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Raised beds are the way to go. If you have clay soil, mix gypsum in with it to help break it up. You can even use scrap drywall if you have any lying around. Living in Georgia, I know all too well what trying to garden in heavy red clay is like. Just consider it about the same as concrete. Anyway, I would break up that stuff you have to a depth of 5-6 inches and amend it, then I would build a raised bed on top and fill it with good dirt/compost. If you have access to cross ties, they make a nice raised bed.
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Whippet, Whippet Good
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yep, the raised bed is definitely the way to go - 6-8 inches dug out below and 8 inches above or so will do for almost all vegetables. If you can use the pots for another season, composting all year over the new bed will save you a lot of money and work and give superior results.
Above all, go to the library and get some books on composting and raised bed gardening, there are dozens. Before adding fertilizers or minerals have a soil test, otherwise you are wasting your time and money and could actually ruin the soil with the wrong amendments.
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mattkime wrote:
where do you live??
Sorry. Just noticed this today. I'm in MA.
I think I'm going to level off what I've already removed, then add enough of the recommended stuff to make a raised bed. Does anyone know whether Sears sells fertilizer/soil/vermiculite, etc? I have a gift card I'd just as soon use up.
