Last year I developed a raised veg. garden 8' x 33' with 3yd's of compost. 4 yrd's of top soil & 4 yrd's of sand; which I mixed by hand. The soil has compacted & restricted the growth of carrots & parsnips. I planted 100 bulbs of garlic and none were succesfull although green onions were fine. Any suggestions? Is there a soil testing facility at UBC &/or students available for on site study. Bob
Add to your vegetable patch as much compost and manure as possible. Shredded leaves improve the drainage and keep the soil loose. Garlic needs good rich soil, with plenty of manure and compost and a sunny location. Rotating the crops also maximises your harvest. That means dividing your vegetable patch into three sections A,B,C in the spring. To add fertilizer to the Vancouver gardens in the fall is not advisable, the rain will wash the nutrients away. In patch A you plant vegetables, which require very rich soil like: potatoes,leek, spinach, broccoli and cabbage. Into patch B the vegetables go, which need less nutrients than the ones in patch A namely: lettuce, carrots, radish and onions. In patch C go the plants which need little fertilizer like: beans, peas and herbs The next year in patch A the vegetables of B go , last year's patch B will accept now plants for C. Last year's patch C receives now plenty of compost manure and organic fertilizer like green sand and rock phosphate. Following these suggestions will reward you with flavourful, healthy vegetables.
Hey bob--what was the compost like? Was it a commercial batch, or some of your homemade? I've run into some poor excuses for compost, as well as real nice stuff...I would think that was a major variable in your recipe. Also, is your topsoil heavy in the clay, or fairly loamy? It can take a lot of amendments to "improve" some clay soils.