Lovely morning chit-chat August 2026

Hi Stacy

Being relatively new to this forum I have been so touched by your individual story and by the sheer bravery you have exhibited - so inspiring.

I must say that writing on this and other fora has helped me over the last few months as my treatment has evolved - writing is such a great way of downloading all of those whirling thoughts - it's a bit like in the old days when at work I would write out an email in reply to someone who had annoyed me and then immediately delete it, getting it out of the system is the key thing.

I was just thinking about the problem of accessing the raised beds - have you seen the concept of vertical gardening?  A series of rows of vertical beds may be better for access than on the flat?

All the very best wishes

KrisPy

Thank you so much for the kind words KrisPy. I know a lot of people think I'm brave for choosing this outcome, but I have more bad days than good, and find myself questioning my choice so often. Truth is you just never know the longterm out come of the choices we make, and that tends to be very overwhelming.

I actually have looked into vertical gardening, or just trying to get my tomatoes to grow more up and not bush out as much. My raised beds are just too wide, so my brother in law and dad were thinking about making them a lot more narrow, which would allow me to get my wheelchair closer, even if I still had them caged. My chair has several power functions including 14 inches of seat elevation, so as long as I can get closer, I'll be able to reach my plants more.

My prosthesis has plastic clips on both sides, so it's secured to my chair. I can't twist or lean forward when it's clipped in so I won't accidentally lose my balance and fall. Transferring from my chair to my bed or our sofa is awkward enough. 

I watched several YouTube videos last week of a tomato farm and restaurant that's in Iceland. Their greenhouse specializes in vertical tomato growing, so I'd like to do something similar, but without a cage like we have now I feel like our severe weather and high winds might damage them though. My beds are on our rear patio, so not much protection from the elements versus a greenhouse. It's going to be a learning curve for us, but the goal is getting it accessible as possible for me to do most of it on my own.

I've seen the staggered vertical planters as well, but the ones I looked at on Google aren't really good for tomatoes or peppers, but I can grow other vegetables in those. I know it's going to take a lot of trial and error for us to get it just right, but I do think vertical gardening would help with my limited side reach.

~Stacy 

Hi Stacy, having been in a similar position to you, ie I was in a wheelchair for around 6 years due to spinal stenosis, during the COVID years Mrs Tvman and I set about transforming my veg plot into a series of raised beds with space between each for my motorised scooter or wheelchair. My beds were a maximum of 4½ ft wide, didn't matter about the length. The width mattered because if any wider I wouldn't be able to reach the middle of the beds. I was also able to source a trowel and gardening fork with extra long handles that made it easier still to reach the middle of a bed.

Once you get your beds going well you'll be able to grow to your heart's content and I hope you get a lot of fulfillment. 

Tvman x

Hi Tvman,

I almost feel like these latest posts belong more in your amazing gardening post on here than the regular chat! lol

Your own experience with wide beds is exactly what I'm dealing with. The other problem mine have is a couple of the sides are along the edge of the patio, so those sides either have grass or mulched landscape areas with flowers or shrubs, so my chair can't even access those sides. Back when I still had my left leg, it was never a problem, I could lean my body more to the front or side on my manual chair at the time, or get around them fine on my crutches. I had a cushion that I would put on the edge of the beds and just sit on there at times and not have any issues with reach.

Gardening is something that I always loved doing, so we just need to start over with a new design and layout. My dad is open to extending the width and length of the patio if it makes it easier for me to get around all the sides of the new beds or planters that we come up with.

I know gardening is something that will keep my mind active, and hopefully help with my mental recovery. I've been so anxious all night about going out for my appointment today, I couldn't sleep much at all. It's not the counseling itself, but just being out that I don't enjoy.

~Stacy

Good luck for today, I hope the whole day proves to be a positive experience.

Thank you Patrick! 

I second that!  I do hope the day works out well for you.

I am just off for my oncologist appointment this afternoon to talk about progress and possible radiotherapy - and I am feeling a little anxious about it, and I know there is no reason to be worried!!!

And I agree being outside amongst the plants is such a wonderful way of taking your mind off other things.  My wife did a deliberate planting plan last year so that this year’s spring would be lovely in the garden as I was going through chemotherapy- a big thank you to her!!!

Best wishes

KrisPy

Thank you KrisPy, I hope your appointment goes well today!

Good luck for your appointment too and anyone else with appojntments or treatments this week

Good luck for your appointments Stacy and KrisPy. 

How are you doing Patrick? When is your next big holiday?