Raised vegetable gardens
Raised vegetable gardens can be made to a height of 1 metre to 1.5 metres usually to waist height. These raised beds allow gardeners to work at a comfortable height without having to bend over and work at ground level.
They can be made of timber or recycled bricks / materials and filled with good soil and compost. They’re ideal for wheelchair access and they can be netted by placing stakes at each corner and then placing a net over the bed to keep out pest insects and wildlife. An assortment of herbs and vegetables can be grown in them.
Wicking Beds
Wicking beds are raised garden beds that are self watering. They hold water below the soil and water is sucked up by the plants roots through capillary action when it’s needed. The base of a wicking bed is lined with a pond liner then on top of the pond liner porous rubble is placed. Placed in the middle of the rubble is an agricultural line ( Ag pipe ) which zig zags through the rubble and is connected to a PVC pipe which extends to the top of the raised bed. This PVC pipe is filled with water which flows into the Ag line in the lower area of the bed.
On top of the rubble geotextile fabric is placed with the soil placed on top of that. An overflow outlet pipe is placed at the point where the soil meets the geotextile fabric.
Wicking beds are great during dry periods and summer as they are self watering.
