Creating Raised Beds

Raised beds can often be a very good system to use in a school garden especially if the soil in your area is heavy clay or suffers from waterlogging. The use of raised beds with children also means that soil isn't being trampled and compacted and also that children's shoes avoid being caked with mud. The size of the raised beds should be appropriate to the age of child for which they are intended. Children should be able to comfortably reach into all parts of the beds without stepping onto the soil. Raised beds can be constructed using railway sleepers, old wooden scaffolding boards or gravel boards. Alternatively many gardening suppliers sell raised bed kits made from timber or plastic. Click here for some examples.