OD growing questions, plz help

So I have a spot picked out by a river. I will be using a siphon system like this one so water will be delivered automatically from the river.
http://www.youtube.com/user/GlobalBuckets
with 5gl buckets.

I will start my beens inside and then plant. I will not be returning to my spot and need to feed my plants automatically.

my questions

1) what Soil should i use?
2) what ferts should i use? remember I will not be returning to my spot after planting (can i just use the nutes from the river?)
3)what strains are good for outdoor, finish early-ish and can handle a couple frosts? (any kush?)

any other information or things I should know?

Thanks! any help is greatly appreciated!

Ps. This grow is in Southern Alberta.

Rivers tend to flood. Wouldn't want the patch to be under water.

With this setup it is impossible to flood. Check out the vid, pretty funky stuff.

I would mix a buch of super soil up, compost ,ash, lime, worm castings, pete moss, blood meal ect , couse the organics in the soil wont burn em like time release fertilizers when you mix em up strong to last the whole season. Or use miracal grow an a hand full of 10-10-10 time release.

Any indicas will handel the cold , i heard Ata tundra is bread for hella frost restiance. But so are many others check out the BC outdoor seeds they were designed for your area.

Thanks alot Scar! help is much appreciated. Will that mix be ok for wicking up water from the bottom?
Also i was thinking the plants might get root bound in the buckets... so what about digging them into the ground and cutting decent sized holes all around to promote them growing into the ground. just a thought, think it would work?