how would you start a brand new garden
zippity1
11 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (15)
robyn_tx
11 years agocynthianovak
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Starting new flowerbeds, new house, new gardener
Comments (5)Before spending money on something called "soil" take a good look at the soil you already have. It does little good to add to bad soil some even really good soil but even bad soil with the proper amendments can be made good and often at lower cost then buying some kind of "soil". Contact the people at your local office of the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done so you know your soils pH and present level of certain nutrients and then dig into your soil with these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. which can guide you in making the soil you have into a good, healthy soil that will grow strong and healthy plants better able to ward off insect pests and plant diseases. Here is a link that might be useful: WSU CES...See Morehow do i start a a new garden
Comments (5)Well, now is a good time to plan. Think for a bit about what you really want to end up with... lots of pretty grass - which also will need frequent mowing, summer watering, and probably fertilizers... and just which flowers appeal to you? Annuals? Perennials? Low care? Specific types and/or specific colors? How much time will you really spend taking care of those guys -- and don't say 'every weekend' unless you never take trips or go shopping! Be realistic about how much effort you are willing to put forth regularly, and then plant accordingly. By using mulch (and sometimes installing drip irrigation), and bulbs/perennials it is possible to have blossoms from spring to fall with very little effort once they have been planted. Roses, on the other hand, are considerably more demanding. Most of us go somewhere in between those two extremes, but you need to decide for yourself what suits you. Take notepaper and figure out for sure just what you want, and where. It helps to have real-life measurements of what you have right now: fence-to-fence and house-to-fence; mark in permanent items such as trees and lightpoles, shrubs you want to keep, sidewalks, the tool shed, etc. Then measure and sketch where the present flower beds are. Then put a piece of heavy, transparent plastic (or a clear page protector from the stationery store) over that base drawing and sketch where you would like to have the various beds, and how much lawn you really want. (I use the dry-ink pens, they are easy to erase from the plastic.) Remember that curves are more comfortable to live with than straight lines, and clusters of flowers usually look far more attractive than a rigid row. Visual variance in height, width, and color is good, but allow for repetition especially in color to keep the whole thing looking planned instead of looking splotchy. While doing all that, you also need to decide just what you want in the way of flowers and herbs. Most herbs are perennial, and many are demanding of well-drained soil, which means that unless you already have light, sandy soil the herbs will be happier in a raised bed. That's okay because raised beds are neat, easy to maintain, and easy to harvest. They don't *have* to be permanent, but most folks prefer the appearance of permanent beds. Just give yourself a break and be sure to put a mowing curb around any and all tree/flower/herb beds. A mowing curb is made of almost anything including rubber, concrete, brick, or hypertufa. It allows the mowing machine [rider or push] to trim the lawn neatly so you don't have to use an edger or pull weeds. Now, having overwhelmed you with all that, let me say: do just a little bit at a time. Unless you have lots and lots of $$$ and can hire help, *don't* try to do a whole makeover all at once. Or even all in one summer! Use your sketch to decide what you want to end up with, and then list. A list could read like this: shrubs to hide the garage; annual flowers all along the west fence; a bird bath among hostas under the oak tree; an herb garden near the kitchen door [best place for it]; an all-weather path from the porch to the tool shed; etc. Once you have a list of projects, choose which single one is the most important to you. Then break that project down into steps needed to get it done. If the project is physically big like putting annuals along a 100' of fence, downsize it into 10' sections. The only time you shouldn't break a project into sections is if you decide to have a concrete truck come and pour a sidewalk or driveway or patio -- better to pour it all at once instead of in 10' segments :) Do make use of the GW forums, read the FAQs and then use 'search' for specific questions. In fact, if you do a search on this forum for "new beds" and read all the postings (about 7 pages worth popped up for me), most of your questions will be answered! I'd also recommend visiting the Soil forum, because no matter what plants you decide to use, you are likely going to have to do some soil prep - even for a lawn....See Morehelp please starting a new hosta garden willing to buy starts
Comments (6)Usually you find me on the hosta forum. I enjoy this one as well. Congrats on your new home! If you email me I can send you some Ventricosa seeds in the fall to get you started. A very common, green hosta, but is my favorite for backgrounds and massing. I guarantee they will grow for you. Literally have thousands of them growing here. Extremely hardy. I will also email you back a picture of their growth habits to give you an idea if you want this particular kind. The gold and varigated varieties look even better in front of the Ventricosas....See MoreNew to gardening (flowers) & need advice on how to start out.
Comments (3)Good advice. I would add that although the idea of plants around the base of a tree is very attractive, that is often one of the very most difficult places of all to plant. You have to contend with tree roots which get in the way, need to be protected from disturbance, and which will gobble up every bit of fertilizer and water they can get their roots on, leaving your smaller plants hungry and thirsty. I would advise you to dig one flower bed somewhere in your yard that gets at least full morning sun. Start out with a realistically manageable size, but dig it well and add plenty of amendments, any one or combination of these: chopped leaves, grass clippings (not ones with seed heads!), compost, manures from cows, horses, or chickens (well aged), soil conditioner, etc. The key is organic matter and plenty of it. When I am building a new bed in my red clay, I plan to use approximately 5 pounds of amendments to every square foot of garden space. This is an easy figure when I am buying bagged amendments. Bags are convenient and manageable but cost more. When I'm building a big project, I buy amendments by the truckload. The people at the yard can help you figure what you need. Once your bed is built and your soil is ready, plant. If you want the bed to look good year round, include a few shrubs, evergreens, if possible. Then do some research: read books on SOUTHERN gardens (The Southern Living Gardening Book is a must), and haunt the forums here. You will be able to find lots of ideas for plants. I am going to list some of my favorite perennials and annuals here in east central Mississippi for you. Have fun and good luck! Perennials: Amsonia taberaemontana Verbena, Snow Flurry Shasta Daisies Day Lilies Knockout, Homerun, and Drift Roses Hydrangea Paniculatas: Limelight especially Durantas: Variegated and Cuban Gold Tibouchinas Crinums (bulbs): repeat bloomers Mystic Spires Salvias Salvia farinacea, Victoria and Evolutiion Rain Lilies (Zephyranthes. bulbs) Rudbeckia Maximas Cupheas Helianthus Hibiscus, Crown Jewels Pink Muhly grass Purple Fountain Grasses (pennisetums) Annuals: Zinnias, both great (Elegans) and Small (Profusions and Zaharas) Vincas Pentas Celosias: This year I am trying a tall one called Cramer I can tell you that all of these perform extremely well here with minimal care. They all have a very long bloom season. But, the only way to know for sure what does well in your garden is to try! That's half the fun....See MoreLynn Marie
11 years agoBryan Scott
11 years agozippity1
11 years agosouthofsa
11 years agoroselee z8b S.W. Texas
11 years agoBryan Scott
11 years agoHilary McDaniel
11 years agoWalnutCreek Zone 7b/8a
11 years agolucillle
11 years agoLin barkingdogwoods
11 years agoruthz
11 years agoroselee z8b S.W. Texas
11 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIESA Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning
Set out some seed and grab your field guide. Bird-watching is an easy, entertaining and educational activity for the whole family
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESWhat to Consider Before Starting Construction
Reduce building hassles by learning how to vet general contractors and compare bids
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESDecorating 101: How to Start a Decorating Project
Before you grab that first paint chip, figure out your needs, your decorating style and what to get rid of
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSConsidering Wallpaper? Here's How to Get Started
New project for a new year: Give your room a whole new look with the color, pattern and texture of a wall covering
Full StoryFUN HOUZZ14 Things You Need to Start Doing Now for Your Spouse’s Sake
You have no idea how annoying your habits at home can be. We’re here to tell you
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESHow to Decorate When You're Starting Out or Starting Over
No need to feel overwhelmed. Our step-by-step decorating guide can help you put together a home look you'll love
Full StoryMOST POPULARHow to Start a Cool-Season Vegetable Garden
Late summer and late winter are good times to plan and plant cool-season crops like salad greens, spinach, beets, carrots and peas
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGCitrus 101: Start Your Own Backyard Orchard
This Earth Day Weekend, Add Some Green, Style and Deliciousness to Your Landscape
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESSeeds or Seedlings? How to Get Your Garden Started
Growing delicious herbs and vegetables starts with knowing your goals and when you want to plant
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES6 Steps to Get a Garden Off to a Glowing Start
Grow a lush, balanced garden from an empty patch of yard or neglected landscape spot with these easy-to-follow guidelines
Full Story
lou_spicewood_tx