HOW TO START A GARDEN BED FROM SCRATCH
Starting a brand new garden bed from scratch is an exciting endeavor for the budding green thumb! Whether you intend to dig a new garden plot in the ground or build a raised garden bed, or grow flowers or veggies, here are some pointers to help get you started!
How to Make a Garden Bed from Scratch
The first step to creating a new garden bed is selecting the most appropriate location. Assess the amount of light your new garden bed will get before you start digging. Also, think about what plants you intend to grow there and how easily you will be able to access water or irrigation.
An area with a ton of sun is ideal for a vegetable garden, and there are also tons of flowers that like to soak up the sun all day long. If you have a particularly shady area of your yard, don’t lose hope. There are plenty of perennials and crops that are shade tolerant too!
Next, you’ll want to stake out the area where you intend to dig your new garden bed. If it has a straight edge, you can anchor the ends of a string to each stake as a guideline as you begin to edge your new garden bed. If you intend to create a curved edge, you can run a hose in the desired shape of your new garden bed and cut along it with your spade.
Getting Rid of Grass
Often new garden beds are created out of a section of the existing lawn, which could feel like it might require a monumental effort at the beginning if you’ve never tried it before. There are different ways to go about it, each with its own benefits and challenges. Here are a few methods to consider:
The ‘Sheet Mulch’ technique involves laying down several layers of newspaper (or unwaxed cardboard), soaking them with a hose, then laying a thick layer of mulch on your desired garden plot. Over time, it will smother the grass and kill it for easy removal.
A faster but slightly more labor-intensive method is just digging it up. We recommend smothering your grass with a tarp or old carpet for a few days to a week before attempting to dig it up to start killing the grass and make digging easier.
Then, soak the grass with a hose the night before you start digging. Once you start digging, you cut the turfgrass up into pieces, slide the spade under the grass at surface level, and manually remove it from your garden. It is a little more physically demanding, but it leaves you with a fresh new garden bed that you can start planting in right away.
Before you decide to start planting, it can be helpful to do a quick soil test, which will tell you the pH level of your soil. Then, if needed, you can add in the appropriate amendments. We always recommend building the health of your soil with compost, but if the pH of your soil is significantly off, you might need to add lime to raise it or sulfur to lower it.
How to Start a Raised Garden Bed
Raised garden beds are popular for a whole host of reasons. They make gardening more accessible to those who have trouble kneeling and bending to ground level. They are also resistant to rodents and prevent the spread of weeds. You can find many resources online to DIY a simple raised bed using some cheap lumber and basic tools. Remember, a raised bed doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective! After you have built it, you’ll want to add your soil up to the top of the frame.
Good soil is essential to the health of your plants, and one of the simplest ways to build good quality soil in your raised garden bed is by putting down a 1:1 mix of topsoil and compost mix. Or, you can create a 1:1:1 mixture of vermiculite, peat moss, and compost. One of the best parts of building a raised bed versus planting in the ground is starting with the best soil right from the beginning.
And once your garden bed is all prepped and ready, it’s time to get planting! If you’d like any feedback or help to start your garden, pop by the garden center for a visit!