Preparing Your Garden Soil for the Spring Season
It is that time of year when many people want to get ready to start planting their favorite annuals but don’t know where to start when it comes to preparing the soil. The quality of the soil is important because it determines how well your seeds and young plants will grow. Even if you are planting a flower garden for the first time, mark out the region in your yard where the flowers will be planted. For first time flower garden growers, the following steps will ensure a prosperous flower garden.
Make sure the ground is completely thawed out from the winter season before you start digging in the soil. Chances are the area you want to plant your flowers already has grass growing there. Use powdered chalk to mark out the area you want to turn into your garden. Gently dig up the top layer of grass using a garden shovel. Scrape off any excess dirt from the top layer into the dug out area. The loose dirt can be mixed in with flower garden soil that can be purchased from a nursery. Toss out the grassy layer or add it to a compost heap if you have one in your yard. Some of this compost can be added to your garden soil to provide enrichment for your flowers.
Once you have the soil exposed on the surface, till it with either a bow rake or a roto-tiller. This will help break up the soil, especially if there is a clay element in the soil. By tilling the soil, you will be providing drainage for your flowers.
Next, add a layer of enriched garden soil from your local nursery. Many of these are infused with a fertilizer. Look for a brand that has potassium and phosphorus in the soil. You may not need to use the entire bag in your garden. Pour enough so that when you retill the soil, the topsoil will be blended with the natural bottom layer of soil.
Finally, add a light layer of compost and sprinkle it over the soil. Lightly till in the compost with the soil. Once you have all of the essential ingredients mixed, tap down the soil very lightly and evenly before watering it. You can then water the soil using the delicate spray on your hose, or with a water sprinkler. Prevent puddles from forming when watering. Allow the soil to absorb the water for one day before you start planting the seeds or young plants. The day after your soil is prepared, you can start planting your garden.
Image Credit: Dominicus Johannes Bergsma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
