The flower bed is a plot of soil from which flowers are grown and just as we need like nicely made bed complete with fluffy pillows to rest our weary heads at night, flower beds need a well prepared bed in order to grow and flourish successfully.
Spending time preparing your beds is the key to a garden full of happy flowers, and we all know that happy flowers means a happy gardener! So read on for a step-by-step guide…
Step 1: Remove weeds
The more thoroughly you do this whilst your bed is clear, then the less weeding you’ll have to do throughout the season – bonus!
Step 2: Dig in compost
During the spring months, put a two to three inch layer of compost on the soil and turn it into the ground. Make sure your soil is neither too wet nor too dry, but damp enough so that if you squeeze it into your hands, no water comes out but it stays in a ball. There is no specific way to turn compost in but try and dig down at least 12 inches to ensure the organic matter has reached well below the ground.
If you already have plants, perennials or bulbs in your beds then add a couple inches of compost around existing plants and work this into the top layer of soil. Don’t dig deep enough to harm the roots, even if your soil is left on the top layer, it will eventually break down and release valuable nutrients into the soil.
Step 3: Top dress the soil
After you have turned in your soil and you’re confident that the compost has been distributed, top dress with another layer of compost to keep the moisture and to stop weeds growing through.
And it really is as simple as that, there is no hidden dark art to preparing some good beds for your flowers, just plenty of organic matter, some TLC and you’re ready to plant!
We’re really excited to get our range of summer bedding plants in over the next few weeks, so keep a look out at our plant centre!