How to Make a Wheelchair/Scooter Accessible Raised Bed Garden

Raised beds are a convenient way to garden. They provide better drainage to poorly draining soils, increase crop growth and yields, expand the growing season by allowing the soil to warm faster and make gardening possible in areas that it normally wouldn't be. Nearly any type of plant, from fruit and vegetables to flowers can be grown in raised beds. Raised-bed gardening also makes it possible for those with limited mobility to garden, such as people in wheelchairs or scooters.

Things You'll Need

• Untreated lumber
• Rebar
• Soil
• Compost

Instructions

1. Drill holes in the sides of each piece of lumber, or on whichever sides will be the "top" of each piece when you stack them. The holes should be at the same place on each piece and be large enough to drive a piece of rebar through them.

2. Stack the untreated lumber a little more than 2 feet tall and surrounding an area no more than 3 feet wide. Insert the rebar into the holes and drive them into the ground until the top of the rebar is flush with the top of the lumber. Space each raised bed about 3 to 4 feet apart from each other so the scooter or wheelchair can move between them easily.

3. Fill the beds with three parts soil and one part compost. Combine the soil and compost in the bed until it is well mixed.

Tips & Warnings

• Speak to the person using the scooter or wheelchair about how high they'd like the beds to be. They may want something higher than 2 feet.

References

• Ohio State University; Raised Bed Gardening; Pete Lane
• University of Missouri; Raised-Bed Gardening; Christopher J. Starbuck
• University of Minnisota; Raised Bed Gardens; Vincent Fritz and Carl Rosen; February 2009