Growing Vegetables in Las Vegas, Soil Types and How Deep?
I want to build a 400 sq. foot garden that grows carrots, radishes, cabbage, and broccoli. I need to know what soils are best for these vegetables, and HOW DEEP the soil needs to be. I have looked all over, and the websites only kind of say what soil type i need, and never how deep it needs to be for the plants. So I ask, what soil to i need for these plants, and how deep does it need to go?
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Tagged with: broccoli • cabbage • Carrots • Growing Vegetables • las vegas • plants • Soil Type • Soil Types • soils • Vegetables
Filed under: Your Garden Q and A
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I would go with raised beds for your garden. I would go with a 12 inch depth at the least for your root vegetables and to give all the others a deep base to grow in. Lay landscape fabric underneath the beds over the native soil and lay a deep layer of mulch around the beds to keep down weeds and retain whatever moisture there is.
Fill your beds with good compost. You’ll be better off buying compost in bulk and having it delivered or, if you have a truck you can save money by picking it up yourself. Contact various nurseries for prices.
Talk about a garden challenge! Your desert soil is probably full of caliche. Getting any depth will be difficult. First dig and find out if you have a loose soil…….keeping my fingers crossed for you.
As to depth, the deeper the better. Tomatoes will roots to 4 feet down if they have the soil. Generally we can get by with 18-20 inches deep but the subsoil underneath should drain……..fairly well. Dig down that deep and fill with water. How long does it take to drain away? If more than a few hours……you’ve got a problem.
You might consider raising the bed somewhat to get the needed depth. The problem becomes what to fill it with. Desert soil is…………..crappy. You’d need plenty of compost to fill it out.
Of course there drip irrigation is a must and lots and lots of mulch.