rocks, rocks, rocks!

[shellbug]

moved from our 5 1/2 acre homestead to a big lot in town with an over 100 year-old house. our health (backs mostly) prevented us from building and developing the land so we are going a different route. hoping toputin vegetalbe beds and flowers, but the going will be hard. yard here is 80%rock (no exaggeration) about 15% red clay and there is about 1/2" of decent topsoil on top of it. tried digging holes to put the bulbs in that i moved from the oldplace - dug for oer 30minutes and just got a 2 foot wide hole - any ideas?

[Bearfootfarm]

Build raised beds. Just frame them up and fill with topsoil and compost. NO DIGGING!!!! LOL

[COSunflower]

I live on a volcanic plateau and the soil is only about a foot or two deep - some places only measure 8 inches! I use raised beds - alot easier on the back too!!!

[shellbug]

i have 4 rabbits producingfertilizer for my new beds, but i will have to scrape up materials to build them with and i am not sure i can afford a load of topsoil this year, but i still want to garden. i have about 300 bulbs, lots of passion flower pods, 30 or so strawberry plants, including 6 wild strawberry plants and 6 low-growing, vining blackberries i brought from the old house to plant this year. i want to at least have a salad garden for fresh greens and some tomatoes and zuchini - have plans for much more - herbs and such especially and we want to dig a koi pond. i wonered where all the rocks piled around the bases of the trees came from - i thought they mightbe mementos from trips or something, but no, they are all apparently down-home rocks!