# Gardening from scratch



## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

So we recently moved to our new house and I thought I could start working on building the garden bed. I talked to some locals and most recommend doing a raised bed due to the clay. Any additional recommendations there? Clay is new to me. 

Also, is there anything I could start from seed now? Thanks!


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

We have a heavy clay soil that we have been working on for years.(and it is coming around) My herbs are in a raised bed but not because of the soil. 

We do a cover crop (winter wheat) over the garden each year, most of it will be turned into the garden soil come spring. You can also add leaves to the garden area. (again to be turned under.)

Start an compost area... to be added around the plant or in the row. 

As to what can you grow now? I would need to know your general area.


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

Hey thanks! I'm over in the Augusta, GA area.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I would try some cool weather crops.

Leafy crops: Collards, kale, and lettuce Root crops: Beets, carrots, and turnips Broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi Peas Celery, leeks, parsnips

Happy Gardens!

And let us know how it turns out.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Supposedly the most fool proof method is Square Foot Gardening.

http://www.squarefootgardening.org/whatissfg#!__get-started/vstc61=page-1

http://amzn.com/1591862027 <-- current version

http://amzn.com/1591865484 <-- newest version, to be released in february

If you use their mix you're almost guaranteed to get a good yield in raised beds using very little room. It isn't the cheapest way to get started but might be worth looking into.


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

mp5girl said:


> So we recently moved to our new house and I thought I could start working on building the garden bed. I talked to some locals and most recommend doing a raised bed due to the clay. Any additional recommendations there? Clay is new to me.
> 
> Also, is there anything I could start from seed now? Thanks!


Cool weather is the best time to work in the garden, for sure.

You're right accross the river from my brother in McCormick, SC. He has raised beds for all his ornamentals. Red clay everywhere there.

A few container grown plants may be warranted for you to get an early start your first year there.


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestions and resources! I'm definitely trying to make this garden a priority. The world is just getting crazy. They now have rice with human genes in it! Ewwww! That's just so creepy!


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## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

mp5girl said:


> So we recently moved to our new house and I thought I could start working on building the garden bed. I talked to some locals and most recommend doing a raised bed due to the clay. Any additional recommendations there? Clay is new to me.
> 
> Also, is there anything I could start from seed now? Thanks!


Clay holds a lot of water. Root rot may be a problem for some crops. My first recommendation would be to start a compost pile. Toss in egg shells, veggie scraps, newspaper, leaves, brown and green matter, let it rot for a few months.

Mix some sand and a bit of sawdust in to help with drainage. If it's a real problem, vermiculite might help. With enough compost and a good tilling, you may not need to add vermiculite.
Dont let anyone walk on your garden beds. Compacted soil makes it difficult to for roots to move about.

I had to work on the soil at my house. You can dig down about a foot and hit red and orange clay. These are the things I did to improve the soil here.


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

I have both a regular garden and square foot gardens. First thing to do is go to your local Agriculture Extension office and talk to the folks there. Find out which plants typically do well, as well as which USDA zone you're in. You'll also want to take soil samples and have them analyzed to find out what your soil needs(the ag office should have all the info you need on what to do with the soil), if you plan on a regular in ground garden.

The SFG method is a lot less labor intensive. Supposedly it requires less water, but I haven't found that to be the case at all. Overall water use is less, but because the "soil" mix doesn't absorb and hold water, you must water more frequently. During the hottest months here, watering twice a day probably isn't enough. Nothing we've planted in our SFG's has done well, and that's probably the reason why. I've been underwhelmed by SFG, except for the less work part.

You might look into hydroponics and aquaponics as well.


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

I have raised beds. In my book, it is the only way to go. I built most of mine with wood that I got at a discount from the lumber yards. If you buy "gray" wood or wood that is slightly less than perfect you can usually get it really cheap. Your veggies won't care if the wood is less than perfect.


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

More good suggestions! Thank you! Now... Where is everyone from?


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## PackerBacker (Dec 13, 2012)

The biggest thing with clay is DON"T WORK IT WET.

Lots of clay around here. If respected it'll bust bins for ya.


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

Interesting you say that. It's impossible to work dry! Like digging into bricks. Local gardening shop said to water then wait a day so it's moist but not sticky. Haven't done it but thought I could pass the info on.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

mp5girl said:


> Interesting you say that. It's impossible to work dry! Like digging into bricks. Local gardening shop said to water then wait a day so it's moist but not sticky. Haven't done it but thought I could pass the info on.


And it does work ... 

You want to be able to form a ball with a hand full of soil but outer layers of the ball will and should crumble. (ol tobacco farmer trick. ) You knew the ground was good to work while it was like that.


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

Here is a little know product that can help you and it is all organic. Actually it is 2 products.

http://www.natureslawn.com/aerify.php This will help to break up the clay and give you a better soil. Although it is sold for lawns, it can be used to prepare a garden.

http://www.natureslawn.com/biological-dethatcher.php This is designed to break down thatch in a lawn. I reality it will also help break down those leaves and other organic matter you till into the soil. I have also used this on a compost pile to good effect.

Oh and I used these in Tennessee so the soil is very similar to Georgia.


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

cnsper said:


> Here is a little know product that can help you and it is all organic. Actually it is 2 products.
> 
> http://www.natureslawn.com/aerify.php This will help to break up the clay and give you a better soil. Although it is sold for lawns, it can be used to prepare a garden.
> 
> ...


Have you tried either of these? They look interesting!


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

Yes I have. Read the last line of my post.


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## mp5girl (Oct 24, 2012)

My bad! Got excited while reading. Thank you!!


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

PackerBacker said:


> ....Lots of clay around here. If respected it'll bust bins for ya.


That's interesting, and true. Clay has has a lot of plant nutrients in it (at least around here); the key is to get it broken up. One of the most common ways here is to plow in the fall which exposes the clay at the top of the ground and the winter freezes and thaws will then break it up very nicely.


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