Raised planters offer flexibility and mobility. They can be used indoors to produce a substantial harvest year round. But what makes raised planters most appealing to urban farmers is the ability to tailor their function to the needs of the space where they are being used.

The raised planters that we designed for the flagship Edible Learning Lab in Buffalo, WY were built for shorter students, specifically those K-5 that participate in our after school program. They have integrated drains to prevent overwatering but are stationary and quite heavy with a few hundred pounds of soil.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to design a more efficient raised planter. What would make the planter in your Lab more efficient? More effective given how you are using it? Consider designs that are self-watering, mobile, have deeper soil levels, include integrated systems for trellising and plant support, or even a design tailored to a specific plant variety.