how to prepare a garden bed

Rules of Thumb for Brand New Beds:

1. Work the soil when it is moist, but not wet.
2. Turn the soil over to a depth of at least 12 inches.
3. Add 2-3 inches of compost and turn it into the bed.
4. Either cover the bed with a thick (3-4") layer of mulch or use a weed and feed to help keep weed seeds from germinating.

1. What do you put on the bottom of a garden bed?
2. How do you start a garden for beginners?
3. How do you fill a raised bed cheaply?
4. Should I line my raised garden bed with plastic?
5. What month should you start a garden?
6. What supplies do I need to start a garden?
7. How do you start a small vegetable garden for beginners?
8. Should I put rocks in the bottom of my raised garden bed?
9. How many bags of soil do I need for a 4x8 raised bed?
10. What should you fill raised beds with?
11. How deep should a raised bed garden be?
12. Can you put cardboard on the bottom of a raised garden bed?
13. What is a good size for a raised garden bed?

What do you put on the bottom of a garden bed?

Always use gopher wire on the bottom of your raised bed to keep pests out of your garden bed. There is no drainage issue in using gopher wire. Gopher wire surely can keep pests out of the garden bed, but weeds can find a way through it.

How do you start a garden for beginners?

How to Start a Garden – 10 Basic Steps

1. Decide what you'd like to grow.
2. Choose a location.
3. Plan your garden beds.
4. Invest in basic garden tools.
5. Test your soil.
6. Prepare the soil.
7. Choose the right seeds or transplants.
8. Plant with care.

How do you fill a raised bed cheaply?

To fill your bed, you'd need 36 bags of fertile mix, which cost at least $5 to $8 per bag at most stores. You could spend $200 or $300 if you go this route. Bulk soil delivery from a landscape supply place delivers fertile mix in units of cubic yards. One cubic yard is 3 times 3 times 3 feet or 27 cubic feet.

Should I line my raised garden bed with plastic?

You can line your raised bed to make it more durable and to prevent toxics from leaching into the soil. For lining, use landscape fabric found at garden supply stores or cloth fabric from clothing. Avoid non-porous plastic, as it can retain too much water and discourage beneficial insects and worms.

What month should you start a garden?

If you're new to gardening, you may think the growing season doesn't begin until April or May. But that's not true — you can start planting seeds much earlier. In fact, you should! If you start the right crops now, you'll likely be harvesting your own fresh veggies by April or May.

What supplies do I need to start a garden?

What Gardening Supplies Do You Need to Grow a Vegetable Garden?

1. Good Soil. Soil isn't just dirt – it's an active ecosystem that supplies nutrients to your plants. ...
2. Garden Hoe. ...
3. Garden Rake. ...
4. Garden Shovel. ...
5. Garden Trowel. ...
6. Garden Gloves. ...
7. Water Source. ...
8. Other Handy Gardening Supplies.

How do you start a small vegetable garden for beginners?

Pick the Right Location

1. Plant in a sunny location. Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. ...
2. Plant in moist, well-drained soil. If you have poorly drained soil where water pools, plant veggies in a raised bed or raised row for improved drainage. ...
3. Plant in a stable environment.

Should I put rocks in the bottom of my raised garden bed?

Building raised beds is well worth the effort. Raised beds allow you to overcome problems such as poor, rocky soil, waterlogged areas and people walking through your gardens. While raised beds drain better than in-ground beds, adding rocks to the bottom of the bed improves drainage even further.

How many bags of soil do I need for a 4x8 raised bed?

How much soil? For a 4x8–foot raised bed with a 10” height, about 1 cubic yard of soil is needed. For a 4x8-foot raised bed with a 6” height, using Mel's Mix: about 5 cubic feet each of compost, peat moss, and vermiculite is needed.

What should you fill raised beds with?

Fill the entirety of the bed with standard garden soil, leaving about one-inch between the top of the soil and the lip of the bed. You can buy garden soil in bags, but if you have access to a truck or trailer, we recommend going the local route and buying in bulk.

How deep should a raised bed garden be?

A raised bed does not have to be very deep to be effective. Eight to 12 inches is usually adequate. If drainage is a problem, or if the plants you are growing prefer drier soil, the bed could be taller and filled with a porous growing medium. Vegetable beds should be 12 to 18 inches deep.

Can you put cardboard on the bottom of a raised garden bed?

Many gardeners build raised beds right on their lawns, and line the bottoms with cardboard to smother the grass – a technique that makes it possible to fill the beds and start gardening right away.

What is a good size for a raised garden bed?

Optimum Size for Raised Beds

Raised beds are best kept to a maximum of four feet (1.2m) wide. This makes it easy to reach the middle of the beds without stepping on the soil. Beds against a wall or fence should be about 2-3 feet (60-90cm) wide, as you'll only have access from one side.