Raised Vegetable garden beds

[Mr. Biggs]

My aunt has back pains and she cannot bend down to garden her vegetable garden. I proposed to raise th vegetable bed to a comfortable height thus minimizing the need to bend.


Questions:

How much depth of soil is needed to garden successfully?

What materials would you use for drainage? I would use styrofoam.

Any other helpful tip would be of great benefits.


THanks A Ton

[Douglas Justice]

Raised beds are not only easier on the back, but ideal in our wet-winter climate for improving drainage.

The best drainage is afforded by using the same soil material throughout the bed (i.e., top to bottom). Large air pockets or "discontinuities" prevent soil moisture from percolating downward.

If using non-soil material such as styrofoam to make up the volume of the raised bed, ensure that such materials are not layered, but mixed into a matrix of soil to allow adequate moisture flow around them.

Non-soil materials are best kept out of the top 15-20cm (6"-8") to maximize root-zone moisture and nutrient content.

Other materials that can be used include washed sand, gravel, hydroponic beads (your local police may have these for free) and perlite. Organic materials, such as sawdust, peat moss and bark chips should not be used in large quantity, as they break down and tend to overly acidify the soil.

Good luck!

[Juliet]

What about sand? I just finished a book that says I should add equal parts sand and topsoil, in addition to compost, fertilizer etc. Why do I want so much sand?

Thansk, Juliet