re: Tips for my raised garden

My garden soil has a few inches of good topsoil on top of a layer of heavy clay. I spent several years amending the soil. I don't have a heavy duty tiller, so I would turn the entire garden with a shovel, getting down to a depth of about 12"-15". Once the soil was somewhat dry, I topped the soil with either a mix of busted bags from Lowe's (they sell them for 1/2 price -- peat moss, cow manure, mushroom compost, even potting soil) or a truck load of dirt from a garden center. Then tilled it in with a small tiller. Also added gypsum and lime every couple of years. Over a period of time, I've gotten the soil in much better condition, but the acidity is a constant battle.

Last year I decided to expand my garden with a couple more rows. I planted in large pots with a mix of bagged garden soil, mulch and some dirt from the garden. Those plants were just as productive as my plants in the ground.