What to grow in shallow (2inch) soil?

[Chestnut]

I discovered today that a 2 foot by 8 foot strip within our plot has concrete 2 inches below the surface. This seems to be part of the foundations for the adjacent concrete pond, which I would rather leave to encourage slug-eating frogs than try to dig it out!

I would like to grow something in this patch, ideally edible or good-looking

Can anyone suggest anything other than cress which would thrive in just 2 inches of soil??

[Jay-ell]

Could you not build that bit up a bit with a raised bed?

[Bren In Pots]

I've got some Chives that grow well in a 2in deep stone trough they seem to do better that those growing in the garden and deeper troughs.

[Snoop Puss]

I checked Wikipedia for pioneer species. The trouble, I guess, with shallow soil is that conditions are so difficult for plants that none of the options they give are particularly attractive for an allotment (stingy, prickly, seedy). But you might find something that appeals to you if you look about the Web.

Otherwise, Jay-ell's suggestion is a good one. Or grow things in pots. Or site a bench and table there. Or even clear the soil away and extend the pond with a very shallow section and have a water garden.

[lottie dolly]

spring onions,radish,lettuce to cut when small,also as said build it up a little,

[vixylix]

Globe radish or micro leaves

[happyhumph]

Creeping thyme, chamomile

[forgetmenot]

Lettuce, chives, radish, spinach

[Chestnut]

Thank you all for such varied ideas.
I will go with some short term crops like spinach, radish and spring onions this year due to the quantity of ground elder I dug out of the adjacent soil over the weekend...
Hopefully once that's under control, then either some low growing herbs or build a raised bed. I'm still getting to know this plot, so I expect it'll take me a year or so to make my mind up!

[Bigmallly]

Why not put some ring cultures on the soil to give you the extra height.

[Chestnut]

Thanks BM. You can tell I'm new to this! I'd not heard of ring cultures until I googled it just now
Sounds like it would be a good way to temporarily raise the soil level.

I will have to be a bit careful about putting tall plants there, as it's close to the main path, but could maybe use some lowish rings to make a row of culinary herbs

[SaraJH]

I've only just seen this post, Jays suggestion of a raised bed is genius, as a novice browser I would never think of that, what a great place this is to have left field answers to questions.

I'm now looking at how much of my patio can be converted into a raised bed lol. My hubby hates this forum

[Nicos]

Hi Chestnut.."but please forgive me if I sound a little bit negative

You've not yet experienced a summer on your plot if I recall correctly?
Given that we seem to be getting dryer and dryer summers, I am concerned at how quickly 2" of soil would become bone dry and need very regular watering.
The idea of the raised beds or ring culture would certainly open up your ability to grow a larger choice of veg with less demand on watering.
It's certainly worth considering...maybe even (my personal choice)scraping the whole area clear and make a feature of it...somewhere to put a bench to sit and have a brew...with a couple of raised 'beds' planted up with aromatic herbs at either end?

[Finley]

Hi I have a similar very shallow section (about 2ft square, about 2in deep) which was full of mint last summer. I've planted lots of herbs which seem to thrive on Greek hillsides - with bare, rocky soil (fingers crossed I'm right) so different kinds of thyme, oregano, also couple of different mints - it seemed happy there last year after all - and then, experimentally, stuff like feverfew, rue, chervil. At the very least I'll have a bee-friendly mix of thyme, mint and oregano!

[Chestnut]

Hi Nicos,
You're right, I only met my plot at the end of August, so haven't seen what the heat of summer will do to it I certainly need to consider water requirements, particularly as work patterns often prevent me getting down to the plot for several days at a time.
I suspect the best/safest option would be a combination of deepening the soil plus drought tolerant plants as Finley has done :-)