How to Make Most of a Wheelchair Accessible Planter?

Gone are the days when people who face mobility challenges cannot enjoy gardening. Thanks to the wheelchair-accessible planters, people in the wheelchair can now pursue their love for gardening without hassle.

While most gardens are not wheelchair friendly, the garden which the person intends to use needs to be redesigned. Some of the changes that are to be made are,

1. Width of the pathways to allow easy movement of wheelchairs

2. The surface conditions

3. Use of anti-slip tiles on pathways

People who need to use wheelchair accessible planter has to make sure that the garden beds too are raised to at least 24 inches. This way a person in the wheelchair can easily access it.

Tips to make the garden wheelchair accessible planter ready

Elevate the garden beds

The wheelchair-accessible planters should always be placed on beds that are elevated to a height of 24 inches – 36 inches from the ground. By elevating the garden bed, the person in the wheelchair can easily dig the soil and prepare it for planting seeds or plants. It is also important to make sure that the bed is elevated to the right height. If the bed is too elevated, it can be a trouble for the person to water the plants or else you should have a calculative slope so that the person can move around easily

For example, vegetable plants like tomatoes can be planted on gardening beds that are elevated to a height of 24 inches. As these grow not more than 3 inches from the planter, it makes it easy for the gardener to care for the plants. Most of the wheelchair gardeners prefer a bed height of 36 inches. Flower gardens or vegetable gardens can be set up based on the gardener’s choice with ease.

Provide the needed access

The wheelchair accessible planter needs to be placed in an area where the gardener can easily access it. You can place it near the door so that the gardener can access it from all sides. Where ever you place it, make sure it receives at least 4-5 hours of direct sunlight. This is important for the healthy growth of the plants.

Keep the tools handy

Most of the wheelchair accessible planter comes with an option to hold the gardening tools beneath them. You can even hang them, making it easy for the gardener to reach out and to protect them from rusting from rains. Be it a front patio or a backyard; these planters can be placed anywhere, making it easy for gardeners in a wheelchair to access them.

Add trellis

Gardeners can also add trellis to wheelchair-accessible planters when growing vegetables like beans or peas to increase the harvest. As the plants receive a good amount of sunlight, they thrive, giving you a great harvest. Also, decide on the garden bed elevation based on the plants in the planter. This is important as the person in the wheelchair needs to be able to pluck the fruit or the vegetables without any help/hassle. These planters are also available in various styles, most of which can be easily elevated to a certain height. Other styles include a stand as well.

People suffering from mobility challenges need gardens that are easy to maintain. Wheelchair accessible planters can be combined with drip irrigation to reduce the watering efforts. Just get online browse through the various styles of planters for gardeners in a wheelchair. This is one of the best ways to bring a garden to a person on a wheelchair who loves plants and gardening. Do not think twice, go right ahead and give it a try!