Expanding your garden beds is a great way to increase your planting space and enhance the beauty of your landscape. With so many plants to choose from, it can be challenging to find enough room for all your favorites. By expanding your garden beds, you can create more space for new plants and add interest to your outdoor space.
Before you start digging, take a look at your current landscape design and plantings. Consider expanding an existing garden bed or connecting two smaller beds to create a larger planting area. This may be a better option than creating a whole new garden from scratch. Evaluate the layout of your yard and determine the best location for your expanded garden beds.
Once you have decided on the location, it’s important to plan out the expansion or new bed. Before you start digging, be sure to call 811 or file online at https://call811.com/811-In-Your-State at least three business days in advance. This free service will help you avoid damaging any buried utility lines while working on your garden project.
When laying out the new garden bed, use a rope or hose to outline the area. Avoid creating tight corners or narrow grass borders that will be difficult to maintain. Adjust the layout to avoid underground utilities whenever possible, and only use hand tools if you need to dig near any buried lines.
Before you start planting, it’s a good idea to take a soil test to determine the fertility of your soil. This will help you determine what type and how much fertilizer to use for your plants. Testing the soil now will give you the information you need before the spring planting season.
Once you have the layout and soil test results, it’s time to edge the bed. Use a shovel to create a V-shaped trench around the border of the garden bed, or rent a power edger for larger jobs. Removing healthy grass with a sod cutter and using it to fill bare spots in the lawn is a great way to repurpose the grass you remove.
If you prefer to kill the grass before planting, you can cover the area with cardboard or newspaper and top it with organic mulch. This will help suppress weeds and prepare the area for planting in the spring. Alternatively, you can cover the area with black plastic for a few weeks to kill the existing grass and weeds.
Before planting, improve the soil by adding organic matter like aged manure or compost. This will help improve drainage in heavy clay soil and increase water retention in sandy or rocky soils. Once you have prepared the soil, you can plant your new garden bed with the right plants for your growing conditions.
Whether you plant now or wait until spring, always remember to call 811 before you dig to avoid damaging any buried utility lines. By following these steps, you can safely expand your garden beds and create a beautiful outdoor space for all to enjoy.
Melinda Myers, a renowned gardening expert, has written over 20 gardening books and hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” series. For more gardening tips and information, visit her website at www.MelindaMyers.com. Remember to always plan ahead and take the necessary precautions to create a beautiful garden safely.