We live in north central Indiana on top of a very large sand dune. There IS grass, weeds and trees growing from the sand but gardening is out of the question. We have a large section of dirt at the bottom of the sand dune near the woods, but it floods almost every year so that is useless. Now we're trying to find ways to build a large garden on top of the sand dune near the house .... and that quest has lead me to container gardening and vertical gardening.

Space isn't a problem, we have a large yard which is already fenced off. But with containers and vertical gardening, how deep should the dirt be? I would guess it depends on the plants, eh? I am wondering also what would be less expensive, rows and rows and rows of containers or buying some topsoil and having it hauled in and dumped? I would think the soil would eventually seem into the sand, wouldn't it? Yet pots are SO expensive! Perhaps raised beds? Guess I need some ideas.

I'm talking your basic large garden full of corn, tomatoes, cukes, peppers, green beans, snap peas, squash, etc. Enough to can for the winter and beyond.

Marci