Hey everyone! I recently bought my first home last year, and I'm excited to start working on my garden. I really want to add some in-ground beds around the outside, but I'm a total newbie when it comes to gardening. I've got a few questions about how to get started:
- How deep should I dig for the beds?
- What kind of soil should I put on top?
- How wide should the beds be?
- Is there anything else I need to know?
Thanks a lot! Here's a picture of my garden for reference: https://imgur.com/a/VvjgT3v
2 Answers
It’s great to hear you're diving into in-ground beds! You actually have two main options for your approach:
1. No dig method - which is less labor-intensive and keeps the soil structure intact. Check out this guide from Charles Dowding for a quick overview!
2. Digging - which involves turning over the soil and amending it, as explained here in another guide. I really recommend both methods; they have their benefits!
If your home is a new build, you might need to bring in good quality topsoil and compost, as many new builds have poor soil underneath. Ideally, aim for at least 10 cm of good soil to work with, as what’s underneath can sometimes be just rubble.