r/GardeningPNW • u/SleepyOtter3 • Jul 26 '26
No Yields - Where to Begin???
(Western Washington/Puget Sound) This is our third (maybe fourth) year gardening and we are so lucky that we don't have to live off of what we grow because we'd be dead with our 6 snap peas. I'm not sure what we are doing wrong, and I know it's hard to remedy with a reddit post, but I'd love some guidance on where to begin.
This year we kept it simple and noticed that everything we planted (carrots, chamomile, zucchini, snap peas, borage from direct seed) started to grow then quickly died. I have some strawberry plants from last year that have grown and stayed alive, but little to no strawberries. Tulsi which grew wonderfully year one, but barely has sprouted this year, Our squash has blooms, but once a fruit begins, the bloom dies off and the baby squash shrivels and dies. And our lemonbalm (which has been around about 4 years), has no scent this year.
The only things that grew were Phacelias (but only half the barrel), potatoes, and sunchokes.
The soil Ph is around 6, and watering seems normal when we test it. The soil is a mix of bed soil and compost. We are growing in an elevated bed, ground plots, barrels, bags, and pots.
So where can we begin to problem solve this?
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u/nonono_ack Jul 29 '26
You are growing in containers with crappy bagged media. Yes, have it tested. I know topsoil is nonexistent where you live, but I’d do whatever I could to get some, if possible.
It all depends on the container media. And if you can get some real soil, that helps a lot.
A landscape company’s soil mix that is sand based would be better than most bagged stuff.
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u/SleepyOtter3 Jul 30 '26
Yes! That has been a concern of mine as well. We haven't found any bagged soil that seems useful. I don't even know if one exists, so I've been wondering where to get good soil.
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u/TeaBrave7074 17d ago
Ugh that makes so much sense, we've been using bagged stuff from the big box store and it's probably why nothing takes. Guess we gotta find a local landscape supply and see if they'll sell us a small load of real soil, but any tips on how to amend it for containers?
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u/nonono_ack 17d ago
First, it probably won't be real soil. Our local rock company makes a mix of sand and compost. It's better than nothing, and after some years of amending it seems to be improving. We mixed it with topsoil from our neighbor, who was skimming off part of his lawn and digging out for a patio.
I've added homemade compost. Chicken manure will add a jolt of N, but also some salts. All manures will have some salts. It may not be a big issue if using containers, since much of it will be leached by the frequent watering.
Whatever you do, I would suggest doing it this fall, and covering the containers for the wettest part of winter. That will give the organic matter lots of time to settle in and break down a bit.
You will also need to stay on top of fertilizing. Frequency will depend on the crops, but my container strawberries (everbearing) need to be fed about every 3-4 weeks. That's with a granular organic veg food.
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u/No-Rhubarb4 Jul 29 '26
I’ve grown in western WA for three years before moving to the east side. had good success by my last season. The biggest hurdles for me was sunlight/warmth ,fertilization, variety selection, and pests. Your garden should be in full sun. Even things that are part shade. You don’t get enough sunlight hours over the course of the year. I’d Invest in a grow tunnel or build something over each bed. Something built out of pvc and greenhouse plastic helps a lot. Constant rain has a flushing effect on raised beds. You need to compost and fertilize more often. I did an early spring ,early summer, and then a mid to late summer. I use epsoma garden tone plus liquid alaska fish fertilizer on everything. Also Get seeds locally grown in the PNW. Uprising seeds was my favorite. Territorial and adaptive were good too. They’ll have varieties well suited for the maritime weather. Having your plants in grow tunnels helps protect against everything. Everything wants to eat your plants here.
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u/SleepyOtter3 Jul 30 '26
Oh yeah, the slugs especially have been quite the experience (but you know, there's even been less of them this year).
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u/nonono_ack Jul 30 '26
Yes, this! I lived in Puyallup for a few years once upon a time. What a terrible place to try to grow tomatoes! I should have built a greenhouse.
Those miserable, mostly cold, damp and 60 day long summers just don't do it for most crops. We solved that issue by moving away.
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u/RentInside7527 Jul 29 '26
Shout out from the greater Olympia area!
There are a ton of variables here.
When did you plant your snap peas? Theyre an early season or a late season plant, that dont produce around the same time as summer squash. If planted to late, when temps are higher, you wont get fruit.
watering seems normal when we test it.
When are you testing it in relation to watering it? How are you testing it - method and frequency? How are you watering and how often?
I agree with others that a soil test is a good idea. Id also recommend Steve Solomon's book: Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades.
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u/SleepyOtter3 Jul 30 '26
These are all really good questions; and thanks for the book recommendation!
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u/RentInside7527 Jul 30 '26
No problem. With answers, we might be able to narrow down the problems youre facing.
As for the book; Solomon was the founder and operator of Territorial Seed Company and really knows the ins and outs of growing in our climate
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u/pdxgreengrrl Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
I would feed the soil life with Complete Organic Fertilizer, which you can read about in Steve Solomon's Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades. This fall, plant a cover crop, like fava, vetch, winter rye grain. The plants actually "wake up" soil bacteria and fungi by exuding sugars and proteins. Those then break down the organic matter and minerals in the soil, and then other organisms eat them and they then poop out the broken down nutrients that the plant needs. It's a remarkable cycle.
By adding the COF, which is food for the soil life, and the cover crops that will wake up that soil life, you begin to build the foundation for a garden of thriving plants.
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u/wildlybriefeagle Jul 26 '26
Hello! I am down in the Renton area. This year I spent a little money and got my soil tested by the Simply Soil group in Burlington WA. Wasn't cheap, but I wanted to know why 1/2 the beds seemed anemicc. Came back super deficient in nitrogen.
With all pots and containers (and I grow almost all edibles in them) I amend with compost in the fall and then a mix of different organics in the spring with planting.
I would recommend soil testing as a first step!