How to Create Garden Beds

A garden bed can add appeal to a landscape and provide enjoyment for the gardener and those who see it or reap its bounty. Garden beds can be used for flowers, fruit, herbs or vegetables. A garden bed can set the tone of the landscape. A formal garden usually involves straight lines or precise geometric shapes. An informal garden, often referred to as "country" or "cottage," is much less precise, with curves instead of straight lines. A garden bed can be created any time of year that the ground can be worked.

Garden hose or spray paint
Square-tipped spade or sod cutter
Tiller or spade
Compost or rich dirt

Instructions

- 1
  Decide on a location for the bed. Keep in mind that most plants require at least six hours of full sun per day for optimum production. If the area you choose does not have that much full sun exposure, choose plants that are more adapted to shady conditions.
- 2
  Lay out the bed, outlining it with a garden hose or spray paint. Starting with a garden hose makes it easier to visualize and make adjustments. Spray paint is best for the final outline.
- 3
  Call a utility-locating company to tell you if there are any utility lines buried where you intend to dig. This is usually a free service; repair of a severed utility line can be costly.
- 4
  Remove the sod with a sod cutter or square-tipped spade. Your goal is to remove all the grass roots while leaving as much soil as possible. Compost the sod you remove, or use it to patch bare spots in your lawn.
- 5
  Amend the soil with compost or rich dirt if the soil is not adequate for the plants you intend to plant. An extension educator or garden center employee may help you determine what, if anything, your soil needs.
- 6
  Use a tiller or spade to loosen the dirt and incorporate any compost or dirt you added to it.

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