Your labor to get the bed established will pay harvest dividends for years to come. You won’t be able to grow tomatoes in shade, but many other plants (e.g., ferns and hostas) love it. 10-step plan to make a new garden planting bed… How to Prepare a New Garden Bed. Most plants like a somewhat neutral pH, 6.2 to 6.8, but some are even more particular than that. Areas of your garden that are slightly lower will retain more moisture or you may need to plan to provide irrigation to get consistent growth. 2. 'Joncia' has over a hectare of garden and although most of us don't have such a large space to use the general principles of garden bed design fit gardens all sizes. Mainly, preparing a new garden bed means preparing the soil. When designing your garden plan, you don’t have to get bogged down in details, listing every plant by name. How to Construct a Raised Planting Bed. A raised planting bed is a large planting box or enclosed garden bed that's elevated slightly above ground level. Start with a small plot at first, and carefully plan where you want your crops to grow. 2. There is an exception to the plant 3 or more plants rule. Figuring out what plants to grow in your raised garden beds will depend on what you like to eat. Usually, only back of the border plants can stand alone. If you have sunny, spacious backyard, you could soon be growing fresh, tasty vegetables from a garden of your own. Raised beds can be as humble or creative as you like. Raised garden beds are the fastest, ... there’s no better way to make it a reality than with a raised garden bed. It also means that even with a 5"-high raised bed, your plants will think they're growing in a bed that's 12-18" deep — plenty of room for carrots, potatoes, full-size tomato plants and most any other vegetable you'd ever want to grow. Steps: 1. Evergreen Garden Care, manufacturer and distributor of a broad range of lawn and garden care products such as plant fertilisers, lawn fertilisers, herbicides & pesticides. If you are growing plants from the nursery, check the plant tag for specifics. Mainly, preparing a new garden bed means preparing the soil. Fill the bed with good-quality potting soil or compost, and rake the surface smooth and level. Meaning it has a stair-step appearance. The procedure can be long and exhausting, especially if done manually, but the rewards will be worth it if you take the time to do it right. Use a garden trowel to dig holes for plants no deeper than the root ball. Use a garden trowel to dig holes for plants no deeper than the root ball. Also consider the plants… It is actually two-tier. Use the paint to mark of the location of the garden bed. Pull the plants from their pots, and loosen compacted roots by hand. Use a garden trowel to dig holes for plants no deeper than the root ball.