9 Gardening Tips to Prepare your Garden Beds for Planting

A garden bed is a trench or other space constructed and specifically designed to grow plants in.

It can be either a raised bed, which is built up off the ground, or an inlaid or sunken one, which has no added height from the rest of the garden or surrounding earth.

Preparing the garden bed for planting before filling it with soil is important because it prevents weeds from growing, protects your plants from animals and pests, and helps keep soil from washing away from rain-caused erosion.

The recommendations for preparing each bed will depend on the category of plants you are attempting make inhabit it. For example, if you are planting seeds directly into an unplanted, tilled garden bed soil, then little preparation is needed, and you can go straight to seeding. But if you are transplanting from a smaller pot or garden planter, then prepping the bed before planting is necessary and will help these plants accept the transition and thrive.

If you take the time to prepare your garden-bed prior to adding any dirt or seedlings, you’ll be setting yourself up for maximum success. Taking the steps to prepare your garden bed will foster and environment for better root development while getting rid of parasite attractions that could hinder your garden’s growth.

Supplies Needed to Prepare a Garden Bed

The minimum supplies and tools needed to prepare a garden bed are listed below:

• Shovel

• Rake

• Soil

• Compost

• Seeds

• Mulch

Important Considerations When Preparing Your Garden Bed for Planting

• Proper Soil Preparation

Proper soil preparation is key to ensuring that your soil has the right composition to supply nutrients, water and protect plants.

The first step in preparing the garden bed for planting is to make sure the area is free of any rocks or extremely hard clumps. Raking out any rotten leaves and grass clippings will help loosen any compacted soil. Turning over gardening compost will help provide a nutrient boost and create a light, fluffy top layer that retains moisture.

• Maintain the pH Balance of your Soil and Avoid Alkaline or Acidic Soils

The pH scale ranges from 0 (acidic low pH) to 14 (high pH), with 7 being neutral. The pH balance of your soil should be between 6.5 and 7.0. If you get the acidity levels right, you will have better yields.

To figure out what your garden’s levels are, take a sample of your soil, put it in a container and add water. Observe what happens over time and look for changes like a change in color or bubbles forming around the piece of dirt from an unknown source. Add a few drops of lemon juice into this mixture if it starts bubbling immediately and turns yellow, then this means that your soil is highly acidic.

There are a number of ways you can maintain the pH balance of your soil, but they all have advantages and disadvantages.

Some options include:

• Using a soil test kit - simple and easy to use, but there is a possibility that the test might not register false positives or negatives

• Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) - inexpensive and contains no hazardous chemicals, but it can damage metal products

• Acidic soil mix – this would be a one-time expense, no ongoing maintenance requirements, but your plants may suffer from nutrient deficiencies in alkaline soils

• Select the Best Fertilizer for Your Garden Bed

To pick the best fertilizer for your garden, you need to consider what you want to grow and how much time you have. For example, if you want to grow a packet of flowers, a little bit of fertilizing will do the trick. If, on the other hand, you are planting a tree that will require years of care and maintenance, it is worth spending more money on fertilizer that will help the tree's roots grow deep into the ground in search of water and nutrients.

According to the University of New Hampshire, a vegetable garden will generally need 25 lbs/1000 sq. ft. of 10-10-10 OR 60 lbs/1000 sq. ft. of 4-3-3 or similar organic blended fertilizer. Half of it should be applied to the garden and mixed thoroughly into the top few inches of soil before planting, while the other half should be applied mid-way through the growing season in a “side-dress” application, placed near the plants and scratched lightly into the soil surface.

4) Choose a Sunny Location

West Virginia University Extension recommends choosing a spot for your garden bed that receives a maximum amount of sunlight. Most vegetables need a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight per day.

5) Opt for Loose Soil, while Avoiding Waterlogged or Sloped Areas

By avoiding compacted, clay-type soils your can offer your plants easier access to the water and oxygen they depend on to thrive. Waterlogged areas may cause rot in the plants while preventing air movement. However, a spot with too much of a slope may cause erosion during heavy rainfalls and be difficult to plant on.

6) Look into What the Land was used for Previously

What the area of your garden bed was used for over the course of its history could have detrimental effects on your garden. For example, if building or equipment were on it that contained lead paint (ult prior to 1978), oil or other fluid leaks, or received applications of pesticides.

• Garden Bed Planting Techniques

7) A garden bed is an optimal location for a variety of plants. To prepare it, you’ll need to dig a hole big enough for the seeds that you want to plant. (Refer to the instructions on your seed packets, if you have them, for exact measurements.) If you are putting in plants with large roots, dig deep enough so that the root is not touching the ground. At the same time, you’ll want to check that your garden beds have enough water without being over-watered to prevent rot or erosion.

8) Weeding Strategies for Your New Bed

Weeds are plants that grow in places they are not wanted and are usually considered a nuisance. For gardeners, weeds can be the worst pests when left unchecked. They can overgrow the desired vegetable or flower plants, competing with them for nutrients and moisture, and make gardening difficult or even impossible. Controlling weeds is therefore necessary to have a healthy garden.

Knowing a plant’s root system is essential in identifying which weeds are good and which are bad. It’s best if you have a good idea about what you’re is planting to know how deep the roots of each particular plant go. This will help you identify weeds that can be pulled out without hurting the plant.

• Insect Control Solutions

Insects are natural outdoor creatures that can provide many benefits in the garden. They also provide a lot of challenges to people who want to grow vegetables or flowers. Pests are organisms that cause damage or consume plant life, such as locusts. They are attracted to plants by the smell of their flowers, the color of their blossoms and by their nectar.

In general, if you have a few plants and don't want to use pesticides, it is best to find strategies that will reduce the number of insects emerging from the ground while they still remain underground, while protecting pollinators that are vital to many plants you may be including in your garden.

9) Protect Plants from Certain Types of Animals or Birds

Along with insects, there are certain types of animals and birds that can cause damage to plants and garden beds. They may be large or smaller in size. To minimize the potential damage they can cause, consider planting your seeds close enough together that it’s harder for animals to eat them all at once. At the same time, put up a fence around your garden bed or next to your garden that is tall enough to prevent animals from scaling it easily. For larger animals you can use wood, vinyl, or mental fences, while stopping smaller animals with netting and chicken wire.

Completed steps 1 through 9? Now You're Ready to Plant!