Flower Bed Preparation
The “experts” say that new flower beds should be prepared the autumn
before the first planting of annuals. (It’s
good if you can, but not necessary) We
say that you can do it whenever you want.
Poorly drained soils (hard packed will not drain) must be improved by
adding organic matter to the soil. Peat
moss, compost, or well rotted manure are common sources of organic matter. For regular soil, work in a couple of inches of organic
matter. For poor soil, work in
a 2 to 4 inches of organic matter.
Spade the soil to a
depth of eight to ten inches, turning it over completely to loosen the soil
and work in the organic matter. You
can also add fertilizer at this time but it is optional. It
helps to do this several times.
Use one and a half
pounds of a well balanced fertilizer per 100 square feet. Rake the soil smooth and the bed is ready for planting.
Fertilizers:
Well “balanced
fertilizers” mean fertilizers with an analysis of 5-10-5, 10-10-10,
12-12-12 or similar analysis. The
number indicates the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
The nitrogen gives your plants green leafy growth.
The phosphorus promotes root growth and branching.
Potassium helps the plants withstand stress from cold and heat, plus
promotes rich coloring. These
fertilizers should be applied at a rate of 1-1/2 pounds per 100 square feet
of garden bed. |
