Gardening the easy way

A raised planter is a great solution for an easy garden.

Raised garden boxes, elevated planters and other solutions are quite convenient for those who want to garden but can’t bend over!

Easy gardening without bending down is possible and it is even recommended for all who want to protect their back and joints…

  • Read about the idea behind this easy gardening technique: raised garden

Gardening without breaking a sweat

Inspired by professional horticulture tables, different sorts of “raised garden bed” concepts have appeared in horticulture stores in the past few years.

Whether made from plastic, wood or metal, these are garden boxes of various sizes that are set up on stands to reach a height of about 28 to 32 inches (70 to 80 cm). Some of them are adjustable.

With built-in drainage systems, water recovery tanks and wheels to make it easier to follow the sun, these are great for growing on balconies and decks, but they’re also very useful in the garden or on a terrace to avoid having to bend over. It thus is now possible to garden comfortably, either standing or even seated in a chair.

These are perfect for fast-growing plants that don’t sprawl over everywhere, such as cherry tomato, radishes, strawberries, lettuce, herbs and spices… And also the very fun mini-veggies that are appealing to children: beets, carrots, artichoke, beans…

Gardening without bending over

There are other solutions to garden while standing upright, or at the very least, to minimize bending down. Take advantage of your windowsills and balcony rails to set up garden boxes that will take in your herbs and spices, you’ll always have them at hand.

Place your pot arrangements on tables. Select tall, deep garden boxes to grow plants that have more important needs, such as small trees. Olive trees, citrus, mini fruit trees – a wide range of choices to harvest fruits without leaving your balcony!

In the garden, elevate your growing beds by 24 to 32 inches (60 to 80 cm) with wooden planks assembled into a gardening square, filled in with soil. Practice crop rotation to maximize space.

This square foot garden helps grow exactly the quantity of fruits and vegetables you need. It is ideal for smaller gardens and those for which the soil is too poor, since you can easily amend it an enrich it with compost.


Image credits (edits Gaspard Lorthiois):
CC BY 2.0: Drew West