Today we are going to be creating a new garden bed; now this is one of my favorite parts of gardening because you can just let your imagination run wild because it’s like starting with a blank slate. Unlike planting in an existing bed we have to take into consideration all of the limitations of the location may be the light requirements or the soil. When you are creating a new bed you can start with what you want; figure out what kind of plants you want and then you can select a location. These are the steps you need to follow when creating a new garden bed.
Use a Hose to Draw Out The General Shape of Your Bed
The hose is an excellent tool to use because it can give you those nice curves that you need and it’s very pliable and easy to move and of course it’s always great to have a second pair of eyes that can help you check your angles. So you can stand on the deck to see if what you have made fits into your expectation.
Graffiti The Grass
To do this, you are going to follow the line that you have created with the hose and use some marking paint. This could be the same type of paint that is used on any kind of bowl field so you can be certain it is going to be safe for your grass. So all you have to do is just follow the line of your hose all the way around.
Get Rid of the Sod
Well now that you have drawn out the line of your bed and you have taken the hose away, it’s now time for step 3 which is to get rid of the sod. To do this you need a square tip shovel and this will be very helpful to remove the sod because it’ll help you to follow the line of the curve. Also, it will help as you are pulling the sod up because it will retain the roots in case you want to use it elsewhere in the lawn. What you are going to do next is to cut little squares to make this manageable and then take your shovel underneath the turf and just lift it right up. Now, this is hard work and a great cardio workout so don’t be afraid to grunt a little bit. So you are just going to continue with the line that you have drawn and keep cutting out the turf little by little.
Add Some Topsoil
Now once you have gotten all of this turf removed the next step is to add the topsoil. To do this you are going to bring in some topsoil and then add some type of organic matter like compost peat, or even pine bark with it. Then you are going to shape the bed to give it some topographical interest maybe add some stones and some different layers and levels. What I like to do is add my mulch before I plant because what that will do is it will ensure a nice even layer of mulch and then it will be very simple to plant.
I would advise that you use some rocks to shape your bed because rocks have some benefits; first they add some decorative appeal and they make your bed look a little bit more natural. Also if you place them strategically you will find that they would become great stepping stones.
