I've had hubby do some tree trimming and I now have a sunny spot in my backyard where I can grow some veggies. The "square foot garden" approach with a raised bed seems like the best way for me to go since it's a limited space and I have limited range of motion. Has anyone done this before? I guess what I'm most curious about is if I should go with the traditional 4 X 4 bed (I can fit two of these) or go with only 2 feet width - maybe several 2 X 4 or 2 X 8 beds would make things easier?
Vegetable garden
I used to have two raised beds that were 4 ft wide - don't even think of going any wider! I found them easy to use, but they are now in a machinery storage area and have fallen into sad, unusable condition. I found that planting rows across the width - several for each variety - actually worked better than rows the length. I kept the rows no more than 6-8 inches apart and put a lot of cow manure on each year to keep the fertility up. Unless you need pathways between the beds, I would go with the longer ones - you'll have more usable garden space that way.
I would vote for narrower beds if you have motion limitations. Everyone speaks of 4 foot wide beds but to that that's quite a reach. For one client I installed pairs of 2-foot raised beds, 12 inches high with fitted square stepping stones (two stones wide) giving easy rolling action. If you are more mobil, use a 3-foot wide bed, 12 inches high and wide paths (3-foot width)
I also have a few narrow raised beds and someone here told me to have hubby put a small ledge to siton and this has worked great for me!!!!!!I don't like a wide bed because of reaching and putting strain on myself or having to get up again andmove to other side.Good Luck
Good Mornin' Gonna jump on and say that I'm doing more container gardening' I don't empty them just keep top dressing each spring and pile mulch for winter' I'm growing onions,cabbage,cucs,tomatoes(staked) and put a fence along one side for the vines to cling' I also carry an old tree limb to help me get up when I'm down weeding,the neighbors sometimes come and help me too''When we re-done the bathroom several years ago,our sons put the tub/throne out back for me' The tub is my little nursery,sit on the side' and the tank/throne also has flowers on the bottom and cabbage in the tank,works great'Here in the country we can do this but many city folk would frown abit'' See ya,Sis''
Thanks guys - I'm moving more and more towards container gardening and raised beds since it's so [profanity removed] hard to get back up after getting down on the ground. As a newbie gardener, I didn't quite realize what I was getting myself into by trying to garden at ground level and occasionally I find myself "stuck" and have to crawl over to something that I can use to help myself get back up. I wonder what the neighbors think when I'm crawling around in my front yard since I don't look disabled - LOL, maybe they just think I'm drunk!
Know where you're coming from Amari' I always use the old "ear infection excuse" LOL But most of my muscle in my femor was removed as a kid from a 2#tumor attached to it' Not too pretty a leg but still have it,thank God' Had to learn 5 times to walk again,go in every so often to get more removed,no biggie' Once a woman yelled at me for using the big potty at a store,she loudly said,"You don't LOOK DISABLED'' I smiled at her and said,"everybody has a disability, I can sure tell where your' is'''LOL Boy was she steamed'''It takes courage to do what you want and if you're not bothering them,all the better' My motto is this"if ya don't like my peaches,then don't shake my tree"LOL Gotta laugh,life's tooooo short,my dear''Sis''