Before you ever put shovel to soil, before you buy a single plant or seed, you need to know what your goals are for your new garden. Whatever your goals are, it's important to be realistic.
You may dream of long perennial borders, but it's best to start with something small and manageable. You can always expand beds later, but be sure to keep your hopes for expansion in mind as you consider your site.
It is time to spend some time analyzing your yard and deciding where to locate the plot. Keep your goals in mind, start observing areas of your yard that look like they'll work.
If it's an herb or vegetable garden you've got in mind, you'll need a site that gets at least six hours of sun per day. You'll also need to make sure that the site drains well-if it's like a swamp in the spring and summer, it won't work for herbs and vegetables, which prefer well-drained soil.
If it's an ornamental bed, consider placing it where you can enjoy it from inside your house as well. Once you have a site selected, observe it for a day or two to see how much sun it gets throughout the day.
The first step will be deciding on the size and shape of your new plot. This can be done by putting down a hose and adjusting it until you get the size and shape you want, which is a good option for beds with curved borders.
If you are going with a more formal, geometrical bed, you can use string and stakes to create an outline, or simply measure the size and mark your borders in paint. Most likely, there is something currently inhabiting the space you've chosen for your new plot.
Whether it is grass, gravel, or an existing planting, you will need to completely clear the area. This is the hardest part of the entire process, but once it's done it will make the rest of the process a breeze.
There are other methods of making a new garden bed, but if you want your bed to be ready for planting now, digging is the way to go. Good soil makes for a good garden.
The easiest, best way to amend soil in a new bed is to add compost. You can make your own, purchase in bulk and have it delivered to your home, or purchase it in bags at home and garden centers.
If you took the extra step of sending your soil samples to your cooperative extension service for testing, follow their recommendations regarding nutrients and acidity. It is now time to hit the nursery and make your selections.
If you are starting your garden early in the season, you can select organic seeds and start your own sprouts. Organic plants and seeds will always clearly be labeled as such, but here are also several good catalogs that sell organic sprouts.
Be sure to closely inspect any plant before you bring it home. Look for signs of insect or disease problems.
Remove the plant from the pot and inspect the root system. If it is root bound, you can still purchase it, but you will need to slice the root ball before planting so the roots will start growing out.
When you get your plants home, give them all a good drink of water, even if you plan on sowing them immediately. A thoroughly moist root ball will help your plant adjust better to its new surroundings, lessening transplant shock.
To sow your sprouts, dig a hole just as deep and at least twice as wide as the root ball of your plant. Place the plant in your prepared hole, backfill with the soil you removed, tamp it in, and water it thoroughly.
Once you have all of your plants in, give the entire garden a three inch layer of organic mulch, such as shredded bark, hay, chopped leaves, or grass clippings. This will keep weeds down while retaining soil moisture.
Author Resource:-
Tom Selwick has worked the past 22 years in the lawn care industry. He suggests usingLawn Service Norcross for a quality lawn.
Contact Info:
Tom Selwick
TomSelwick09@gmail.com
http://www.lawncarenorcross.com
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.alltimeinfo.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
