re: Tips for my raised garden

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Doesn't gypsum help to loosen hard packed clay soils

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Yes, but expanded shale is looking like it will outperform gypsum by a good margin. There are several studies going on in Texas using expanded shale instead of gypsum. It is readily available at many nursery and garden centers these days as well.

I was considering on using it for my new hydroponic system so I researched it a lot. It seems like it can help our crappy clay soils in the BR area.

Well frick me, I was almost certain the deep soil below my raised bed was too acidic. Backyard full of pine trees and red clay soil, I assumed acidic. My tomatoes and cucumbers struggle the bigger they get and cukes some years are bitter. I use that raised bed soil from Lowe’s but my plants start great that first month and I usually water 2-3 times a week but not too too much.

Everyone I know telling me they bet it’s acidic but just checked and it’s 6 on ph scale. I even just got some lime today to throw in. Even fertility test was good. I use MG fertilizer when I put plants in ground. To add, I only tested deep in my raised garden from last year, to the red clay.

So now I’m sitting here with a bag of lime still wanting to add it

ETA: Well I tested my top 3-4 inches from stuff I’ve put in over the years and it registered 2 Last year I mostly just added cow manure and very little soil due to some bad advice and being told I already have enough soil there.

Drain to waste, and I add the castings directly into my "soil" mixture. I use cloth grow bags though, like a smartpot, 2-20 gallons in size depending on the location/strain. It works the same with the larger outdoor beds, but legally speaking they still frown on what I do in my state so not outdoor beds, yet. You can add castings to your reservoir though, but I'd use something like panty hose to keep them from getting really messy and clogging up the pump/emitters.

New batch of castings each grow, but I compost the old materials in between grows. Each batch of soil gets set aside and for about 6 months before it is reused. I add my organic amendments in after about 2 months, and add some mycorrhizae as well. In fact, the mykes are pretty much the only thing I ever add to my water, short of light pH correction. Some folks add a nitrifying cover crop in between cycles, I personally do not.

If I were doing beds I'd just till it into the top couple inches. Also a big fan of adding humates, but my farming pays better so I can buy costly additives. Especially since my soil amendments are relatively cheap when purchased in 50 lbs bags. Most are ground meals, like a blood or bone meal... but I do not use either of those 2 specifically, just a reference. My plants are almost vegan, minus the fish meal I use. I feel the commonly referred term is "recycled organic living soil."

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A pH of 6 is acidic. You want it as close to 7 which is neutral. So add the lime, it will help. Some plants like acidic soil like blueberries, azealas, etc. But most garden veggies prefer as close to 7 as you can get. If the pH is ever to high, then you add some aluminum sulfate. It will lower the pH. That's what you place around blueberries and azealas.

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I added the lime. Yea as far as blueberries I actually am good at growing those I use a MG plant feed for acid loving plants

Got some lime today. Took advantage of wet soil got about half garden loose. Gonna put lime out tomorrow and let rain water it in.

Do I need to remove some of the dirt from original ground or just put lime down wait a few weeks then add the soil for the garden?

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Yea as far as blueberries I actually am good at growing those I use a MG plant feed for acid loving plants

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Question for you; How often are you applying the Miracle Gro for Acid Loving plants to your blueberries?

I used 2 yards of worm dirt and it has given a beautiful veggie garden for 8 years now.

I’ve had pretty good success with tomatoes. I grow them in galvanized steel cattle troughs. I drilled holes in the bottom for drainage.

I have complete control over the soil. I mixed about 70% garden soil, 10% manure, 10% peat moss, 10% miracle grow vegetable soil. I also threw a tub of earthworms in each trough.

I’ve grown many varieties of hybrids as well as heirloom. I’ll usually grow some cherries on the patio in pots. I fertilize w liquid tomato food (Miracle Grow) pretty heavily, and sevin dust about once a week.