riffwraith
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2020 6:48 pm

New to the garden bed thing

Hi everyone. :)

I just bought a townhouse, and have inherited a garden bed.

gard1.jpg
gard3.jpg

I have never planted anything in my life, and would like to get started. After doing some research, it seems I want:

60% topsoil
30% compost
10% Potting soil

First Q is - can I use what is there, or do I need to remove it and start fresh?

Second - do I need mulch?

Third - how do I ensure that the soil is of good quality, and full of enough nutrients? Are there certain brands to go for, and certain brands to avoid?

Finally, even tho this isn't an actual 'garden bed', if I remove that little bush, can I plant there as well?

gard2.jpg
Thanks in advance. :)

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Congratulations.

The soil is really wet now. It has a lot of moss growing. How much sun does it get? I would get a soil test when it dries out. When it dries out better, I would remove any roots, weeds and moss. What you want to plant there will depend on the amount of light you have, how big the plants are going to be and what the soil and environmental conditions are like. It may also depend on your HOA rules.

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applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Soil test is a good idea at a new place. Personally, I would ask for herbicide, pesticide levels in addition to standard nutrient, etc. tests if you are thinking to grow edibles.

As @imafan said, take this time to note the compass direction and observe and record Amount of sun this area gets. You will have to extrapolate for different seasons.

It would be helpful to know where you are located for us to advise appropriately — find out typical winter low and summer high temperatures, as well as extremes, typical rain patterns throughout the seasons, etc.


...also, there may already be some perennials or flowering bulbs planted in those beds? They look pretty empty, but you never know. I was going to say the bed with the little shrub might have spring blooming bulbs in it but then, as @imafan pointed out, the moss and possibly water soaked soil could mean this wouldn’t be a good bed for flowering bulbs which need well draining soil.....



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