A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum unusual situation for my vegetables

I have a question or two I'm hoping you all could help me with. My husband and I rent a house. The landlords have said we could plant a garden and have offered up a backyard sandbox for gardening sacrifice (though I think they would be OK if we planted elsewhere as well). Obviously the box isn't very large -- and is full of sand. What would be the best way of making it habitable for vegetable plants? I believe we're zone 5b (Michigan's "west coast"). We're thinking tomatoes (in a raised trough - if it warms up enough for husband to build it in time), cukes, peppers, everbearing strawberries, and cannelleni beans (though, I'm not sure if they'll grow in this region or even where to find them, just that I want them).
Also, anything that grows particularly well in my clime that I should be trying?

I appreciate any help you could offer,
andy

First of all I'd like to say welcome to you.

Now how big and deep is the box? Some veggies requires deep soil. Cukes and such take alot of space..and I mean alot.

You'll need to get rid of the sand and use topsoil and compost mix. I'm in zone 4 and grow quite alot...although some have to be planted as seedlings(tomatoes, peppers, cukes, pumpkins, celery)

You can grow your tomatoes and peppers in planter pots, as well as small onions and lettuce. Not sure what Cannelleni beans are... I grow bush beans here from seed. potatoes, corn, carrots and radish are from seed as well. I'm not sure how long your growing season is...

Over here in CA,the southern part of the state is mostly desert.In Imperial Valley,carrots & other vegetables are grown in sandy soil with some topsoil mixed in.

If your soil is like ours in Illinois, then you've got heavy clay soil. So mixing some of the existing clay with the sand would be a good idea, but you won't want to keep all the sand. Maybe 10-20% sand if you're using soil from the yard. If you're buying top soil from the store, 5-10% sand tops.

As far as what grows well in zone 5B, I've had good luck with all sorts of beans, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, garlic, peppers, kale, broccoli, and squash.

But is that kind of sand normal sand? It just makes me feel like it would have hazardous properties to it, like that sand you can buy for edging/pavers that doesn't allow anything to grow in it.
My natural soil here is sand and it is not bad. You mix in lots of compost and it is fluffy and well-drained.