raised beds

[lostsouls]

I am having a terrible time with my raised beds. I have 4x12x12 beds. I planted a variety of veggies and all of them, all of them are stunted.

I got good garden soil from the local forest products. What seems to me is the soil when I first filled the beds was at the top. After watering a couple of months now, the soil line shrinks about 4" and seems compacted.

I use a soaker on my hand held nozzle and I tell you my tomatoes look unrecognizable, cabbage stopped growing...carrots, hah! Raspberries.......ugly and non producing. they die.

I am so frustrated. The land underneath is clay. Goldenrod clay. It is also a new house so I am starting from scratch. I moved in mid December and in Jan I had a company come out and blow on about 3" of compost. When I laid the beds, I did not rototill and when it rains it puddles. When the guys blew on the compost; their boots were almost being sucked off their feet it is that bad.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I am disabled, limited funds and I put so much money into buying the soil, redwood and I feel totally defeated. Thanks so much

[Fiona]

Hi, It is shard to know what happened there, but I hope you solved it all by now.

let us know

[digger]

You plants may have run out of room for the roots when they hit the clay. We had similar problems. Have since converted to self-watering containers.