raised beds for people with special needs ?

[manicscousers]

I don't know if that's the pc way but, we've finally got the extra land planned out,
there's a smallish space, room for 3 or 4 raised beds, I would like to make them accessible for wheelchairs, partially sighted or other people with other needs, may be me in a few years  :D
does anyone know how high or wide these should be,  anyone got any experience?
I have friends in wheelchairs but they're too ill but there must be gardeners who would like this idea ?  :)

[manicscousers]

[supersprout]

Hi scousers, I had to research cultivating a plot (well, two and a half ;)) to suit my own physical capacity. What I have now is a mix of techniques (deep beds accessible by paths, extreme mulching) and tools (long handled, adapted weight and shape, wheelbarrow, tool belt, trugs, 'milking stool' for low work). To be honest, I've enjoyed the challenge of adapting and the crops are as good as I can remember in 30 years of growing :) I wish I'd known about them at the start ::) Some useful links:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/your/access/disability/tony_gippautumn2.shtml
http://www.gardentoolsforallseasons.com/disabled%20gardening.php
http://www.get-digging.co.uk/
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/simple_homesteading/60401
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-5-21-189,00.html
http://www.homestead.org/Gardening/Ruth%20Stout%20-%20The%20No-Dig%20Duchess.htm

(you may find more local resources from gardening and disability groups in your area - accessibility is high on Council list points, so possibly sources of funding for permanent structures?)

and of course, here on A4a:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,20337.0
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,25671.0

This year one of our tenants had a heart bypass operation and said he would have to give up his lottie cos he couldn't dig any more. The site rep (one of the most sceptical) called by and asked if I'd have a convo with him. One of the best moments! The topic is dear to my heart, good luck manicscousers :-*

[manicscousers]

that's brilliant, ss, we'll have a look see, we've one or two plotholders who's joint problems, knees, backs,etc, are making it awkward for them, we're just trying to think ahead,
I've been looking for a trolley as I can only carry one seed tray at a time, inconvenient at planting time so, Ray's adapted a clark truck, he's attached a deep storage type thingy on the bottom and a tray with 4" deep sides on the top, perfect, I can also lean on it , everyone thought I was mad but are now made up with my "tea trolley"  :)

[supersprout]

Would love to see a pic of tea trolley 8)

I had a seed tray problem til I switched to these:
http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2037

Four can sit on a windowsill in my flat, nearly 200 seedlings if sown singly. In the growing season I can sow every week to ten days, seven rows with seven types of salad veg - beet, carrot, all year round cauli, lettuce - and that's succession sowing taken care of. Neat to water, so OK to have in the home. Their deepness means that most plants can rest awhile in them before planting out. I've found they are rigid and stackable, much easier to carry than most seed trays - narrower and taller :)

[manicscousers]

possibly going to the plot in the week, if we can fit it around doctors appointments etc, so, we will take piccies then, thanks for the site, we use rootrainers at the moment, we've 5 windowsills in the house, a greenhouse and a 30' poly so space is o.k, but I'll keep the organic catalogue in mind if i need any more,  ;D

[manicscousers]

Well, supersprout, here's the 'tea trolley' we went to the plot for the rest of our seeds so I can put them on my list
it still needs a bit doing on it but it works for me  ;D

[norfolklass]

I had a seed tray problem til I switched to these:
http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2037

supersprout, how firmly do the lids attach? these look fab but I'm fairly certain that my cat would have the lid off and be "helping" ::) in no time!

[supersprout]

Hard to say without fingering cat biceps
::)
the lids don't have a locking mechanism, they plop on over the tops of the trays. They are pretty rigid though, and wouldn't knock off accidentally. Once the seeds have come up, you rotate the tray tops 90 degrees, and they are self ventilating but also protected.

I have a slightly broken seed tray with box sitting on my desk. It will still work, but one of the corners is broken and one of the small lugs that hold up the seed tray broke off. If you'd like to use this as a sample, I'd be happy to send it over - pm me with your addy :)