Creating a new garden bed – or three – can be expensive. But with the three basics of good gardening, you can ensure your garden thrives for a long time! Those garden basics are aspect, watering and soil.
Spending a small amount of time getting to understand your garden’s most vital support network will always lead to success rather than budget-busting losses.
1. Get the right aspect
Make several visits during the day to the spot where you have or are planning to install a garden bed. Determine where the sun lands in the morning, at noon and in the afternoon.
- North facing: Sun most or all of the day
- South facing: Shade most or all of the day
- East facing: Morning sun, afternoon shade
- West facing: Morning shade, afternoon sun
Check plant labels while you wander around your local nursery – they tell you how much sun or shade a plant needs.
Many plants love all-day sun, especially vegies. Take into account neighbouring buildings or trees – in winter, when the sun is low in the sky, a northerly, all-day sun aspect may be blocked. You may be better off planting spring and summer sun-loving annuals.
Plants that love the shade include understorey plants of woodlands and rainforests. All shapes and sizes of ferns thrive here.
2. Water your plants
Sure, plants need water, but they need it in the root zone, not on foliage and flowers. If you’re establishing a new garden bed, consider installing a drip irrigation system. It delivers water slowly, directly, efficiently and effectively to the roots and you’re not lugging a hose around that may become a trip hazard.
Bear in mind that plants have different water needs. Succulents can cope with long periods of dry soil, as they store excess water in their leaves and/or stems. Many Australian natives have also adapted to cope with the poor water-holding capacities of much of our ancient soil. It’s the exotic plants of Asia and Europe that need a healthy watering regime.
A quick daily sprinkle doesn’t allow water to penetrate deep into the soil, and forces roots to grow near the surface, making plants more likely to topple over. Instead, water deeply and less often.
Twice a week for a month for new plants, then monthly to encourage roots to grow deeper into the soil where it’s cooler and to give your plants more stability.
When to water your plants
Before you water, poke a chopstick into the soil. If it comes out with crumbs of soil attached, there is still moisture in the soil. If it comes out clean, it’s time to water.
Mornings are the best time to water as, after midday, water evaporates before it can soak into the soil. Another advantage is that any water left on the foliage in the morning dries off. That means there are no splashes remaining on leaves which can lead to fungal diseases in plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers or roses.
The second-best time to water is in the evening, but be sure to water the soil, not the leaves. If your land is sloping, water will run to the lowest level, perhaps creating a bog, while soil at the top remains dry. Consider creating level terraces. Pot plants need watering more often than plants in a garden because the potting mix allows water to drain away.
3. Determine your soil type
There are three types of soil:
- Sandy soil – This drains water easily but the water also takes vital nutrients with it.
- Clay soil – This is full of nutrients but it doesn’t drain easily, so roots can drown.
- Loam soil – This is the Goldilocks soil, a mix of sand, clay and silt that’s great in gardens.
To determine what type of soil you have, scoop up a small amount, moisten it and try to make a ball in the palm of your hand. If the soil feels gritty and won’t stay in a ball, you have sandy soil.
If it forms a ball, feels smooth and sticky and can be easily moulded, you have clay. A ball of loam sticks together, feels crumbly but not gritty. Digging organic matter or compost into both sandy and clay soil types improves their quality.
Get the soil pH right
Most plants thrive in a soil that has a neutral pH level (6.5–7.5), but some, such as camellias, roses and azaleas, prefer to grow in a slightly acidic soil, while smoke bush, lilac and oleander like a slightly alkaline soil.
You should test the pH level of your soil after you’ve had tradies around, especially if they’ve worked with cement. Cement contains limestone, clay and sand and the powder may drift onto your garden soil. Lime, sand and sawdust can affect the structure and pH of your soil, too.
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