Floweristic - How To Create A Garden Bed

Tips on creating a garden bed.

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How To Create A Garden Bed

Floweristic :: Flower-Preservation

By Kari M.

In an ideal world, your garden bed would be created in a newly tilled, compost-rich area of your yard that has no weeds, gets the perfect amount of rainfall and just the right amount of sunlight.You would have no squirrels that dig up your bulbs, no moles or voles that burrow under your garden bed and eat the plants from below, and no other nasty insects trying to eat up your precious plants.

Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world. So here are some ways to give those plants a fighting chance despite all of those hurdles.

Decide What You Will Grow In Your Garden Bed

Do you want annuals (those plants that grow from seeds or young plants that you buy at a nursery every year) or are you willing to make a commitment for perennials (plants that come back year after year with little maintenance)? Putting a good deal of thought into selecting flowers or plants before you start on your garden bed is crucial

Annuals are often easier to begin growing. If you’ve never had a garden before, this is a good place to start. There is no commitment, if you decide it’s too much work you can just mow over the garden bed.

Perennials have many advantages, the primary advantage being price. You can buy a small perennial plant for just a few dollars and if you take care of it, it will not only grow back year after year but it will multiply and you will have even MORE of those in your garden bed.

Select The Right Location

Mark where you think you want to have a garden bed. Use a garden hose to outline the size and shape so you can get an idea of the size garden bed you’re going to work with. Start small! You can always increase the size of your garden bed if you decide you can handle the work and expense of a larger bed.

Ideally, you already know how much rainfall and sunlight the area receives throughout the year. Yes, you should know how much sunlight your garden will receive in winter too. Weeds love light and they will take hold of your garden long before those delicate perennials get a good footing in spring.

After you have laid out your hose in the shape you want your garden bed to be, get down on the ground and examine what is already there. Don’t begin digging yet, but take a look at what’s on the surface. Is it lawn? Weeds? Are there a lot of ants, beetles, or creepy crawly things?

If you find beetles you may need to do some research. You will want to determine that beetle is a ladybug (a beneficial insect that eats bad bugs) or if you’re harboring squash beetles. Squash beetles will often spread powdery mildew from your neighbor’s plants to yours; typically killing every plant they land on.

Prepare The Area For Planting

If you have lawn or weeds in the garden bed area, you can use a shovel, hoe and rake to clear the area of any plant materials. This will also to lighten and smooth the soil. As you dig, pay attention to what the soil is like. Is it gritty with lots of sand? You’ll need to purchase topsoil. Is your soil mostly clay? Again, you’ll need to purchase topsoil. If your soil is very dark and moist then it’s perfect and you’ll only need to add compost.

Any large rocks should be removed (they can be placed at the perimeter of the planting bed to keep your well-meaning husband or son from mowing over those young plants).

Start Planting

If you’re committed to pulling weeds after your plants are in, be my guest. Me, I hate it. Any time I prepare a garden bed, I add a layer of landscape fabric or plastic that I cover with wood chips or mulch. I then decide where the plants should be placed by arranging them on top of the mulch (just give them a twist to settle them a bit while you’re arranging).

For a kidney or D-shaped bed, place taller plants in back; for a round or oval bed that will be viewed from all sides, place taller plants in the center for the best view of all plants.

Once I’ve decided where the plants should go I push away the mulch and cut an X in the fabric that is twice the size of my plant root ball or width requirement for seed plants. Tuck the tips of the fabric underneath itself for a clean look. Now you can start watching your garden bed bloom.

Floweristic :: Flower-Preservation

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