In your mind's eye, you see the new trees, the beautiful shrubs and flowers. Or maybe it's that vegetable garden with neat rows of luscious plants. You can see it, but you just don't quite know how to make it happen. Not to worry. Just follow these 10 easy steps.
Draw a rough outline of your yard on paper. Then sketch in where you want your garden to go. Try to match up the size and location of your future garden with the kinds of plants you want to grow.
All plants need sun, and most flowers and vegetables need a good six hours of sunlight. If your spot doesn't get that much, plan a shade garden.
Now you need to lay out your garden's shape with stakes and strings or a garden hose. If necessary, you may need to kill existing grass and other vegetation with Roundup® Weed and Grass Killer.
» Find out more about Roundup Weed & Grass Killer
You've done the planning. Now it's time for the dirty work. Prepare the area by digging about eight inches deep for most flowers, or deep enough for the root balls of your new trees or shrubs. Make sure you break up any dirt clods, and remove stones and plant debris.
You want soil that's easy to work with. Mend your garden with Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Flowers and Vegetables by adding about two to four inches on your new beds and Rake it into the existing soil. Your goal is to achieve a fine, crumbly surface.
» Find out more about Miracle-Gro Garden Soil for Flowers & Vegetables
Simply follow the directions on your seed packets, plant tags or containers for best results. They will give you easy instructions for planting depth, proper location and full height and width of your plants.
To avoid transplant shock and get plants off to a good start, apply Miracle-Gro® according to package direction. After you plant, keep the beds moist. If you don't get any rain, you should water daily until the plants are well established. After that, water weekly.
» Find out more about Miracle-Gro plant-food products
A 2-inch covering of Scotts Nature Scapes™ mulch in Sierra Red or Classic Black placed in between your plants will help keep weeds from creeping back and add color to your garden.
» Find out more about Nature Scapes mulch
Your garden is in place. So you want to control weeds, pinch off the dead heads of flowers, and feed regularly with Miracle-Gro® LiquaFeed™ every 7-14 days.
» Find out more about Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed
Once the flowers have had their last bloom, and you've harvested the last vegetable clear out the dead stems and flowers. The dead stems of perennials can harbor harmful pests during the winter. While you're at it, try planting some hardy bulbs for next spring.
It's your garden, so have fun with all phases of it. When you're choosing plants, don't hold back. Try mixing them up for unusual colors, heights, and fragrances. Give them a backdrop of shrubs and ornamental grasses. There's a lot to explore, and the possibilities are endless, even for a small garden.
