"SteveB" toquerville@zionvistas wrote in message
news
We are ready to till up our garden, and want to raise it in beds or
platforms so us old people don't have to bend over so much. Is it
practical to raise them to desk level, or is just a foot or two
sufficient? I would think that whatever you made the raised bed from
would rot from water and gook within a few years. And then, if you use
cinderblock or cement, you're talking high cost and a lot of skilled
labor.

Help appreciated.

Steve

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Usually they are built some number of boards (or bricks) high. So if you
make them two 8" or 10" boards high you can sit on the edge or sit on a
stool on the path and lean over the bed, provided that they are not too
wide, about 3-4 ft is good assuming access from both sides. It would be
good to make a mock-up and see if your mobility permits you to access the
bed comfortably before starting construction. Try kneeling or kneeling over
a stool or crate (ie it supports your chest) as people find different
postures comfortable. It is practical to make them desk high but you would
be looking at more substantial construction as you are now building higher
walls that have to hold back heavy wet soil.

There are timbers that will last for many years in contact with the soil.
I would stay away from the heavily chemically treated sort - especially for
a vege garden. Here in Australia suitable untreated timbers are among the
native hardwoods, if you get the right sort your fence posts (or garden
beds) will last 30-40 years in the ground. The building trade (here) has a
rating system for timber called durability class which will guide you. I
don't know where you are or what sort of timber is available so I cannot be
specific. Concrete blocks will work too. As with many things the better
solutions tend to be more expensive in the short term but may not be if you
look at their total life.

David