Soil preparation

Building soil that promotes healthy growth

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Building your soil

Soil is best prepared over time

This bed has had a combination of seaweed and dried sheep manure added and left for 3 months

It is now ready to be worked into the soil

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Tools required

This is a specialist fork which is designed to aerate your soil.

It has long flat blades that penetrate deeply into the soil as you turn the soil over. Note the seaweed which has not broken down was put in the compost

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Planting board

I use a planting board to stand on when I am cultivating so I don’t compact my soil

Some people use these when they are replanting their beds, hence the name.

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Cultivation technique

You need to dig deeply and thoroughly mix the soil layers by breaking up and turning over the soil .

Don’t make hard work of it break the task up by taking rests, sit and enjoy your garden.

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Partly cultivated bed

Once the bed has been completely dug or forked over break up any remaining large clumps.

Remove any weeds or debris

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Completed bed

Bed ready for finishing off.

Most people rake and contour (shape) the bed as the final preparation before planting

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Finishing the bed

Rake it smooth to form a level planting surface.

This also helps to further break up the soil so it is left friable and ready for planting

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Completed bed

Should be left:

● Smooth and level● Weed and debris free● Soil should be fine and

crumbly

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Completed bed

You can prepare the soil in part of a bed only.

Here we have worked up the soil adjacent to this planting of Garlic which has been growing for 3 months.

We can now plant out the rest of the bed.

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting

Planting the bed

Now that we have finished preparing the soil we can begin to plan the layout of our new plantings and commence planting our transplants.

Topic 3: Prepare a garden bed for planting