What do I need to start a vegtable gardern in San Bernardino?

Question

The area where I want to start my vegtable garden gets about 40% light and the soil is sandy with alot of rocks any suggestions and also what kind of vegtables can I grow with this kind of light. My neighbor told me go to big bear and get some soil that it would be rich in nutrients

Answer 1

Give hgtv.com a try. They have all the cable gardening shows, & the master gardeners. You can find layouts, tips for the best plants for your area, how to improve your soil, etc.

Answer 2

First off, you will need to give the soil a good boost - your neighbor is right; as the light is low you really need to everything you can to ensure the healthy growth of your veggies. We garden in sand here in (East) Texas, too, and I've found that adding compost to my soil helps retain moisture long enough for the plant to take it up. Of course, it also has nutrients, which sandy soil needs. I don't know where Big Bear is, or what the soil is like, but usually just about anything is better than sand.

For the first time ever, I am gardening in the shade, and so I don't have a lot of experience to offer, yet. But I can tell you that the tomatoes (though leggy) are already producing, and that the potatoes are looking really great. They're not ready to pull yet, but the foliage is good and deep green despite the lack of direct sunshine for much of the day. I don't know how to figure percentage, so I just looked for the areas that had the most amount of sun, and planted there. I also am gardening in containers for the first time. That's something you might consider. Just keep in mind that anything in a pot needs fertilizing more frequently.

And remember that root crops need less sunlight than above ground crops. I wish you success.
Happy Gardening!