Get your garden off to the best possible start by preparing the site before you plant. Simple but effective steps taken before you plant will yield fantastic results as your garden matures.
Grow the tastiest vegetables and the biggest and brightest flowers by thoroughly preparing the garden site before you plant. A well prepared site allows plants to establish quickly, put out good roots, and grow strong to resist pests and diseases naturally.
The procedures are the same whether you are starting from scratch, expanding the size of an existing bed, or adding a bed in a new spot.
Ideally, you will want to prepare your site a few seasons before planting, but even several weeks will do. This give soil additives plenty of time to start breaking down, enriching the soil and improving drainage or water retention.
If you cannot plan that far ahead, your garden will still benefit from some preparation immediately before planting. Just be sure to use fully aged manures and compost, as these have already broken down.
Begin by planning. The site should be large enough and provide the appropriate conditions for the plants you wish to grow. Site conditions include sun exposure, soil type, and shelter from wind and water availability.
For instance, rock gardens do best with well drained soil and full sun; vegetable gardens need rich soil, full sun and lots of water; herb gardens do best with poor to average soil and less water. Mark off the site and remove weeds, debris, rocks and
any overhanging limbs.
If you have a tiller, or rotary hoe, you may be tempted to turn under grass rather than removing it. But grass will sprout even if turned under, so removing all turf before planting is a better idea.
The most important aspect is soil preparation. Mixing in organic material, such as compost or manure, boosts fertility, helps sandy soils retain water and nutrients and also improves drainage for heavy, clay soils. Finish be edging the bed or adding pathways for easy access when harvesting.
Healthy soil is the key to a successful garden so before you prepare the site, have a soil sample evaluated by a soil lab. The test results will tell you which additives will do the most for your particular conditions and which to avoid adding.
Preparing a new flower garden site
1. Select and stake a garden site. Mark off the outline of the garden by digging a trench around the edge, or by using stakes and string.
2. Clear the area of weeks and debris and add a thick layer of organic material such as well rotted manure, leaf mold, compost or humus.
3. Add fertilizer. Sprinkle a complete granular fertilizer over the entire bed, following rates recommended on the label. Mix in well.
4. Rake the bed smooth, removing any rocks that surface. Add any paths and a border to give a finished look and help keep the soil in place.
Preparing a new vegetable garden site
1. Remove weeds and rocks from the garden site. If necessary, use a spade to remove existing grass.
2. Spread a thick layer of compost or aged manure and granular fertilizer over the site and hoe in.
3. Rake the area smooth and form furrows for row plantings or build mounds with basins. Lay stones, bricks or planks for a path.
Seasonal tips
Autumn: Preparing
Plan your spring garden and, if possible, prepare the site before winter sets in. This will give the organic materials in the soil plenty of time to begin breaking down.
Spring: Preparing and sowing
If you did not prepare your bed in autumn, start preparing it as soon as the ground warms and the soil become friable (about the same time you start sowing most seeds indoors).
Summer: Maintaining
If plants do not appear to be growing well, test your soil and adjust by adding soil additives as needed.
If recent rains have made the soil soggy, hold off on preparing your planting site. You can do more harm than good if the soil is sticky and hard to work. Instead, let the soil dry to a crumbly consistency before mixing in any additives.
Once the soil has been worked and the bed is edged and in final form, water the area over several days and wait for the weeds to sprout. Then, with a minimum of trampling, pull out all the small weeds. This saves work later when the garden is planted, especially if you plant seeds.
Prevent weeds from growing in walkways or between plantings with weed matt fabric. This porous, lightweight material stops almost all weeds from sprouting. Lay out and pin the fabric down after you have prepared the site. Use a mulch to hide the material.