Flower Bed Tips For Beginners

If you’re a beginner gardener or you’ve never planted your own flower bed before, there are some things you should know to get the most out of your new landscape.

First, take a walk through your yard and really look at where you want to place your flower bed. Study the sun patterns, soil, water access and more.

1. Plan ahead

A well-planned flower garden is both beautiful and rewarding. Start planning early and you’ll be well on your way to creating an eye-catching landscape.

First, plan ahead on the flower types and colors you want to include. Plant them in groups that work together for a unified look. You can also use a color wheel as a guide for selecting the hues you’d like to include.

Another important thing to consider is the location of your new flower bed. Choose a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.

For low maintenance, try planting ground cover plants around the taller flowers. These plants will keep the soil loose and fluffy, which helps promote good drainage.

If you have a hilly backyard, you might want to build stepped garden boxes instead of traditional flower beds. This will give you more control over the design and layout of your flower garden, and allow you to install drip tubing for irrigation.

2. Think about your soil

When it comes to your flower garden, you need to think about your soil and its condition before you plant anything. Poor soil can stunt the growth of plants and make them susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

A few simple soil tests can reveal whether your soil is healthy or needs a little help to get up to par. If your soil test shows that it’s too acidic or too alkaline, you may need to add lime or other nutrients before planting.

Then, work in a good layer of compost to your new garden bed. Most flowers like a loamy soil, but you can also dig and break up clay or rocky soils by hand before planting.

If you’re planning a bed in an area covered with grass, first remove it. There are two ways to do this: The long-and-easy method is to cover the entire area with several layers of newspaper and let it die naturally; the quick, inexpensive way is to remove the grass by digging.

3. Think about your watering habits

When it comes to watering, there is no set rule. It depends on the weather, the soil and the type of plants you have in your garden. But there are some best practices that will help you conserve water and keep your plants healthy.

Keeping shrubs, vegetable plantings and cutting flowers grouped as tightly together in flower beds that aren’t trodden on cuts down on weeding, saves time and helps compost to be concentrated where it will do the most good. This approach also improves soil structure year after year as the layers of organic material pile up.

If you want to use a hose, lay it directly on the ground near your plant so it can flow where it needs to go. Put a board or rock under it to prevent water from eroding the soil around your plants. It’s a simple but effective method. And it will save your flower beds from wilting and fading.

4. Think about your time

When it comes to garden planning, time is money. With a limited amount of free time on your hands, you will need to be able to focus your efforts on the most important tasks at hand without wasting any of it. For a newbie, this can be an intimidating prospect. The good news is that you can maximize your time and efforts by following a few simple steps. From planning your garden to actually putting it in place, there are many tips and tricks that can help you get started. With a little research, you can have a beautiful flower garden that will be the envy of your neighbors and your family for years to come. The secret to success is in having a clear and concise plan and following it to the letter.