Raised Gardens

[Gunfixr]

We actually have a local preparedness store, just over a mile away.
From them, we've acquired a #10 can of heirloom seeds, and my plan was to get a couple more.
Anyway, I was talking with the wife about this, and saying maybe we should be running a garden now, since it takes a bit to get good at it. She did try a garden two years in a row a few years back. But, the soil here isn't great, low ground with solid clay just a few inches down. Roots are everywhere, since they cannot go down, they go out. The ground here stays wet if there's any rain at all. Also, there isn't a lot of sun anywhere, just maybe some afternoon sun in spots. Also, she was really starting to feel bad from the things we now know she has, but it wasn't getting treated, and she just quit tending it.
So we were thinking this time we'd do raised garden beds. Then, we could put better soil in, and maybe not have so much water.
Probably start in the spring.

Any ideas, suggestions?

[helomech]

I have one raised bed, I use for things that don't do so well in aquaponics. You could also do aquaponics, or wicking beds.

[bacpacker]

From the description of your soil and conditions, I think a raised bed/s would be the way to go. They will drain better, your soil is certainly better. Plus the benifit of not having to bend over as much.
One thing about the canned seeds, I have looked into these quite a bit and found I didn't care for the seed mix variety. I would prefer to select my own types of seed to fit what we like aand what does the best in our area. A lot of the canned seeds are general that may or may not be suitable for where you are. Just my .02 on that.

[TroubleShooter]

One thing I have been playing with is using pet bedding (pineshavings from tractorsupply) I have starting seedlings in low loft quilt material from seed, cut around root system when transplanting. I am using plastic drums. Liquid fertizlier . I feel the bedding can be santized and reused several times, it absorbs and holds water . Is lightweight in drums or planters to move around. I checked many medias to use, cost and weight were negatives....I do not know if the shavings are ph neutral, but so far I grew tomatoes and potatoes in the bedding...They will compact some when wet, but for the most part I believe I have found a cheap easily accessible grow media.... For cleaning for reuse, I intend to bleach or cook the shavings......Just make sure the drums are secure , local wind storms took most my garden out....

Just spitting out my ideas.....

[bacpacker]

TS, I may be way off base, but I know Pine needles are highly acidic. I use them as a mulch around my blueberries to help adjust the PH lower. I assume shaving would be near the same. OTOH Tomatos like a low PH. You may have hit on something good there. I will try mulching with them next year.

[helomech]

TS, I may be way off base, but I know Pine needles are highly acidic. I use them as a mulch around my blueberries to help adjust the PH lower. I assume shaving would be near the same. OTOH Tomatos like a low PH. You may have hit on something good there. I will try mulching with them next year.

My tomatoes in my aquaponics are doing awesome with a ph above 8.

[Sniper-T]

everything I garden is in boxes. I cannot praise them enough!

[TroubleShooter]

http://rurallivingtoday.com/gardens/...ponics-system/

I going to try this setup on an aframe utilizing both sides , filling the pipes with pine shavings instead of using net pots. Although I will drill holes in pvc for netpot size incase pineshaving idea is fail...I think using the shavings and doing a ebb and flow will conserve water and nutrients...

[TroubleShooter]

everything I garden is in boxes. I cannot praise them enough!

My next project test is potatoes in boxes , basically a window box with black plastic covering it , when the potatoe plant pushes up against plastic , cut a slit for it to escape and use the ebb and flow/fill and drain system...Ideally when plants are mature should be able to peel plastic back and pick up the potatoes, no digging or media use required...... Box size starting out has me wondering if it will affect size of potato, I am thinking 10 inches wide, 6 inches tall , whatever length you choose.....

[Gunfixr]

I haven't even had a chance to really research this, much less start anything. Life has pretty much gone sideways here.

I may have to wait until next year, or maybe something that can start later, if then.