If you have a blank wall, consider attaching a wooden fan trellis that would support a showy clematis or delicate vine. The beloved wisteria vine needs a very strong trellis support, so be sure you have assistance when installing this trellis.
The vertical height can vary but should not be much taller than the comfort of your arm’s reach, especially if you are growing vegetables or fruit that will need harvesting.
Getting on ladders or wobbly stepladders to get those lofty red runner beans is not recommended.
Try using an expandable teepee often made from bamboo or plastic poles. This can be easily set in a raised bed to provide more height for easy access. They are perfect for pole beans and peas and are easy to store for the winter.
Arbors and archways are charming and can be bought preassembled. Try growing cantaloupes or other small melons on these more sturdy structures. Just remember to create a mini-hammock of old nylons for the fruits to nestle in as they ripen.
Tall willow branches allow creative gardeners to form their own attractive and functional vertical structure. If you have access to pliable pruned fruit tree branches, you can make tri- or quad-podded structures for your summer crops.
Trellis or lattice structures come in plastic, wood or metal grid design and can be attached to walls or fences or can be free-standing. These are popular for showcasing delicate flowering vines.
Look for metal-tiered vertical planters that offer several spaces for containers that can hold many interesting plants, both upright and cascading. This structure can add a distinctive feature, especially if you are downsizing to a smaller home and yard.
Raised Beds
Q. As the time of relying upon a cane or even a walker comes upon us what modifications in small gardens should be made such as raised bed spacing and height? What surface is best for secondary and tertiary walks (now mostly dry laid field stone/flagstone or pine needles and wood chips)? Is there any sort of railing approach to reduce falls or assist in getting up from a kneeling position? For those of us who hate lawns for a billion reasons, are there ground covers for sunny areas (John Creech sedum has been suggested) and shady areas (the ever present pachysandra?) which are very weed choking, require little or no maintenance and avoid the expense and labor of leaf mold or other mulch repeatedly applied? — Bob Hills, new hope
Q. I’m 50 and still feeling pretty strong but trying to plan ahead. I have a large garden that is all open and very hard to maintain. I’d like to install raised beds but don’t have a lot of money. What is the least expensive but also environmentally friendly way to make raised beds? Ideally ones that will last, so I’m thinking of wooden planks attached at the corners for form rectangles or squares. — Anne, Concord, N.H.
Q. How to safely construct raised beds? What materials to use, how high to make them, etc. The materials have to work for the plants, as well as be attractive and safe. — John, California
A. Raised beds can be the answer to keeping many gardeners active in the vegetable patch and flowerbed. Raised beds come in all shapes and sizes, and can be made from a wide variety of recycled or repurposed materials: freight crates, second-hand lumber, rubber tires, galvanized horse troughs, cement (breeze) blocks or hay bales. Which material you choose will depend in part on whether you are doing it yourself or have someone helping.
The first consideration is to use materials that are safe. For example, avoid preserved wood that has been injected with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) or railroad ties soaked in creosote — especially for vegetable gardens. Some woods like cedar, redwood and cypress have naturally occurring rot-resistant properties and are good choices, but can be pricey. There are lumberyards and home-improvement centers with reject piles of wood; some carpenter’s nightmare could be your dream-come-true raised bed.
Buying a pre-cut modular kit for your raised bed is another option that will save you time and maybe some aggravation. Some come with wooden sides or a recycled plastic wood that can add to the price. But considering that you will never have to replace the planks if you use the artificial wood, you’ll likely save in the long run.
For most aging gardeners, a bed that is 2 to 2.5 feet high and 3 to 4 feet wide will do the job. But there are other factors to consider. Do you use a wheelchair or a walker? Are you semiambulatory? Do you stand to garden or do you need to sit? If possible, get raised beds made to “fit” you and your needs. If you need to sit most of the time, add a sitting ledge onto the top of the raised bed or create access to the bed so you can sit on a stool or a chair as you garden.
Q. Consider straw bales. They are inexpensive instant raised beds, totally organic and require no construction. Just place, water, and when the internal temperature is right (a long shaft meat thermometer works for this) plant and, eventually, harvest. The bales can even be set on paved surfaces, solving a problem mentioned in another comment: how the mobility impaired can negotiate between raised beds. On a hard surface, a wheelchair or a walker would work well. —Roane 1, Los Angeles
A. While I recommend straw bales as an option for raised beds, they may be too bulky and cumbersome for a senior gardener to deal with. If you have access to organic hay bales and can get help to move them, this may be the raised bed for you. The process, however, is not as simple as your description makes it sound. I recommend reading
these directions from the Oklahoma State extension site — this contains the step-by-step process needed to have a successful straw-bale garden. Good luck!
I do agree with your cautions about knowing more about the origins of wood chips and other organic matter that you bring into your environment. As we age, we need to keep our skin and lungs free from harmful fungi and herbicides. This is especially critical if you are amending soils for your vegetable gardens. Only certified organic matter should be used in places where you are growing food. I often use the wood chips that the arborist creates after he shreds the debris from my trees and shrubs.
Q. What do you suggest on the ground for in between raised garden beds? Water is so precious here in California that it should not be living turf or groundcover. The seniors in my family tend to drag their feet, so no bark or uneven stones. And one day if they should be in a walker or wheelchair, I will need something upon which I can roll about. — Rena, Bay Area
A. If you use some ambulatory assistance like a wheelchair or a walker, the pathway should be at least four feet wide. The surface should be level, smooth and have good drainage. Well-placed and installed pavers or flat field stones on the primary paths to the garden beds are better choices than wood chips or pine needles, which can break down, causing wheels to sink into this spongy material. Crushed granite that is pounded well creates a safe and usable pathway.
Q. I built several raised beds of 2 by 10 cedar 20 years ago and they are still going strong. You want the depth if you plan to grow root veggies. After placing the frame (and it’s fun to play with different sizes and shapes), lay cardboard and newspaper down, then add lots of potting soil and compost. This combination gives you a nice fertile and easy to work medium with the terrific bonus of freedom from weeds. — Granny Grace, Vancouver, WA
A. You are fortunate to have your raised beds for so many years. I recommend your method of keeping weeds at bay too by using sheets of corrugated cardboard covered with about 3 inches to 4 inches of soil and compost. I use this method on small sections of grass that I want to eradicate.
