useful parts of the book is the set of tables at the end that list a huge number of produce types you can grow, whether to start them inside, when to plant them, preferred temperatures, and more.
I appreciated that the projects are budget conscious and that there are different options depending on the climate you live in. It's January but I'm planning my spring garden now. I imagine I might get carried away after having read this.
Thank you to CaliKim, Quarto, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2022
This is a great gardening book for novice and more experienced gardeners alike. The author includes many colorful pictures throughout the entire book, including the section with step by step instructions on building raised beds, trellises, and other garden enclosures. Brief info on various plants are included, as well as details on the soil the reader uses to fill the beds, maintenance, fertilizing, etc. The chapter on layout garden plans and succession planting was interesting and would be especially helpful for the beginner gardener, who may not know which plants grow best together. As some plants need more room, certain nutrients, and varying levels of sun, companion planting can be especially helpful in utilizing space more efficiently in a manner to help plants thrive better. Quite a few alternatives are included with themes such as herb garden and salad station, depending on what the plants would commonly be used for. Overall, I found this book to both very visually appealing and informative. It is a beautiful book that would make a nice edition in any gardener's home library!
March 10, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! Raised bed gardening is a fun passion of mine and many others. This is a first time or beginner book with a wealth of information. Even some ideas about what might go wrong. Easy step by step raised bed making and some very cute but simple ideas. I liked the detailed information about how much room you may need per plant. I can see I still have a lot to learn. Five stars!
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left this review!
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left this review!
April 9, 2022
This book teaches you how to build and grow a raised garden bed as well as the benefits of a raised bed. It also teaches you how to choose the best bed for your space, how to choose which soil to use, planting layouts (pizza garden, salsa garden, salad garden), and how to water, fertilize and mulch your veggies. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
April 11, 2022
When it comes to beginner books, I have to say I love The First Time Gardener Raised Bed Gardening. It has everything you need to create your first raised bed garden and even has reference information perfect for experienced gardeners. I didn’t expect to find the author’s recipes for various soil combinations in the book that I love. Along with helpful information and designs, the book also has truly gorgeous pictures and graphs, making it a must for any gardener’s collection.
April 20, 2022
I bought my first raised garden bed in 2020, when we downsized to a condo and only had a porch to garden on. 2020 brought a very nice yield and I has a big fan of raised gardening. Last Summer, 2021, the garden yield was definitely not as much and I was disappointed. After reading this fabulous book, I have new information and loads of ideas to try this Summer. I highly recommend this book as a reference book to all of those interested in raised gardening!
March 26, 2022
The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening is perfect for anyone who wants to start. Spring is here and it's time to start with your garden again or even if it's your first time. This shows you exactly how to set up and maintain your raised garden beds. It even has spectacular pictures to follow along with. Such a helpful resource!!
May 19, 2022
If you bought this book for no other reasoning but to learn how to build raised beds for gardening, it would be totally worth it. The author gives several examples of raised beds. How to build them and maintain them. There’s lots of information (with in-depth instructions) and pictures. Terrific book!
March 24, 2022
Very informative and helpful for first time gardeners and even people who have been gardening a few years. Great tips and images to help newbies find their starting points.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for an honest review.
April 13, 2022
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Another excellent book in the First-Time series, this one decodes any mysteries involved in raised bed gardening. Excellent tips and planning for the controlled growing environment that raised beds offer. Great resource.
Another excellent book in the First-Time series, this one decodes any mysteries involved in raised bed gardening. Excellent tips and planning for the controlled growing environment that raised beds offer. Great resource.
October 8, 2023
Good basic guide for newbie gardeners. Not 100% organic suggestions, which I think is required these days, when we know the many failures and dangers of chemical inputs, but broad coverage of the topic in an easy-to-understand format.
April 13, 2022
Love her suggestions, especially the guide at the end. I think her other book is a must, but this one is helpful if you have no idea where to start with creating a raised bed garden.
May 13, 2022
Good getting started guide, but also how to expand gardening efforts...all in containers
June 11, 2024
For someone that has absolutely no idea how to garden in a raised bed or cloth pot, then they might enjoy this book. I had certain information that I was looking for and this book was ok at providing it but the amount of repeated information from one chapter to the next was a bit off putting. I am glad that this was a book I was able to check out and did not have to purchase it.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews