I really don’t have much of a green thumb. Growing up, my parents’ and grandparents’ gardens were teeming with fresh fruit and veggies of all kinds. It’s difficult for me to eat cucumbers these days because there was nothing quite like noshing them straight from the garden, rinsed with the hose and dressed with a touch of salt (everything else pales in comparison). The plants I’m really good at growing are the ones that thrive from neglect (I currently have a little cactus with about 10 flowers, and my fig tree that sat dormant outside all winter sprouted new leaves last week — success!).
But although that green thumb came naturally to my Dad and grandparents, it’s not something that magically evolved overnight. It took decades for them to become experts, and my Dad is still learning with each growing season. This is now my fourth year planting a garden, but it’s my second using Vego raised garden beds, and they were an absolute game changer last year. Read on for my experience with the brand and how Vego can help you on your gardening journey, too.
What Is Vego?
I didn’t know much about Vego Garden before I wrote our spring gardening guide last year. Ben Pauly, the master gardener at Woodstock Inn & Resort, explained that the brand’s raised beds are customizable, efficient and damn good looking. They’re made using eco-friendly metal, which is cheaper and has a longer lifespan than wood (and doesn’t require cutting down trees).
The modular systems mean you can adapt the beds to fit your space and alter them depending on your needs. For example, last year I assembled the 17″ Tall 10 In 1 Modular Raised Garden Bed without four of the panels. But after a successful growing season last year, I’m going to expand the bed by adding those four panels to the structure.
Finally, Vego really loves gardeners and giving back. They’ve worked to sponsor numerous non-profit farms around the country by providing them free raised garden beds.
Assembly and Use
I’m not a handy person, but putting together the Vego Raised Garden Bed last year was actually a pleasure. My husband and I spent an hour in the backyard quietly assembling, and we both noted how nice and relaxing it was, nothing like trying to decipher a difficult Ikea instruction booklet. Seriously, anyone can put these things together, and it’s not a tedious chore.
Before I got a Vego garden bed, I was using felt buckets to grow produce. Last year, I filled the Vego but also used some of these buckets, so as not to overcrowd the garden bed. Everything in the Vego thrived — I’m talking Ichiban eggplants and plump jalapeños that I couldn’t harvest fast enough. Not all of the buckets did poorly, but the plants were one-third to half the size of what was growing in the Vego, and the fruiting yield didn’t even compare.
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Fun New Colors for a New Season
British racing green is one of my all-time favorite colors, so I absolutely had to spring for that hue last year. But for the 2024 season, three new colors were introduced, including a gorgeous terra cotta that I think is going to complement my British green bed perfectly. I now have two 17″ Tall 10 In 1 Modular Metal Raised Garden Beds that I’m using to grow eight different types of chili peppers (I’ve started those seeds already) and likely some other fruits and veggies that I’ll acquire from a local nursery.
Add-Ons and Nice-to-Have Accessories
I’ve had really bad luck growing tomatoes in my New York City backyard. But new this year is Vego’s Self-Watering Rolling Tomato Planter Pot With Trellis, so I’m going to see what it can do for my favorite summer crop. I’ve already started tomato seeds inside, and they’re thriving, so I’m hoping they continue to grow and produce in this innovative planter.
Vego sent me their Garden Bag last year, and I can’t tell you how handy it is. I keep all of my tools in the convenient exterior pockets, and it’s equipped with an interior hook so you can easily hang it on the side of the garden bed. It also has a waterproof interior and molded bottom so it stands on its own without tipping over.
Completely New to Gardening? Vego Can Still Help.
Maybe all you have is a fire escape to work with or don’t want to spend a ton of money the first time you garden (yes, it can be expensive to get set up). Vego has a bed for that. The brand’s Small Garden Collection means you can try your hand at herbs, berries, a single pepper plant or even flowers without making a full-on commitment. Wherever you are in your gardening journey, Vego can help.
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