How to Set Up a Raised Bed for Extreme Heat.

#RaisedBed #HeatTolerant #squarefootgardening #RaisedBedGardening #DesertGardening #HotClimateGardening
My first raised beds were only six inches deep and surrounded by rock. In my hot, dry desert climate, they heated up and dried out fast, making gardening much harder than it needed to be.

Over time, I realized the heat wasn’t the only problem. The setup mattered too. In this video, I put together a raised bed step by step and share the five changes that have made the biggest difference in my garden. I’ll show you how I create a cooler microclimate, why I prefer deeper raised beds, how I keep competing tree roots out, what I look for in raised bed soil, and how I use a watering grid, cycle-and-soak watering, and mulch to keep the entire bed evenly hydrated.

You’ll also see the custom raised bed mix I use from Arizona Worm Farm, made with compost, worm castings, coco coir, and perlite. These ideas are especially helpful for gardeners in Arizona, the low desert, and other hot, dry climates, but many of the same principles can help any raised bed hold moisture longer and grow healthier plants.