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How to Prepare Soil for a Garden

Picture
by Topslakr/Flickr
If you are like most new gardeners, you may think that simply tilling up the soil and planting some seeds or tucking in a few seedlings is all that is needed to get your garden off to a good start. It isn't. The area you choose and the amendments you add to your soil can make the difference between a lush, green garden overflowing with fruits and vegetables and a garden that struggles to survive.

Choosing a Location

Choose a location with well-drained soil that receives at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day. Ideally, the area should be slightly raised in the center to allow for water runoff in heavy rains. Avoid sunken or depressed areas. Observe the area carefully for several days, noting the path of the sun and the amount of sunshine your garden bed will receive. Pay close attention to trees and structures that may cast a shadow during the summer. What may look like a sunny area in early spring may become shaded once deciduous trees are in full foliage.

Tilling the Soil

Till the soil to a depth of 8 to 12 inches. If the area has not been cultivated in the past, you may need to use a sod stripper to remove the sod first. Remove any rocks, roots or other debris from the soil. Hand pick any overturned weeds as these will quickly take root and begin growing if they are left in the soil.

Soil Testing

Test the soil to determine its composition, nutrient balance and pH level. An inexpensive soil test kit from the hardware store typically provides this information, but instructions for amending the soil may be brief. A soil test completed by your local extension office provides more detailed information and specific instructions for amending the soil. More info on soil testing and soil drainage.

Amending Garden Soil

Spread the soil amendments over the top of the soil and work it into the top six inches of the soil with a garden tiller. In the absence of a soil test, spread a two to four in layer of well-rotted manure or compost over the area and till it in. Add fertilizer (5-10-10 or 10-10-10) following the application rate on the container and mix it in well with the soil.

Design and Planning

Rake the area smooth and mark the rows for planting. Determine the layout of your garden, according to the row spacing recommended for the specific vegetables you intend to plant. Many prefer to allow 2 ½ to 3 feet between rows for cultivation and weeding.

Marking the Rows

Erect stakes at both ends of the garden and run garden twine or rope between them to create a straight row. Stand back a few feet and observe the layout. What looks straight from the garden may not be as straight as you think. Use the blade of the hoe to create a shallow furrow, following the line of the twine.

Well-prepared soil in the right location gets your garden off to a good start and goes a long way toward producing that lush, green garden of your dreams. Time spent on preparation will save you both time and energy throughout the growing season, as you have already provided you plants with the vital nutrients and sunshine they need to thrive.


Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • Grow Your Own Amazing Pomato Plant - Tomatoes on the Top and Potatoes on the Bottom
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
      • Control Blister Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables