The greatest determining factor for the garden and prepping for a garden placement is the sun. Once you have chosen the ideal location for your garden it is time to start planning. Not sure where the best placement is to read the article choosing a location for the garden to help you decide.
Plan on Paper
The garden, if possible, should be planned out on paper. The plan is a great help when the real planting time comes. It saves time and unnecessary buying of seeds.
Prepping For a Garden New Garden Spots
New garden spots are usually covered with turf. In large garden areas, the ground is plowed and the sod turned under. In small gardens removal of the sod is required.
Removal Of Sod
1.) Stake and line off the garden spot. The line gives an accurate and straight course to follow.
2.) Cut the edges with the spade all along the line. If the area is a small one, say four feet by eighteen or twenty, this is an easy matter.
- A narrow strip may be marked off like a checkerboard, the sod cut through with the spade and easily removed.
- In two long strips cut lengthwise of the strip. When the turf is cut through, roll it right up like a roll of carpet.
- But suppose the garden plot is large. Then divide this up into strips a foot wide and take off the sod as before.
Composting Sod
What shall be done with the sod? Do not throw it away for it is full of richness, although not quite in available form.
People go to great lengths from worm farming to creating large compost piles to enrich the soil. Here is your chance to start your own.
Quick Way To Start Composting
- Pack the sod grass side down one square on another. Leave it to rot and to weather. When rotted it makes a fine fertilizer. Such a pile of rotting vegetable matter is called a compost pile.
- All through the summer add any old green vegetable matter to this. In the fall put the autumn leaves on. A fine lot of goodness is being fixed for another season.
- Start your own composting pile.
Getting Garden Beds Prepared
Mere removal of the sod is not sufficient. The soil is still left in lumps.
1.) Use a Spade
Spades break up the big lumps of soil: But even so, the ground is in no shape for planting after spading alone.
The ground must be very fine to plant in because seeds need to be in very close contact with fine particles of soil. But, the large lumps leave large spaces in which no tiny root hair can penetrate. A seed is left stranded when planted in chunks of soil. A seed among large lumps of soil is in a similar situation.
Spades come in many forms but do the same basic jobs.
2.) Rake Soil
The spade never can do the work of pulverizing soil. But the bow rake can.
That’s the value of the rake. It is a great lump breaker, but will not do for large lumps. If the soil still has large lumps in it take the hoe.
3.) Use a Hoe
The chief work of a hoe is to rid the soil of weeds and stir up the top surface. It is used in summer to form dust that is valuable in retaining moisture in the soil.
I often see people as if they were going to chop everything around them to pieces with it. Hoeing should never be such vigorous exercise. Spading is vigorous, hard work, but not hoeing and raking are not.
Additional Post: Picking the right garden tools for the right job
4.) Re-Rake
After lumps are broken use the rake to make the bed fine and smooth. Now the great piece of work is done.
Preparing the Soil
Preparing the soil is the next part of your garden journey. It is important to understand the type of soil you have and what you may need to add to improve your soil quality.
1.) Find Your Soil Type
Do you have sandy soil, clay-based or humus? Here is how you test your soil and add improvements
Just Starting A Garden? Start Here
1.) Decide on a Garden Type
2.) Prepping Area For Garden (Your Here)
3.) Know Your Soil Type & Amend It If Needed
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