Post Punk Kitchen Forum

We bought a house recently and removed an above ground pool that had been sitting in that spot since the late 80s. I want to put a garden in that spot, but as you might imagine, the ground is quite compacted from having a pool on top of it for so long. Rain water is just sitting on top of the plot, not draining at all. Does anyone have any suggestions for fixing the drainage issue so that I can start a garden? I'm already considering doing raised beds since I don't think the soil is very good, but I need to get rid of the standing rainwater issue first.

Can you rent a tiller from Home Depot or somewhere similar? That seems like the easiest way to break up a large amount of soil. You can mix in rocks with the soil as well to help drainage. String and a few stakes can help you level it slightly tilted away from the house.

Yeah, that should do it! I think the idea of adding rocks is a good one, I feel like you might also want add sand/fresh soil.

There is lots of sand already. I think they used it to help level the pool, but now it's part of the reason that it isn't draining. My boyfriend is unsure if a tiller will work, as he had a hard time getting a shovel in there. It's worth a shot, though (I think).

You may want to use a tiller there since the soil is so compacted, but generally roto-tillers are considered bad in some sustainable gardening circles since they have a tendency to turn up the topsoil too much so that a bunch blows away and you loose good soil. Double digging is kind of time consuming, but I recommend it highly. I did it to about a half acre last year and the soil has stayed nice in all of our plots and it is much easier for the water to drain and roots to fill the soil. It also allows for better companion planting and more plants in one space since the root area is more access able for the plants to use, and nutrients can be more readily available for the roots to uptake.
Check it out:
http://www.communitycrops.org/doubledig
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/double-digging-why-do-it

You might want to try lasagna gardening? Here's one quick link, but there may be better ones out there: http://organicgardening.about.com/od/st ... garden.htm

It can be hard to get enough organic debris to begin with - we've been making one big new bed each year, usually about 1' deep. But you can get a good start with a bottom layer of wood chips, generally delivered free from any local tree service in your area. And if you get extra wood chips, they break down really well in 2-3 years for a continuing supply of organic matter.

Our 2nd layer is usually 1/2 rotted leaves from the autumn before, and the top layer is 2-3 inches of finished compost. The first year works especially well for anything in the squash family or setting out tomatoes or other substantial veggies, and the next year it is broken down enough for root crops and everything else.

Also - you will need to fertilize with a complete fertilizer - I mix my own veganic one, but for small gardens it is easier to buy premixed ones, if they're available in your area.