Growing veggies in (practically) sand...?

Question

I live in Florida and have the cruddiest, sandiest soil ever. I want to grow veggies this spring, but how do I improve the quality of the soil enough to sustain vegetables? Also, what do you suggest to grow? (This would be our first garden, obviously)

Answer 1

I lived in the Florida keys 6 years and the Florida panhandle..it is all sand..the best way to do this is make raised beds..and go to the local nursery or call around and get some mushroom compost.Do not buy bags but alot of places sell it by the scoop(small tractors)..In the raised beds I plant the items that will not take as much space..and things like my melons squash,cucumbers etc I dig 3 foot holes and fill with mushroom compost..make sure to have this compost mixed half and half with what Florida calls top soil(which is black sand)..I made green bean trellisses out of pvc and cotton string dug a trench across the width of it and dug about a 8 inch deep, for green beans root really shallow..Take a look at my flickr photos of my garden in Panama City Beach, fl page 11..I will attach the link..feel free to e mail me also if you have other questions..also to get a good guide for Florida gardening go here....
http://www.floridagardener.com/

Answer 2

you may wish to purchase mature plant life at this element because of the fact it particularly is later interior the season, even though it remains possible (nonetheless it particularly is priceless to to adhere to annuals as perennials have not got adequate time to examine to stay around for next 12 months). you ought to get great floor pots because of the fact vegetables are heavy and the inspiration systems bypass deep to assist the burden of the plant life (or contained in terms of underground vegetables like carrot, they choose room to boost). A sandbox is in basic terms too shallow for the taproot and the plant life will fall over and die. The pots and soil could be the terrific price, and it particularly is in all probability which you will actual lose funds because of the small quanitity you will produce, yet once you discover veggie plant life eye-catching then it is going to paintings. stable success!

Answer 3

Buy some top soil and put it on top of the sand and then plant the veggies. You can grow anything If you mix fertilizer with the top soil.