A viral TikTok is showing people how to prepare raised garden beds in the most creative, money-saving way imaginable.
The practical tips come from an "urban homesteader" named Kait (@modhippiehabits). As a modern-day homesteader, Kait is helping to represent a movement that emphasizes zero-waste living.
And if you're looking for how to waste as little as possible on your raised flower bed, then she has tips for you.
The scoop
In the video, Kait shows us that we don't need as much soil as we think.
@modhippiehabits It's that time of year when we're filling ALL the raised garden beds! Here's some quick tips on how to save some money as you fill! Garden Bed: @vego_garden (aff) 🔗 in bye-oh! #sustainability #garden #gardeninglife #gardening #gardentips #raisedbeds #holistichealth #growyourown #ecofriendly #urbanhomestead #urbanfarming #urbangarden #sustainabilityyourway #vegogarden ♬ original sound - Kait
She starts by lining her 17-inch Vego garden bed with recycled cardboard as a weed barrier. Next, she fills it almost all the way to the top with sticks, which she later tops with a layer of leaves so not all the soil sinks under.
Finally, she tops it all off with a mixture of potting soil, compost, and topsoil. All the material beneath will eventually biodegrade, she says, and give the plants just as nutritious a bed as pounds and pounds of soil would.
But one final thing, Kait adds, is to water the soil and make sure it settles on top.
How it's helping
In her TikTok, Kait says she loves raised garden beds but that they can get expensive when you account for all the soil it takes to fill them up. But isn't soil nature's gift anyway? Buying multiple bags of soil that cost anywhere from $10-30 just doesn't seem necessary — or economically viable, for that matter.
What everyone's saying
At the end of the video, Kait's fluffy canine companion seems to only hear the last part of the phrase "flower bed." He hops right on top and sits comfortably while showing viewers just how settled and strong the soil rests over her sustainable mixture underneath.
"I was thinking it would sink it," one commenter shared. "Doggie proved me wrong."
"The garden is complete now," another added.
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