Rice? Beyond that, What is the bed filled with? How deep is it? Can you choose a different site? What is your irrigation system? And how often do you run it? What is the underlying soil? Clay or? Do you have a high water table? Do you have a seasonal stream?

I can't think of any edible plant that enjoys solid red clay. Is your garden just a red clay based soil or is it solid sticky clay? Can you shovel it and open it up? Very few plants grow in solid clay but a lot of veggies grow in red clay based garden soil. The herbs will want dry and gravel-y conditions in full sun. They don't like rich moist soil - well, except for basil and mints.. I would put your oregano and thyme in large pots rather than in the ground if you have clay soil. They need extra drainage and besides the oregano tends to take over the world. Don't expect the thyme to last forever, they tend to flourish and then die so you always have to start new plants or buy some every other year or so and they always do better in pots for me. The garlic needs the same winter hours that a tulip bulb does in order to grow properly so you should have planted it in the fall. If you don't get it soon I guess you could plant it but I wouldn't expect full sized bulbs this first year. In the fall you would need to replant them after breaking up the bulbs into individual cloves. Cilantro is also a cool weather herb around here so I wouldn't give it a prime spot in the garden because once it gets hot it will disappear. Collect seeds and start them early next spring. I would think about planting all the veggies that produce edible roots or tubers in the deepest ammended soil and plant the above ground plants in the less ammended soil. Carrots and taters and such need looser soil to fill out so they might struggle in hard clay. You can always mound up better soil on top of your clay soil - much easier than digging everything out.

Thanks buyorsell888, I just relocated her to a side of the property with eastern exposure. That should keep her on the cooler side during the afternoon. I checked up on all the growth tips recently and it looks like she will be putting on a mini fall show (knock-on-wood); I've counted six flower buds so far. I hope the blooms will be more 'double' this time... BoW is currently in a dark 18" fiberglass pot and I've been wondering if I should consider potting her up in a larger, 'cooler', container (25"-31" cement planter maybe?). She's been in that pot for a little over a year now and the tips of the shoots droop/wilt even during 78 degree weather. They quickly rebound by the end of the day but I take that as a sign that the roots are either potbound or superheating from the dark planter. When is the best time to repot a clematis? Thanks Again!

You're growing vegetables in your refrigerator? In your bathroom? You're using electricity to make them grow faster? Please allow me to suggest that you try here instead.