Flower beds make your yard more colorful and beautiful. And, they also add value to your property. So, how do you go about building one? Here are some tips to get your started.
Before you start digging holes in your yard, you need to plan and do research. Decide what types of flowers you want to have in your flower bed. How much sun do they need? How much water do they have to have to flourish? Do they need dryer soil? Once you figure out the needs of your plants, then look around your yard and choose the location that most suits the needs of your flowers.
The very next thing you should do is test the soil moisture. This is important because you can damage the soil and it’s structure if you dig when it is too moist or too dry. It is best to dig with the soil is slightly moist. Then, you will avoid doing damage and causing erosion or compacting of the soil.
Next, mark off where you want to dig. This can be done with stakes and string, a garden hose, or anything that will wash away such as lime or flour. Then, using a spade to cut the sod in the shape desired for the flower bed. Slide the spade under the sod to lift it off of your area. Use this sod to patch areas where the grass is thin or you are having trouble getting it to grow. If you have more sod than is needed, it can be added to a compost pile.
The soil in the flower bed will need to be turned. This can be done with a hand tiller or garden fork. Once the soil is broken up, you can begin working in any fertilizer your flower plants may need. This is also the time to add any compost or other organic materials that you plan to use to help your flowers flourish. The soil should be worked to the depth of the tines of the tool you are using.
Be sure to water the soil if you are going to plant immediately after turning the soil. You should water the soil and let it dry several times before placing your plants in the flower bed. In this manner, the soil will settle before the plants are put in the bed. If you are preparing a bed that will not be used for a season or two, the soil will do any settling on its own. The rains that occur will help the soil settle before you use the flower bed. Just be sure to mulch the bed, or you will have a weed bed instead of a flower bed.
Flower beds are a joy to have in your yard. They make it more beautiful and more valuable. Hopefully these tips will help you had as many flower beds to your yard as you desire.
SOURCE
Editors Rodale Organic Gardening Books. “Rodale Organic Gardening Basics Volume 6: Perennials. St. Martin’s Press. 2000. Pennsylvania.
