Easy Gardens for All

If summer is the season for gardens, then wanna-be gardeners can follow a few basic tips to have the blooming best garden in town or the finest vegetables in the county. A green thumb isn't always a requirement and neither is fine soil. The answer is to build planting beds - here's how to have a great garden with tips from garden enthusiasts.

First, choose the site where the planting beds will lie. The biggest mistake novice gardeners make is when they think too small. Plan for beds at least four feet wide at the narrowest point to make allowance for mature plants.

Next, raise the beds to a height of at least ten inches by adding rich topsoil. Allow the plants headroom to grow to full height.

Consider the top soil. The present soil may be suitable but gardeners should remove any rocks and debris before planting. Roll soil around between fingers to consider the consistency and type. If necessary, bring home new top soil available from any nursery, garden center or home improvement store.

Selecting the plants for your garden is most important. Plant smaller plants to the front, taller ones to the rear and plan ahead for arrangement before you put the first plants into the soil.

Do not install a plastic sheet or weed barrier cloth on top of the soil. Savvy gardeners know that this is a waste of time, effort, and money. Newspapers laid over the soil will work as well. Another option is to control weeds with chemicals or gardeners can use the old-fashioned, tried and true method of weeding daily by hand. Although this may seem time consuming, it provides excellent exercise and daily vigilance can keep weeds out of the garden.

Although the next suggestion goes against what would seem to be garden wisdom, don't fertilize when you plant. If the topsoil used is rich, there is no real need for extra fertilizers and too much nitrogen, a major ingredient in most fertilizing products, can kill young plants before they can mature. Most plants will fare quite well without extra help.

One of the most frequent mistakes novice gardeners make is planting too deep. Roots require oxygen to thrive and if buried too deep, oxygen can't reach where it is needed.

Although plants require water in the hot, often dry summer months, never over water. Another tip to remember is to never water when the sun is on the beds. This actually harms the plants. Water in the early morning or in the evening. Dampen the plants but don't drown them. Too much water can be as harmful as too little.

Most plants today are hardy varieties that require little maintained so with these tips, it's time to sit back and watch the garden grow!