My attempt at growing a garden...again!

I have tried to grow a garden many times. I have never had much success. I have tried several approaches, with very little success. Because we live in an area with extremely sandy, acidic soil I have had to try a few different things...

Containers - I used some large pots for growing tomatoes. This has been the most successful attempt, even though the plants end up looking like they are from another planet. Rather than growing big and bushy like everyone else’s, my tomato plants grow tall and thin. The large tomatoes have to be supported or the long, tall stalks bend and break under their weight. The bunches of grape tomatoes suffer the same fate. And regardless of what I do, the plants don’t start producing until well into the summer.

Soil Replacement - I have tried digging out ‘beds’, removing the sandy soil and filling with garden soil. I have had mixed results, none great. Peas and beans did ok but the plants weren’t big and healthy. Sunflowers are hit or miss. The first year I learned not to grow them where the deer can get to them. Then there was the broccoli. Not a single plant came up until late fall, when one lonely plant started growing quite well.

Flower pots - I used lots of flower pots and containers for flowers. I have fair success with this, but again, many of the plants grow tall rather than bushy.

I’m hoping this year will be different. To begin with I am starting many seeds inside in those little peat discs. I’m hoping this head start will help. I’m d9ing a lot of them. Next, I am building a raised bed / box garden. This will be completely new garden soil and organic matter.