I'm new to gardening. I made an 8 ft by 8 ft above ground box. I filled it with ten 40 lb bags of topsoil and added 6 bags of gardening soil, 40 lbs each. I mixed them together. Am I ready to plant my garden or are there some other steps that I need to take?
Before planting, I would recommend working the soil with compost so that it is rich with organic matter.
Here is an article on "How to start a vegetable garden" that will help you:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/starting-a-vegetable-garden.htm
An article on vegetable garden soil:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/vegetable-garden-soil.htm
An article on using soil in gardens:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/using-topsoil-and-potting-soil.htm
We need to plant hundreds of vegetable seedlings very precisely in straight lines. Is there a good temporary spray paint that we could use to mark soil, grass and sometimes membrane with, maybe chalk? Something that is removed my rain or light rubbing would be ideal. Many thanks Sooz
I would go to your local home improvement store and look for a spray can of marking chalk, such as the one in the following link: https://www.amazon.com/Krylon-5894-Marking-Chalk-White/dp/B000PJ67M6
You can also use stakes and string to create straight lines if you are unsuccessful finding the spray you want.
I am going to use glyphosate to kill the grass prior to making new flower beds. Is it advisable to create some sort of barrier between the lawn and the new bed or is this not necessary?
While you can certainly use glyphosate to kill your grass to prepare a flower bed, there are other non-chemical means you can explore also, which are discussed in the article link below - these natural methods would eliminate your concern of glyphosate drift onto other areas of your lawn. It would be advisable to spread newspaper over the adjoining areas while you are spraying glyphosate just to afford it some protection.
You will want to wait at least 3 days after a glyphosate application before planting your flowers. For more information, click here:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/how-long-does-weed-killer-last-in-the-soil.htm
I just moved into a house with flower beds along the house that are dried out and filled with weeds. I would like step by step directions to make the flower bed healthy and start planting flowers! Do I need to place a tarp below the soil to control roots? Thank you!
If you want to start from scratch, it will certainly give you the edge. You have several options that you can choose as well. These articles will help you with whatever method you use:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/starting/how-to-build-a-flower-bed-starting-a-flower-bed-from-scratch.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/how-to-kill-grass-naturally-kill-unwanted-grass-in-your-yard.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/urban/raised-beds-for-urban-settings-no-digging-required.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/lasagna-gardening.htm
I would like to create a garden for harvest throughout the growing season. I would like to know, if managed properly, if there was value, potential harm and/or a protocols to follow for creating a garden in the fall vs spring? If equal, I would just prefer to take on the task of preparing the area, while I have motivation! Additionally, I would appreciate any tips on constructing a garden designed to be efficient. I am leaning towards a 10x10 because it seems to be pretty straight forward.
First, I would suggest raised beds, as they are easier to maintain and crops generally perform well in them. In your area, the use of cold frames, row covers and the like may be helpful too in prolonging the growing season. Here is more information to help get you started: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/raised-vegetable-gardens.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/fall-vegetable-gardening.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/preseeding-vegetables.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/building-cold-frames.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/row-covers-for-garden-plants.htm
We are in the process of planning and building a LEED certified home. One of the credits that we would like Is having a food garden. We have a space large enough but it will only get sunlight for a portion of the day. Are there any recommended plants for food gardens that are shady? We are located in Nashville, TN.
These article should help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/shade-vegetables.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/hgen/shade-tolerant-herbs-for-your-herb-garden.htm
I am 8 and I want to be a tourer for gardens and I love flowers. I want to know how to garden and take good care of it.
My first thought is to start small. Instead of creating a big garden, try a few plants in pots and slowly work your way up to a garden bed. Perhaps, some of the following articles will help get you started:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/children/basic-plant-life-cycle-and-the-life-cycle-of-a-flowering-plant.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/children/how-plants-grow.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/children/fun-plants-for-kids.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/children/herb-gardens-for-children.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/children/children-and-vegetable-gardens.htm