Raised Beds For Wheelchair Access – 25″ High – Ideas ?

[englishladyMember]

 

We are moving soon and I need to create some raised beds (probably about 6′ x 4′) and four/six of them, for my wheelchair and home bound mum to produce veggies for us (and keep her busy and feeling happy and useful). We’ll have a 3′ gap between them for easy passing.

I have been investigating how to make such high sided raised beds, and the only thing I have found which seem ideal are reclaimed untreated railway sleepers.  Whilst they are nice and sturdy, with a thickness of 5″, made from a foreign hardwood, they are about £20 each, which we just cant afford. We’d need loads of them !

Delighted to have found this fabulous website, and watched the inspiring video, so posting here in the hope someone may have a brilliant idea which wont cost a fortune !

After we are moved in I will scavenge around the local dump and see if I can find a timber yard, but apart from this, I am rather at a loss !

Very much appreciate any advice, thanks for all who reply.

Best wishes

Julie

 

 

[bluebellParticipant]

I have used the 1 cubic meter ‘builders bags’ with the top folded over – not very beautiful, but my favorite price (free). If you wanted them to look a bit nicer you could either buy from e bay to get all the same shape and colour or put them in a frame that would effectively ‘clad’ them?

[englishladyMember]

Now that is an idea I had not thought of Bluebell, thank you.  Sorry to be thick though, have no idea what 1 cubic meter builders bags actually are or where I would get them from.  I will take a look on ebay.  Thanks so much for your reply.  Julie

[englishladyMember]

Found the big bags bluebell, thank you.  They would work well, it is a great idea.  BUT they start at £55 per bag !!! I almost fell over……………I shall have to scrounge around for some free ones but no clue where to start !  Thanks for your help. Julie

[englishladyMember]

YIKES !  Just noticed you said you got yours free !  We dont care what colour they are, can be mixed no problem.  They are the perfect height at 100cms (39″) tall.  Nice depth for growing root veggies too.  I am intrigued  –  where do you get your freebies from ?

Thanks,  Julie

[englishladyMember]

Hi Bluebell  —  I may have found some of the one cubic meter builders bags which are 100 x 100 x100cms big, on the giveaway free site FREECYCLE.  Not sure until I see them, but would still love to know how you generally source them for free as this is an ongoing project, and we will surely need more to complete the gardens.  Thank you.

[bluebellParticipant]

Hi Englishlady

Yes freecycle and skip surfing – just keep an eye out for anyone having building work done

[englishladyMember]

Thank you Bluebell  –  that is exactly what I did, FREECYCLE is brilliant, got 20 of the one cubic bags for free !!!  I am so grateful to you, and this will be an ongoing exercise.  They will be perfect with the tops rolled down a bit.  Many many thanks.  (also sourced free 3 year old horse manure which will fill the bags when in situ, after making holes in the base of them of course ) !

[bluebellParticipant]

I find my bags dry out quite quickly as they are designed not to hold too much water. I did put a fork through mine in a couple of places as I hadnt thought about them being designed to drain. I certainly find that the strawberries in them need watering.

I would also consider putting posts in each corner and nailing the bag to the post, this provides support to the sides of the bags which will tend to slump down a bit and they can provide support for netting if required or to support an old show screen and act as a cloche. I tried it with canes but they are just not strong enough.

[englishladyMember]

Hi Bluebell  –  What fastastic tips, thank you very much !  The posts in the corners sounds a great idea, especially if they protrude four or five inches, then they could be covered more easily if needed.

So just to be clear on the punching holes in the base, do you think that the fabric they are made off, some kind of woven plastic, would allow excess water to drain away anyhow, without holes?

I’d hate to waste water that way !  Thanks for your comments, always very interesting indeed !

Julie

[bluebellParticipant]

I dont find a problem with too little drainage but Im on a light sandy soil.

Having spoken to a builder he pointed out that they dont want the bags to retain too much water or it would make them too heavy to lift. Which sounds reasonable to me.

 I grew iceicle radish in them one year and they grew much longer than I had expected – when they hit the bottom of the bag they just pushed themselves up out of the top

[englishladyMember]

Hi Bluebell  –  How funny, I have some of those long white radishes to grow, and did wonder quite how low down they would go……super !!

Absolutely agree, the makers would not want the bags to fill with water, they would exceed their weight then as well and maybe even a forklift could not pick them up !

My soild is heavy clay, hence the idea of planting straight into black gold (3-5 years rotted horse manure).  It looks just like black soil, like from the fenlands.

Thanks for your comments, always look forward to reading your posts.

Best wishes

Julie

 

[englishladyMember]

Hi Bluebell  –  How funny, I have some of those long white radishes to grow, and did wonder quite how low down they would go……super !!

Absolutely agree, the makers would not want the bags to fill with water, they would exceed their weight then as well and maybe even a forklift could not pick them up !

My soild is heavy clay, hence the idea of planting straight into black gold (3-5 years rotted horse manure).  It looks just like black soil, like from the fenlands.

Thanks for your comments, always look forward to reading your posts.

Best wishes

Julie

 

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