A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems Need help/advice for my new garden!

I am an Iraq Veteran at a hospital in California. I am trying to pass my time here by growing a garden, of which I have moderate experience, but ran into a promblem. The planter boxes are riddled with roots! They have nothing to do with the plants that were previously grown in there but I have no idea how to get rid of them. Any advice would be great. Thank you!!!
Sgt. Cody Conway USMC

Are the planter boxes wood?? I don't think I understand,,,,,, is there still soil in the boxes?? can you not just pull the roots out,??, How deep are the boxes?? sorry for all the questions,,

Yes, the planter boxes are wood and there is soil in them. The roots are all over in the soil. They keep me from digging it up. I have already broken a shovel trying to turn the soil. I have never seen anything lik it. There are no living plants, except a few weeds that I pulled out and some grass. It is just soil... The best way that I can describe it is that the soil is held in by these roots that are all intertwined. It would tak me a week to pull all of the roots out. Do you think I can salvage the garden or should I dig it up and start over? Thanks! Oh and the planters are about 3X6X3

to bad they are so big or I'd say just turn them over and dump out the soil that is there.

Have you tried soaking the soil and then digging the roots out?

I'm assuming you have basically hard pack rather than a good potting soil at this point.

Since I'm assuming you won't be at the hospital for years the best thing would be to start with fresh soil. Even if you got the roots out of the old stuff you could never condition it in time to have a garden this year.

What are you planning on planting? I have seeds I can share with you if you would like.

That really is a serious problem and yes, getting all that old soil ant the roots out would be best. If you're not worried about growing anything deep rooted, though, you could top up the boxes with 3 or 4 inches of fresh soil and grow anuuals, most any of the low profile flowers like pansies, marigolds, petunias...there are endless possibilities. The only big issue with things like that are water holding capacity of the soil, and that crud in the boxes will serve almost as well as soil for that. The roots of many annuals only need that top few inches to be loose. You could even grow vegetables like leaf lettuce...what would you like to grow, we could help you decide what would work.
Also, with time on your hands, you could get started with one planter and gradually improve the next and still have something nice to look at. If that stuff is as bound up as it sounds, try using a sharp tool and gouging holes, you can get some depth for each plant individually without altering the soil level throughout all at once.
Thank you for your service to our country. Please feel free to ask all the questions you want, and pm me directly anytime, as well.

One other thing, you say the roots have nothing at all to do with the plants that were there before. If so, there must be trees nearby. Trees will take advantage of the moisture and nutrients in a planter and litterally fill it with roots. You may make a little improvenment, if not for your garden, then for the next, if you dig around the base of those polanter, or a couple feet out, and cut any roots you find. This MAY kill the roots, it may cause the roots to start sending up suckkers that will want to become new trees. Worth a try, though, keep at it!

pulling the roots out of the soil is an option. are they tightly intact with the soil. Of course you may always use gardening tools for easier task. Those roots really have been my problems eversince i grew my plants in the garden.