Traditionally, a raised bed is always above normal garden soil and is only separated from it by a wire mesh. However, there are a number of reasons why you want to build a raised bed without any ground contact - be it because there is no such thing on a balcony or terrace or because you, as a wheelchair user, want a barrier-free option for gardening.

Table raised beds are practical and very attractive

Classic raised bed without ground contact

The lack of soil in a conventional raised bed ensures that excess water and rainwater can drain away unhindered. If this ground contact is missing, the water can accumulate inside the bed - the plants are literally drowned. Nevertheless, direct ground contact is not absolutely necessary if you prevent waterlogging in other ways - for example by making drainage holes on the side walls (if the bed is on the terrace, for example) or simply providing rain protection (e.g. with a Plexiglas roof).

Table raised beds for balcony and terrace

If you don't want to do without the practical gardening in the raised bed despite the lack of a garden, you can fall back on practical table raised beds on the balcony or terrace. These are flat raised beds without any contact with the ground, as the plant container is far above the surface. These special raised beds were specially designed for the structural requirements of a balcony, for which a conventional raised bed is too heavy. However, table raised beds can only be filled with soil (and not in the layer system like a normal raised bed), since the available space does not allow composting. Table beds offer a whole range of other advantages:

  • they are light and easy to transport
  • they can be quickly moved to another place - even if they are just planted
  • they do not take up much space and are also suitable for small balconies
  • but still offer more planting space than conventional planters
  • You save yourself the complicated task of filling the raised bed

Accessible raised beds for wheelchair users

Furthermore, wheelchair users and seniors who are no longer very good on their feet also have to do without gardening in raised beds. The wheelchair-accessible raised beds were developed especially for these garden lovers. They are recessed on either one or two sides so that a wheelchair or other seating option can easily fit underneath. These raised beds usually have little or no ground contact.

tips

When watering raised beds without ground contact, make sure that you do not water the plants penetratingly - the lack of a drain means that excess water cannot drain away.

Category:

Vegetable garden