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Well, that just leaves pathogens/diseases to worry about. LOL. I understand about rock hard clay, that’s what we have. Most of the top soil was removed from our lot in the subdivision, and all that we had was clay.

It has taken time and effort to improve Hubby’s garden soil. I just went with raised beds and Mel’s mix - seemed easier at the time. LOL.

Let me know how it all goes.

I mixed 500 lbs or more of sand and about an equal volume of compost I have been making for a couple years from Oak leaves into a “double dig” bed that is about 4-5 feet by 15 feet and a shake test afterwards showed about equal thirds of silt, clay, and sand. I was pretty happy and the radishes, carrots, onions, lettuce, and Okra seem to be fine. I had to add Miracle Grow fertilizer to the trench 2 foot by 25 feet I did similarly for peppers because transplanting the starts almost killed them. They got curled, notched leaves and I had to take two days and rescue them with fertilizer foliage sprays, Mag Sulfate sprays, Ca++ (MagiCal) supplement and additional weekly (or more) ground application of Miracle Grow. It seems to have worked for now. The tomatoes are in their own separate 18 inch by 18 inch holes, I have a dozen and did what the freeper recommended, 2 cups of cow manure composted, 3/4 cup pellet Gypsum, and then added two Job spikes for Nitrogen. They are going great guns. I put six seed potatoes in black 3 mil bags and they have really boomed in the potting soil and added topsoil. They have finished flowering and I guess they will start to die soon and I can harvest the spuds! I was piling “uninvolved” soil up on the plants today and “discovered” a spud about 2 inch by 4 inch so they (or at least one is) are making spuds! I have worked my rear end of dawn to dusk for months to pull this off but as things are starting to groove it is exciting. I already have flats of brassica (cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli) started to put in the bed after it is too hot for the radishes, carrots, and lettuces.
I think I will try to get some Winter Barley to put in for cover crop and start germinating in flats in Sept. so I can put it in a week or two before the first frost and harvest the brassicas. My plan is to run this mother year round on three rotations. I hope as the seasons go the soil just gets richer and richer as I work in compost from the uneaten portions (lasagna style). I will try to put up some photos soon.