I also have raised beds, 3 - 4x8 and 3 - 4x12. They can dry out faster than the ground, so drought years can be harder to keep them hydrated. But it is a bonus in soggy years so they don't drown, at least not as quickly. I had some made from rough cut lumber and after a couple years they degraded, so replaced with composite lumber, angle iron for the corners and carriage bolts. The 4' width does make it a stretch to reach the middle without stepping into the box, but do like the boxes better than working on the ground. When we got the major rain last fall, the water was rushing down the lawn, hit the side of the box and ran around. Some damage on the lawn from water swirling in front of the box, but the dirt in the box stayed intact. Unfortunately the butternut squash that had grown out of the box onto the lawn was lost. I threw them out due to unknown pathogens in the water that comes down the hill. (Amish live uphill, they dont have plumbing....)
