Plenty of plants grow on my property, but there is a good amount of clay in the soil around these parts making it hard for seedlings to survive. The method currently being used is a 5 inch tall, 5 inch diameter pot with holes in the bottom, sitting in a tray. I read the grow faq when it was first being started and remembered that such growing containers can cause many nutrients to drain to the bottom.
My solution to that problem is only watering the tray, not the top soil. Even in direct sunlight it appears to dry within the hour, however if you dig less than a quarter inch down you find that the soil is darker and moist. Since the water absorbs upward, I would imagine I'm minimizing any nutrient loss.
Small pebbles in the soil help it to breathe well, as long as you don't water too much. I use a spray bottle to moisten the top soil when it dries to prevent cracks.
I got started late in the season (unanticipated plant), so as of now I have a healthy 4 inch sprout gowing in soil I dug up from my lawn. I've lost plants growing in better conditions, however this one is doing fine.
I have no questions, this is just for the sake of public information. Soil with clay in it suffocates roots given less water than others. Any soil specific comments or suggestions are welcome, though.
