Kris Driver

Just a little update and need your advice with a bug problem .I did not have time to do the raised beds like I was planning on. Instead I tried container garden . It was already late in the season so I bought some tomatoes, sweet peas,peppers and cucumbers . I planted everything in empty 5 gallon buckets using garden soil I bought with the plants from Home Depot . I mixed in some compost from kitchen scraps and some saw dust. Everything was going great for 3 maybe 4 weeks,than the plants started going yellow and dying. I figured they were drying up from the heat. Today I was dumping the soil from the buckets and noticed what I believe to be the real reason for the plants dying . It happened to me a few years before when I was trying to make a garden . The soil was loaded with some kind of grubs . I believe the grubs are eating the ruts of the plants eventually killing them . There was maybe thirty grubs in a single 5 gallon bucket . Someone told me that the soil is to rich and I need to add lime to it . Is that correct ? My plan is to go as natural as possible . My neighbor has the same problem. How do I deal with it in the future ? Any advice greatly appreciated

Thanks everyone for responding.I have the same concerns as you mentioned about the soil contamination.The neighbor across the yard (on the other side of that ugly plywood wall)was fixing his cars there ,who knows what he poured into the ground. . I am sure environment was not his top concern.If anyone knows where I can get the soil tested at reasonable price please let me know ,thanks in advance.The property is mine,hose is 20 feet away. I live here since 1990 and used that spot for everything from swimming pool to boat storage and parking.As I write this there is a car parked there.My idea was to play it safe and get rid of ten maybe twenty yards of top soil and truck in clean garden soil.Make raised beds in shape of letter E,running along the cement walls and garage with one in the middle.Make it two story, one on top of the other to maximize the use of the space.The bottom one would be in ground half way.By the garage where the ladder is hanging would be a few barrels to catch rain.Even with the garage being on the south the spot gets good amount of sunlight for most of the day.In the summer it gets very hot due to being surrounded on three sides and no wind there ....But first things first.I guess we have to get the soil tested and take it from there.Let me know what you guys think about my ideas and feel free to express yours .Thank you Kris

Hello everyone,I am new to this stuff.When I was a kid we used to have a garden and I loved growing my own veggies.Now I live in New York City for the past 25 years.I have one small spot by the garage where I tried growing a garden few years back,without much success.In 5 years , when my kids finish high school and go off to college I am planning to move back to the country and buy a few acres of land.I am very interested in growing my own healthy food.I figure that if I am to have any success with any acres I have to be able to manage the little spot by the garage.The spot is 20x13 the garage is on the south side.My dogs have been using it as a bathroom for the last few years.My plan is to make raised beds with wooden walls made of 4x4 that I can get for free.The issue I have is with the trees growing around. Their roots come up and drain all the moisture because this is one area that is not cemented over.The roots have raised the dirt by about 4 inches in the last few years.Should I put some kind of a barrier on the ground or just cement over the area and make raised beds on cement I would like to keep it the way it is without cement.The soil is not the best quality as far as I can say.I think about composting leaves from the trees with kitchen scraps maybe some saw dust and pigeon poop I can get from my friend.Any advice,help,ideas would be a big help .Thanks Kris