| Flowerbed |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-601 |
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Q: I want to add a flowerbed in my backyard this spring. What do I need to do to prepare the soil? A: (Walter Reeves, Ask DIY Gardening expert) It really is a good idea to prepare the soil before planting. The first thing you'll want to do it lay out the borders of the bed, which you can accomplish by a couple of methods. Some people use spray-on marking paint, but I prefer to use a garden hose (figure A ). You can just move it around until you come up with a border shape you like. After you've established the border, dig a trench along the hose. I usually use a flat-bladed spade for this job. Just cut down into the ground about 2" to 3". The trench serves three purposes: It's a good place to put the lawn-mower wheel when you mow; it's a good guide for spreading mulch; and it serves as a line of demarcation between the turf and the flowerbed. Next you'll need to get rid of the grass in the bed area. There are chemical products available that do this, but they can take as long as a week to work. If you don't want to wait that long, just get busy digging. Dig up the grass and then dig down into the soil. There are several schools of thought on how deep you should dig; some say as deep as the shovel will go, but then, in some areas you may have to go down 12" to 16". If you find hard clay soil in your flowerbed, you're going to have to add organic matter. This can be a variety of compositions: composted peanut hulls, topsoil, humus, cow manure, compost. Whatever you use, be sure to use plenty of it. If you dig down 12", the top 3" should be organic matter. Be sure to mix it in thoroughly (figure B). One remedy for really hard soil is to use a soaker hose on it the night before, allowing a slow trickle to soften the ground overnight.
RESOURCES :
For supplies from the Gardener's Supply Co.
Gardener's Supply Company
Burlington, VT 05401-2850
Fax: 800-551-6712 -or- 80
Email: info@gardeners.com
Website: www.gardeners.com
Gardening tools
A.M.Leonard Inc.
Piqua, OH 45356
Fax: 800-433-0633
Email: info@amleo.com
Website: www.amleo.com
Gardening supplies
Gardener's Supply Company
Burlington, VT 05401-2850
Fax: 800-551-6712 -or- 80
Email: info@gardeners.com
Website: www.gardeners.com
For tools from the Gardener's Supply Co.
Gardener's Supply Company
Burlington, VT 05401-2850
Fax: 800-551-6712 -or- 80
Email: info@gardeners.com
Website: www.gardeners.com
For bulbs from Dutch Gardens
Dutch Gardens
Lakewood, NJ 08701
Email: info@dutchgardens.com
Website: http://www.dutchgardens.com
Gardeners Supply Company
Gardener's Supply Company
Burlington, VT 05401-2850
Fax: 800-551-6712 -or- 80
Email: info@gardeners.com
Website: www.gardeners.com
A Gardener's Guide to Planters, Containers and Raised Beds
Model: 0806942436
Author: Chuck and Barbara Crandall
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
Gardening tools
Gardening supplies
Garden Days Journal
Model: 1890621226
Author: Karen Strohbeen and Bill Luchsinger, Illustrators
(2001)
Laudauer Corporation
Website: www.landauercorp.com
Landscaping: Planning, Planting, Building (Better Homes and Gardens Step-by-Step Series)
Model: 0696025582
Meredith Books Corp.
Website: www.meredith.com
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