How do I go about transforming my plain lawn into a beautiful garden for this time next year?

Question

I want to do flowers and veg, and preferably to start now.

Answer 1

First find out what type of soil you have eg acid/alkali clay etc.
On paper plan out how you want to split up the garden. eg Will the lawn be square with plants along all 3 sides?
Do you want to build a small raised bed for plants?
Do you want bushes/shrubs?
Do you want plants to climb up the fencing or walls of the garden?
It will depend on the size of your garden, your budget and how much effort you want to put into it. Plan it on paper where you want everything. Remember to keep track where you get the sunlight from so you do get large plants casting a shadow on most of the garden. You can start the designing, building work now and leave the planting till after Easter next year. Good luck

Answer 2

Ask yourself some questions about the design and use of the space before you begin.
What besides gardening needs to be done in the yard? Who will be doing the work. Where is the water source?
What time of day is garden most used, and by whom?
Will it be used year round or on summer weekends only?
What family and friends may visit?
How much time and energy will be available for maintenance?
Where will tools, toys, and garden furniture be stored?
Is a particular style of garden desired? Formal or informal?
How will the company use be integrated with family use?
Is there a particular view or landscape feature you like? Is it visible from the house while seated? Do you like what your windows frame? Is there something to hide or to incorporate in the view beyond your yard.
Where does the sun strike first? Many pants do best with morning sun to dry their leaves if they are mildew prone. Is there a location that gets sun more than 8 hours for the vegetables?
Will you do a cottage garden that
is based more on utiliity than style?
Do you have spaces for trellises to support squash, peas and beans that do best off the ground.
Soil tests are done by county extension agents or they can be done by mail anywhere. A soil test will save a lot of guessing because you will know exactly how much to add to your soil to get the right pH and to amend its fertility.
http://anlab.umesci.maine.edu/

Answer 3

best is if you have a compost pile or start one where you want the garden to grow...bulbs are available through the fall planting them now will definately give you a start to a beautiful garden! When you dig up the dirt for your garden, look for grubs and what type of bugs are in the soil...grubs turn to beetles that eat everything. All kinds of fertilizers out there but your soil is all you have to produce a great garden...you could dig it out now and rototill come spring it would be easier than doing it then..fertize away!

Answer 4

Why don't you start by making a little plan of roughly what you want. When you have done that start marking out your borders and lifting the turf, you can then start to incorporate organic matter and feeding into the soil while digging it over. During digging you can start to think about what to plant and start buying the plants, you will have a beautiful garden in no time.
Good luck.

Answer 5

There are a variety of Top solis that help, but any will do as long as its deep enough to plant flowers 5-10 inches deep. Miracle grow is good soil as well as one called Black Magic. Buy you some "clearance" flowers that come back each year, fertilize and read directions for seasonal planting. Lowes usually has history and seasonal data with each plant they sell. Good luck.

Answer 6

placed previous newspapers (a minimum of three layers deep) over the backyard you elect to kill. Weight down the papers with sand, rocks, or regardless of to maintain the papers in place. The time will variety yet at last, like in each week or 2, all the grass would be ineffective and could seem ineffective. then you definately can turn over and ruin up the sod devoid of the grass coming back. in case you elect to speed the technique, hire or borrow a roto tiller and ruin up the sod. then %. with the aid of it with a backyard rake removing the sod. this is far less thorough and a few grass will return. happy gardening.

Answer 7

Move to a new house formerly owned by a very keen gardener, not too long before this time next year!!

Answer 8

Hi,
A good online resource about grape growing: http://www.goobypls.com/r/rd.asp?gid=419
Best

Answer 9

AHEM....HOW MUCH YA WILLING TO SPEND?