noob question #1 (more to come!)

bencoombes 4/29/2012, 1:40 pm

Did my first SFG last year, turned out good until it got way hot and I got way busy. Thin had lack of water problems! LOL Seems I start the year out with good intentions! Better last year than any other time that i have tried to garden! So my question #1 is preparing the beds for the new starts, do I turn them over with a shovel or just where I am planting? ( I could look this up in the book, but then I wouldn't have a #1 to post! Very Happy

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**camprn** 4/29/2012, 1:55 pm

bencoombes wrote:Did my first SFG last year, turned out good until it got way hot and I got way busy. Thin had lack of water problems! LOL Seems I start the year out with good intentions! Better last year than any other time that i have tried to garden! So my question #1 is preparing the beds for the new starts, do I turn them over with a shovel or just where I am planting? ( I could look this up in the book, but then I wouldn't have a #1 to post! )

Welcome to the forum.
I usually pull out any old debris, pile on some compost and use a garden fork to mix it in. Then level it and apply the grid. Very Happy

Chopper 4/29/2012, 1:55 pm

If you have no grids on them now, you can dump some compost in them an mix it in a bit. If you have permanent grids just add a trowel full square by square. And consider a timer on your hose and a sprinkler or a drip system.

**gwennifer** 4/30/2012, 12:16 pm

Hi bencoombes and welcome to the forum! Glad you decided to come out with a question. I agree with the others. If you have a permanent grid, you'll have to mix in your new trowel of fresh compost square by square. Of course, you only have to do the squares you're currently planting. If you're re-planting the whole bed, it's much easier if your grid can come off.

I'm right with you on the intentions. Every time I buy a hanging flower basket I quickly tire of climbing a stool every day to water it (twice a day when it's upper eighties and above). By August I'm promising myself I won't buy one next year.

Let us know when you're ready with question #2! noob question #1 (more to come!) 61949

quiltbea 4/30/2012, 12:33 pm

Welcome to the forum. I agree with the others.

If the grid is off and you want to get it all done in one fell swoop, just add about 2-3 inches of compost to the top of the whole bed, rake it in, smooth it over (tamp it with the back of the rake or a hoe), and then mark your grid. You don't have to double dig or dig deep. The less deep you dig the fewer weeds. Its the digging that brings up the dormant weed seeds.

Or you could put on your grid, then as you plant each new seedling or sow seeds in a square, you can remove about 3-4 inches of soil (I put mine in a kiddy beach sand bucket so it doesn't get absorbed by the surrounding soil), add a trowel or 2 of compost, mix the garden soil back into it, smooth it out, then do what you do to plant a plant or sow your seeds.

I hope your year improves this year.

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