SHIFTING ROOTS

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An Honest Review of My Raised Garden Vinyl Beds

May 22, 2018

This post is sponsored by Raised Garden Vinyl Beds.  I received free and discounted product in exchange for my honest opinion of their product.  This post also contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using one of my links, I make a bit of extra coffee money at no extra cost to you.  Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!

Last summer I made my first foray into the world of square foot gardening.  I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, but those raised garden beds I kept seeing everywhere on Pinterest intrigued me.

My husband and I knew we’d be making some changes to the yard, but we weren’t sure exactly how much we could do in one summer, so we decided to make our raised beds cheap and cheerful.  That way, if we decided to change things we weren’t committed.

We built ours out of thin wood and filled them up with soil.  They looked great and did the job beautifully.  However, I began having doubts when the nails were starting to come out of one of them in the fall.

We just built the things, and they were already falling apart?

A Raised Garden Bed that’s Built to Last

Once the snow melted it was clear that our sad little wooden beds weren’t going to last much more than one more year.  The wood was starting to warp and the nails looked weak in another bed.

To be fair, we could have built them a little better.  However, last year when I interviewed my friends Graham and Sarah about their yard, their built-with-better-wood ones were falling apart after 3 years.

That’s why when I saw an ad for Raised Vinyl Garden Beds on Facebook, I had to check it out.  The beds looked like they were built to last and the company was local–win-win!!

P.S.–Raised Vinyl Garden Beds ship to Canada and the U.S., so you can get yours even if you don’t live in Saskatoon and area.

Almost finished our front yard project. The two wooden raised beds in the front will be upgraded next year!

Get Your Vinyl Raised Garden Bed Set Up in 30 minutes–No Joke!

I chose two of the 4×4 premium beds.  I’ll be investing in a third and replacing the two sad wooden ones in my yard next year.

The beds are fairly easy to put together, and it took me less than 30 minutes.  It actually took me longer to look for a cordless drill, give up, and find the screwdriver.

I had a little trouble keeping everything square, but with the second one I screwed in one of the corners first, then assembled everything and it was no problem.

The directions say that you can use a screwdriver, but I highly recommend a cordless drill.  I couldn’t find ours and ended up using a battery operated screwdriver.  It worked well, but I had to push quite hard to get the screws to go in the vinyl.  I know a cordless drill would have required little effort.

I love my vinyl raised beds in my front yard.  They make square foot gardening so easy!  I'll show you how I make it work in my small space, plus give you some ideas and plans for what to plant in it. #raisedbeds #squarefootgardening #containergardening #beginnergardening #easygardening #gardening #vegetablegardening

Related: 8 Reasons You Should Start Square Foot Gardening

If you’re ordering soil for your beds, I recommend getting a mix of soil, compost, and peat moss.  Your landscaping centre will likely call it something like garden bed mix.  I found that one bed used up around 1/2 a yard of soil.

Once my beds were set up it was time for the fun part–planting!

Planting is Easy and Fun with a Raised Bed

The beds are 3 1/2 feet by 3 1/2 feet on the inside.  I used the seeding square to measure out and plant my garden, so I was left with a six inch strip on two of the edges.  This was great, because I got in an extra row of marigolds and lettuce.

Here’s what I planted in one of mine.  Feel free to download the image and plant the same in your own!  You can also download 4 more planting templates here.

I love my vinyl raised beds in my front yard.  They make square foot gardening so easy!  I'll show you how I make it work in my small space, plus give you some ideas and plans for what to plant in it. #raisedbeds #squarefootgardening #containergardening #beginnergardening #easygardening #gardening #vegetablegardening

Related: The Best Vegetables for Beginners & How to Get Started Gardening Fast

I am loving gardening in my new vinyl raised beds.  I don’t have to bend as much, they look fantastic, and have serious curb appeal.  I’ve noticed quite a few people check them out as they’re walking by our front yard, and had a few ask me where I got mine.

They’re really sturdy and kid friendly, so I don’t have to worry about them falling apart if they get sat on, or my son getting splinters in his fingers if he tries to help me.

I love my vinyl raised beds in my front yard.  They make square foot gardening so easy!  I'll show you how I make it work in my small space, plus give you some ideas and plans for what to plant in it. #raisedbeds #squarefootgardening #containergardening #beginnergardening #easygardening #gardening #vegetablegardening

Low Maintenance?  How about NO Maintenance!

Best of all, I will never have to build them again.  Because let’s be honest–who really wants to spend a weekend rebuilding your raised bed every 3-5 years, plus staining them every year?  You might have the best of intentions now, but there’s something seriously demoralizing about rebuilding something you’ve previously built.  Cedar is so expensive these days, that depending on how you build the bed, the cost is very similar to vinyl.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be planting my garden or enjoying time in the sun instead of adding yet another project to my to-do list.

Raised Garden Vinyl Beds come with a lifetime warranty, so they will look good today and 25 years from today.  Even cedar can’t do that.

Want to get your own?  Let me make the deal a little sweeter.  When you send me a copy of your Raised Garden Vinyl Bed receipt, I will give you my beginner gardening course for free–a $50 value!

Pin me for later:

I love my vinyl raised beds in my front yard.  They make square foot gardening so easy!  I'll show you how I make it work in my small space, plus give you some ideas and plans for what to plant in it. #raisedbeds #squarefootgardening #containergardening #beginnergardening #easygardening #gardening #vegetablegardening

 

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

www.shiftingroots.com

6 Comments
Filed Under: Gardening, Sponsored Tagged: Gardening, raised beds, raised vinyl beds, raised vinyl garden beds, square foot gardening

Cream Puffs with Coffee Whipped Cream and Raspberry Sauce

February 9, 2018

Sometimes in the middle of winter and all the delicious comfort food, you just want something that is light and fluffy and reminds you of warm summer days.  Enter. . . the humble cream puff.  Delicious and easy to make, as long as you don’t slam a door and flatten all the air bubbles and puffiness you worked so hard to create.  Ask me how I know this.

This post is sponsored by Dusty Plains Coffee Co. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Everyone loves a classic easy cream puff recipe, but sometimes the same-old can get a little boring.  Here's a great cream puff filling idea: coffee flavoured whipped cream with raspberry sauce. . . yum! A simple homemade dessert that will take your basic choux pastry up a notch. #creampuffs #raspberrysauce #coffeerecipes #coldbrewcoffeerecipes #creampuffrecipe #easydessert #sweettreats
[Read more…]
Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

www.shiftingroots.com

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Filed Under: Baking, Sponsored, Valentines Tagged: Baking, coffee, cold brew coffee, cream puffs, Dusty Plains Coffee Co., raspberry, raspberry jam, Valentines Day, whipped cream

No Bake Peppermint Mocha Cheesecake Bites

December 4, 2017

This Christmas season often means a lot of preparation, parties, concerts (for me and my fellow musicians anyway!), and late nights.  I’ve created a stunning and easy dessert you can take to the office or the party with a little caffeine boost to keep you going.  Make sure you get one first–they’ll be gone fast!

Trouble staying awake with all the Christmas baking you're doing? Make some of these no-bake mocha mint cheesecake bites. It's an easy mini cheesecake recipe with oreos, candy canes, and Dusty Plains Cold Brew Coffee that's like a party in your mouth. #cheesecake #christmasbaking #holiday #coldbrewcoffee #coffeerecipe #christmas #holidaybaking #nobakecheesecake #cheesecakebites #candycane #oreo

[Read more…]

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

www.shiftingroots.com

25 Comments
Filed Under: Baking, Christmas, Entertaining, Recipes, Sponsored Tagged: Baking, Candy canes, cheesecake, cheesecake bites, Christmas, Christmas baking, cold brew coffee, Dusty Plains, Holiday, Holiday baking, mint, mocha

Why I Won’t Save My Fine China For a Special Occasion

November 3, 2017

Disclosure: I have partnered with YMC and Celestial Seasonings and have received compensation for this post. All opinions in the post are my own.

When I was a little girl, I loved to have tea parties.  I would beg my Mom to play tea party with me and let me set out a spread for all my teddybears.

But what I really wanted was my Grandma’s Royal Albert china.  The delicate pink and purple flowers on pristine white china spoke to my little girl soul in a way that play tea sets never could.

Don't save your fine china teacups for special occasions.  Use them everyday for tea parties with your friends and family. #sponsored #celestialseasonings #tea #tealover #royalalbert #finechina #bonechina #teaparty

Can we please use the good china?

Every Christmas, Easter, and birthday I would ask if we could please use the good china.

“It’s such a bother, let’s just use the regular plates.”

“That set’s too fancy.  We can’t put it in the dishwasher.”

“We should save it for a special occasion.”

Well. . . okay. . . I guess I didn’t want to have to do more dishes.  Maybe.

Don't save your fine china teacups for special occasions.  Use them everyday for tea parties with your friends and family. #sponsored #celestialseasonings #tea #tealover #royalalbert #finechina #bonechina #teaparty

Fast forward many years later, and I’m hosting a celebration for my Grandma’s 90th birthday.  I’ve made her favourite black forest cake, invited some close friends and family, and I start to serve everyone tea.  It’s finally time to use the good china!

I open the china cabinet, take out my favourite old friends, and ask our guests if they would like cream or sugar with their tea.

“You’re using the good china?!?  Don’t bother for us.  We’re not fancy.  You should save that for a special occasion.”

Don't save your fine china teacups for special occasions.  Use them everyday for tea parties with your friends and family. #sponsored #celestialseasonings #tea #tealover #royalalbert #finechina #bonechina #teaparty

If now is not a special occasion, what is?

Friends, it hurt my heart that day that my family didn’t think they were worthy of the fine china.  If your 90th birthday isn’t a special occasion, then I don’t know what is.

Sadder still, it was the last birthday my Grandma would celebrate in her own home in good health.  Her next birthday was spent in the hospital, and the ones after that in the nursing home.

Don't save your fine china teacups for special occasions.  Use them everyday for tea parties with your friends and family. #sponsored #celestialseasonings #tea #tealover #royalalbert #finechina #bonechina #teaparty

This year, my grandma passed away and I officially inherited the china.

I’m not going to make the same mistake.  I vow to use the fine china for my family and friends on a regular basis.  Because something as simple as a good cup of tea with friends can be special too.

Fine China Deserves Quality Tea

When the opportunity to partner with Celestial Seasonings came up, I jumped at the chance.  I’ve been drinking Celestial Seasonings tea almost as long as I’ve been coveting my grandma’s china.  Every winter, my Mom and I would search for the new Christmas flavours at the local Nutters and spent all winter drinking them.

Side note: Anyone else remember Sugar Plum Fairy?  It was our favourite.

Like that fine china, it’s always been there.

Don't save your fine china teacups for special occasions.  Use them everyday for tea parties with your friends and family. #sponsored #celestialseasonings #tea #tealover #royalalbert #finechina #bonechina #teaparty

Don’t wait for a special occasion to use the beautiful stuff in your life.

And if you come to my house?  I’ll be serving the Apple Cinnamon in that coveted china with a plate of my best dainties.  Because you’re worth it my friend.

Don't wait for a special occasion to use the beautiful stuff in your lifeClick To Tweet

Want to win your own free boxes of Celestial Seasonings Tea?  Enter below!

Celestial Seasonings Giveaway

For the next few weeks I’ll also be sharing my favourite flavours (and the treats I pair them with).  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for the latest.

Pin me for later!

Don't save your fine china teacups for special occasions.  Use them everyday for tea parties with your friends and family. #sponsored #celestialseasonings #tea #tealover #royalalbert #finechina #bonechina #teaparty

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

www.shiftingroots.com

27 Comments
Filed Under: Fun, Sponsored Tagged: beautiful things, celestial Seasonings, family, fine china, good china, Grandma, Royal Albert china, tea, tea party, tea time

3 Coffee-Flavoured Chia Seed Puddings to Supercharge Your Morning

September 23, 2017

This post is sponsored by Dusty Plains Coffee Co.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fall is officially here, school is back in session, and I find myself consuming a lot more coffee than I did in the summer.  Some mornings are so hectic that I barely have time to make both coffee AND breakfast.

[Read more…]

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

www.shiftingroots.com

11 Comments
Filed Under: Get Healthy, Recipes, Simple & Easy, Sponsored Tagged: breakfast, chia seed pudding, chia seeds, chocolate, coffee, cold brew coffee, Dusty Plains Coffee Co., keto, latte, mocha, paleo, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, snack, vegan, vegetarian

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Grow roots with us

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

Recent Posts

  • The Best Grow Lights for Seedlings (from Budget to Bougie)
  • How to Grow Eucalyptus for Cut Flowers (Even in a Short Growing Season!)
  • 26 Best Flowers to Grow for Dried Flower Arrangements
  • 17 Perennial Flowers That Love Shade
  • How to Design a Cut Flower Garden in Raised Beds

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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I love seeing the world through this loving boy’ I love seeing the world through this loving boy’s eyes.  Honestly, I’ve been so sick that I wasn’t really in the mood to “do Valentines Day” but there was this sweet little voice going on about how excited he was for today and how much he loves his family and I just couldn’t resist.  So whether you’re on your own, part of a couple, or in the thick of life-with-littles craziness, Happy Valentines Day!

#valentinesday2020 #mylittlevalentine #boymomlife #lifewithlittles
How do you pass a cold -28 day? By planning your How do you pass a cold -28 day?  By planning your garden, of course!  Today in my stories I’ll be going through the steps I take to start planning everything out.  I’m curious, do you start planning now or wait until the last minute?

P.S.  want your own copy of this planner?  This is the newly updated paid version and it’s on sale by itself from now until Sunday for only $5.  If you’re from Canada, use the code CANADA to make $5 USD be closer to $5 CAD.  Head over to the link in my bio to get yours.

#gardenplanning #gardenplanner #gardenersofinstagram #gardenersofig #organizedlife #organizedliving #wintergardening
Curious about growing lettuce indoors? My experim Curious about growing lettuce indoors?  My experiment is a success so far, although it’s still going to be awhile before I’m eating another salad off of them.

Okay, so maybe a little rant today.  I think sometimes in the gardening space we’re guilty of making things seem easier than they are.  Myself included.  This lettuce project is a case in point.

Was it easy?  Yes.  But will it provide me with endless salads all winter long? Nope.  Or at least not at this scale.  I’m going to estimate that I’d need at least 15 plants this size, especially since it’s winter and everything just grows slower.  And I’m the only person in my family who really eats salad.

In conclusion, this is a fun project to pass the winter, and not a truly sustainable source of lettuce.

Thoughts?

#growinglettuce #eatwhatyougrow #growwhatyoueat #wintergardening #indoorgardening #plantproject #sustainablefood #gardenersofinstagram #gardenerslife #northerngardening
Part of the mystery of seed starting is knowing ex Part of the mystery of seed starting is knowing exactly what to start when.  Every two weeks, I'll be posting these handy guides so you have enough time to order your seeds and be ready to plant when it's time for your area.  To find out when these veggies, herbs, and flowers need to be started where you live. . . ⁠
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1. Search out your area's last frost date.  There are plenty of calculators on the Internet.⁠
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2. Count backwards 8 weeks from that date.⁠
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3. Start these seeds when that date hits.⁠
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If you follow me because we're in similar zones--don't panic, it's not time yet!! I won't be starting my 10 week seeds for another two weeks, and even that is slightly on the early side. (I'm starting everything a bit early so I can hopefully plant it out before baby gets here--I won't be physically able to do it after.) I like posting the info early for followers in warmer zones and so you can save it and still have time to order/buy seeds & supplies.⁠
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Which one of these are you most excited to start?⁠
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#seedstarting #seedlings #homegardener #northerngardener #homesteading #urbandhomesteading #homesteadingskills #gardenlife #gardenlifestyle #startingseeds
Eeeek!!! My luffa seedlings are up!! I’m growing Eeeek!!! My luffa seedlings are up!! I’m growing the whole seed packet in hopes that a few of these little luffa babies will provide me with zero waste sponges that I can use for home cleaning, and as an exfoliant in home made beauty products.

The catch?

These plants are notoriously hard to grow, especially when you live somewhere cold with a really cold growing season—and if they get a hint of frost on them they turn to mush and all my hard work is ruined.

Gulp.

But gardeners are born optimists, so I’m giving it a shot—because you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

P.S. if you’re trying luffa in zone 3 like me, just basically ignore all the directions on the seed packet.  Start them immediately (two weeks ago would have been ideal) and follow along because I’ll show you exactly what to do and when.  I’ll be popping these under a grow light once the sun goes down.

#luffagourd #luffa #loofah #seedlings #seedstarting #northerngardening #northerngardener #gardenersofinstagram #gardenersofig #mygardenthismonth #gardenlife #canadiangardening
This weekend I took a big leap of faith. I came t This weekend I took a big leap of faith.  I came to New York to meet with other content creators/business owners to dig deep into what we do and create a strategy around our messaging.  I don’t even know how to properly describe what all went down, but is was incredibly life changing and I really feel connected to this tribe of women who are committed to playing to win and being the people our businesses need us to be.  I’m so excited to share what I’ve planned for my business with you in the coming months.

#playtowin #gardenblogger #businessowner #wahmlife
Is there such a thing as a no-fail houseplant? I Is there such a thing as a no-fail houseplant?  I think the Sansevera or Snake Plant or Mother-in-law’s tongue comes close.  Sure, it might be the vanilla of the plant-loving world, but it is so good for so many situations!⁠
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It can handle you forgetting to water it, low light, or bright light.  It is somewhat forgiving if you are an over-waterer. ⁠
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I’ve had this one for 2 or 3 years now and I keep getting rewarded with more spikes.⁠
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Plant lovers, is there another houseplant you think would be perfect for beginners?⁠
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#crazyplantlady #houseplantsofig #houseplantsofinstagram #snakeplant #houseplantlove
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