Cipher wrote:
I've asked a similar question back a ways but I thought I'd ask again
with a twist.

The coming year we're looking at starting vegetable gardening, however
the soil is all dense-pack clay. We're looking at raised beds - by
which I mean building boxes and raising them about three feet off the
ground because neither of us can bend over for regular weeding easily.

My back-of-the-envelope calculations show a 1m x 2.5m x .5m box, when
full of wet soil, weighs in at just over 1400kg!

It could be more. Three feet (90cm) high obviously would be more. The
higher the sides the stronger they need to be constructed and the more
carefully you have to arrange drainage. The sides have to be strong enough
to contain the soil but also to hold your weight as you likely to sit on the
edge. For that purpose finish the top with a board that is broad enough to
be comfortable. The materials will not be cheap.


Has anyone here raised growing beds this high? What sizes of beds
would you recommend?

Thanks!

I haven't built them that high but people do build them. They are built
that way for the reason that you give - gardeners who cannot stoop and bend
easily. I am not sure that 90cm high is necessary, probably 60cm (2ft)
would do. See:

http://www.spinalistips.se/tip-raise...-beds-471.html

David