My neighbor's comment about my raised beds made me rethink everything

I was out back last fall, putting in my third set of cedar raised beds, when my neighbor Frank leaned over the fence. He watched me for a minute, then said, 'You know, you're building a garden for your back, not your plants.' I asked what he meant. He pointed out that all my beds were the standard 12 inches high, and at 6'2", I was bending over way too much. He said his wife has back trouble, so he built theirs 24 inches high with a little lip to sit on. It never crossed my mind to change the height for comfort. I finished those beds at 12 inches, but my back was sore for a week. For the next set I'm planning, I'm definitely going taller. Has anyone else built raised beds at a non-standard height for ergonomics, and did it help?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlie_ellis20d ago

My uncle built his on cinder blocks for the same reason.

parkera2220d ago

Cinder blocks aren't actually rated for that.

morganhill20d ago

Honestly, I learned that the hard way. Had a shed start to sink on them. You really need a proper concrete footer.