Any ideas on how to start a garden for a beginner?

Small garden space with not much time to tend to garden.

Any ideas on how to start a garden for a beginner?
i will try not to overwhelm you.. clear out the space.. mix in some top soil and or manure.. chicken and steer i find are some of the best..its that easy to prep the soil.. now if you want anything in there.. bird bath etc, plan on where you want to put that b4 planting.. now just go pick some plants.. hint.. perennials (stays all year.. where annuals you have to plant every year) need less tending to. when you go to the nursery, before you buy, make sure the plant is the size you want.. height.. width.. dont over crowd.. annuals are a bit more colorful, if this something you do want.. keep the edges or just a small part for these.. good luck!
Reply:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Practical-Guide-...
Reply:I would suggest that you wait until Spring, especially if the area you are talking about will be a new garden. The ground will much softer in the spring and easier to rototill (or cultivate by hand since it's such a small area) and amend the soil.





Between now and then it is recommended that you have the soil tested to find out what ammendments you need to make. You can carry a jar of the soil to your local Co-Op or Garden Center and they will be glad to test the soil and tell you what you need to add to it.





In all honesty I've never had my soil tested, although I have been meaning to. The soil in my area has a lot of clay in it, so I have amended it with sand, organic humus (bought at Wal-Mart....good stuff), and peat moss (takes a while to do it's thing which is to condition the soil). In the spring, I work in a granular fertilizer (Osmocote 14-14-14) which keeps working for 4 months.





So lets jump ahead to Spring, you've gotten your bed ready and now it's time to plant. Which plants? You will need to determine if this area is sun or shade. If shade, some easy plants are: impatients, coleus, lily turf (monkey grass....for border), and azaleas (a little tempermental at first, but easy once established). For sun: Marigolds (pineapple crush), Zinnias, Lantana, Petunias, the list goes on and on really. Check out Better Homes and Gardens website (www.bhg.com) for a data base of plants and lots of garden designs. Click on the Garden tab. The plant database is under Plant Finder. It will tell you all the plants needs and if it's ok for you zone.





Now, you selected your plants and planted them. Let's deal with how you will water them through the summer. Bedding plants need about an inch of water per week (give or take depending on temperatures). So you can either use a spinkler, hand water, or my personal favorite a soaker hose. If you choose to use a soaker hose now is the time to lay it in the bed. Meander it between your plants approx. 6" from them. Running you hoses 20 - 40 mins (depending on the bed size and water pressure) twice a week will give your plants the water they need. You can even put a timer on your faucet if you choose.





Now it's time to mulch. Mulch is important in order to keep grass and weeds to a minimum. You can use pine or hardwood mulch, pine straw, leaves, etc. Make sure you place a layer of mulch 3" thick or optimum weed/grass control (this will also cover your soaker hoses).





Ok, this may seem a little labor intensive at first, but all the work you do in the spring will have great rewards during the summer (with very little work for you to do). Now all you need to do is sit back and enjoy your beautiful garden.