Hi Ken,
Yeah, My soil is native clay,Decomposed Granite,Pumice,Compost

No exact scientific measuring or anything...but it was approx. 25% for each....to start with

After that...all I ever do now is do a continual addition of Compost to keep my beds filled to the brim.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGqOECST5EA
Go to this page for : Raised Bed Soil Prep

Here is a link that might be useful: Jon's Wonderful Soil 2010

Jon,

Nice videos, watched all nine of the prep series. I especially liked the musical selection, I just saw Skillet last week with Toby Mac along with 13,000 people in the Target Center. Did I also hear Rose in there or was that Danzig?

It would be nice to get a description of how you water your gardens. I see the PVC pipe coming out of the ground and you talk about it but it left me wondering how it all works.

I need to improve the watering of our garden next year, if we go on vacation for a week everything dies.

Howdy McToon,
I'll do an elaborate video tomorrow on the drip system, it is super easy ,fast,inexpensive and uncomplicated and works like a Charm, we go on a 2 week Cruise every year and it never lets me down.
A lot of people ask me about it, it is about time I got off my butt and did a proper video of it. Once you set it up, you never think about watering again.... it is all automatic, all I do is plant and harvest..... this thing saves a TON of time.

Thanks for the response Jon, I wonder if cinder sand, which is nothing more than super light volcanic rock wouldn't substitute for your decomposed granite and pumice? I use it 50/50 with peat moss to start my plants in, and it works great. No Damping off with it. I'm re-doing my raised beds and thought I'd use native soil (mostly clay) cinder sand, compost, and about 10-15% chicken manure all mixed . Sound like a decent mix?
Thanks again
Ken

Hi Ken,
I don't know anything about "Cindersand" ,but it sure sounds promising... Clay is such a wonderful product as long as it is all broken up with the right mixtures of miniature rocklike materials and fistfulls of Organic materials etc etc.......Only a soil expert would ever be able to tell that my soil has any clay in it... any normal person.... like...... me...;-) would think it was store bought potting mix... but it is the most divine soil around... that's what I'm talking about ...Babyyyyy

I posted the water system video link below...it was freezing outside, so I didn't stay out there very long, if I didn't answer something very well, let me know and I will elaborate..

Today was the first snow of the year...all my little plants were freezing ;-)

Close up of water piping chase.
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Here is a link that might be useful: Jon's water system

Jon, thanks, awesome video.

The video brought up a couple questions:
1. What is the 1/2" and 1/4" pipe? It looks like custom fit the stuff and pieced it together, a bit like legos. Where should I look for it.
2. What about the automatic timer system? Where should I look for it?

I hope you had a great thanksgiving. I made thanksgiving pizza...turned t pretty good.

Howdy McToon,
The 1/2" is "Poly" pipe
the 1/4" is weeper hose
There are fittings (Corners,Tee's,Coupling and such)
The automatic timer system is generic,
Go to Lowes,Home Depot, Diamond or whatever you have near you that has landscape supplies (everything I used is readily available)