Soil volume is the difference.

Dan

I've done both and find that they each work differently. Part, I think, may be due to better drainage in the SFG. My tomatoes did far better with much less BER in the SFG, but lettuce performed equally. Broccoli will do well in the container given that it's large enough.

Over all, the results are comperable, incredibly so if your containers are large SWContainers, but at least for me, the SFG beds are more eye appealing than a ton of containers.

Yes indeed, the BH has put her foot down and my ~dozen SWCs are going away, and the area where the sunflowers go is getting an infusion of OM.

Dan

Dan,

You could always build a handsome wooden frame around the SWCs. It might be pricey, but at least you could still have your SWCs. They would just look like taller raised beds, especially from a distance.

I built a decorative fence out of dog-ear cedar 24" high to completely block visibility. Not good enough. Ah well. I'm giving several to a starving student I know, so they'll still be useful. Just not in my yard.

Dan