GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

simy1 · 24-07-2006, 02:47 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

wrote:
I dug out a vegetable plot, about eight inches deep and 8' by 10'. I
plan to put 3" deep garden soil over it and I want to grow some
vegetables. But it is in Zone 5. The soil has too much clay and has
horrible drainage. 24 hours after rain, the water seems to have stayed
same without going down an inch.

I need to know what kinds of vegetable seeds can stand lots of water
and bad drainage. I've already bought radish, cucumber, green bean,
dill, and onion seeds.

Please share your expert comments or suggestions. Thank you in advance
for your advice and your time.

Obviously it would be best to go raised beds, as others have said. I
would even use patience and fill the beds with manure or compost, even
though some vegetables will not like it initially. The manure or
compost will start a large earthworm population which will do much
turning for you.

The second thing you can do is to leave roots of plants that are not
disease prone in the ground after the plant has died. The larger and
the deeper the root, the more drainage it will create when decaying.
Two vegetables that fit the bill of tolerating heavy clay, being
disease free, and having a large taproot are radicchio or any other
chicory and cardoon.