Hole size????

I am new to out side growing. I want to no how big do I need to dig my holes? After about 2feet the soil is like clay. Also I am useing pro mix and fox farm ocean forest for soil. Do I need to fill holes with only the PROMIX and fox farm soil or can I use some of dirt I removed from the hole? I have been looking for treds on this but can't find! If u can point me in the right direction. Or any insite will help

First check your drainage...fill the hole with water....if it's still full the next day..you have poor drainage and should use pots...2' deep is good...

I always dig my holes about 2'x2' and chop up the soil around it. As far as soil goes, I mix the native soil (its very rich and healthy in my area) with composted manure, high quality topsoil with perlite, a little bit of sand (to help with drainage) and some peat.. then I back fill the holes and even add more soil to mound it up about 4" high. This mixture seems to work well for me.

If you are going directly into the ground just remember the roots will seek out the amended soil . So essentially your hole in the ground will act as a pot if the native soil around your amended soil sucks the roots will circle the hole looking for good food!
Clones don't really need more than 18-24 inches deep, seedlings will try to send a tap root deeper. I go with a 3x2 hole and like WVB above this year I'm going to try to mound it slightly, the more heat and air the root system can get the better for the plant!

What works for me is a mixture of my native soil, EB Stone planting compost bales and rabbit poo.

I have clay like soil in my garden bed but every year I mix in a few inches of compost to improve drainage. I also mix in all the old potting soil from the prior year which helps alot. Perlite will increase drainage as well. I dig holes about 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep.

Just be careful of that clay soil, it will not absorb water and you don't want your girls having wet feet. Just use some caution.

petert said:

If you are going directly into the ground just remember the roots will seek out the amended soil . So essentially your hole in the ground will act as a pot if the native soil around your amended soil sucks the roots will circle the hole looking for good food!
Clones don't really need more than 18-24 inches deep, seedlings will try to send a tap root deeper. I go with a 3x2 hole and like WVB above this year I'm going to try to mound it slightly, the more heat and air the root system can get the better for the plant!

What works for me is a mixture of my native soil, EB Stone planting compost bales and rabbit poo.

Click to expand...

You're definitely right about roots circling the hole looking for food.. I noticed that during a harvest a few years back on a plant that was much smaller than the others. I have two new locations this year on top of 3 others and couldn't believe how many roots (from other plants) were in the one area. I normally chop up the soil all around my plots in an attempt to stop or at least slow other roots from stealing food from my ladies.. but this plot was absolutely ridiculous. In each hole that I dug out there were between 6-10 roots and vines and this is in a small clearing amongst locust, briar, and thorny bushes. Its almost finished but tonight I'm on a mission to destroy those SOBs and I've got my work cut out for me forrrr sure.