Steps to digging a perfect garden trench
Start with laying a garden hose on the ground to define the shape of the new planting area.  The hose will give you a guideline to follow.  You will need to use a sharp digging shovel to dig a v-type trench. 
Select a sharp flat shovel to cut the trench.
Hold your spade at about 45 degrees, with its sharpened head on the edge line. Put your foot on the head and guide it at a 45-degree angle 3 inches into the soil.
Lift out the grass and soil and toss it into your wheelbarrow. Take a step to one side and make another cut and toss to match the first. Continue down the line you’ve drawn until the entire edge is dug out.
The trench should be 3 inches deep, sloping up to 3 inches wide at the top. Let the lawn grow right up to one side, with the garden bed meeting the other side.
 
 
 

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 Mulching, Color and Birth Control
Birth Control for weeds is how you keep the perfect garden without spending countless hours.  Apply 1lbs.of Eptam or Amaze per 10’x10’ garden bed using a Earthway handheld spreader set on 3. Apply mulch to a minimum depth of 3”.  Use 1-3.3 cubic foot bag per 15 sq. feet of bed area. Layout out all annuals, ground cover and perennials as the Garden Made Simple plan indicates spacing on 8” centers as previously described.   Move the mulch back that is under each plant, dig a hole 1 1/2 times the size of the plant and install the plant.  Make sure that the plant is planted 1/2” higher than the existing garden beds.  Mound the soil to make sure that water will drain away from the plant. Water all that plant materials in thoroughly.  This should take around 30 minutes.  Make sure to follow the watering guidelines for additional watering instructions.  

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 Now that you have a little direction for your new garden, working in the garden needs to be enjoyable.  Plan you gardening activities more like you would a picnic or a day at the beach.  Make a list of all the things you’ll need and gather your supplies during the week so you don’t spend your weekend just gathering materials.  Next, you can work on apply roundup after work on Monday or Tuesday because it needs a few days to begin working.  When Saturday roles around, get an early start and work at a steady pace making sure to take breaks and drink plenty of water.  Gardening burns approximately 7-10 calories per minute which is equivalent to jogging.  You can over garden just like over exercising which will result in aches and pains in your entire body the next day.  In the general areas where you are going to install your new garden, clean and remove all debris. If weeds are persistent in the garden, apply round up at 2% solution (typically 2 oz of commercial grade round up  to a gallon of water and apply using a handheld pump sprayer)  Prepare the beds for planting.  Use soil conditioner to prepare the planting mixture incorporating it into the existing soil.  You will need to use 1 bag for every 15 sq. feet.  Make sure the thoroughly work the new soils mixture together with the existing soil using a garden fork. Apply Amaze or Eptam at a rate of 1 lb per 100 sq. feet.  Incorporate the pre emergent herbicide in the upper 2” of the soil by raking with a metal leaf rake.  These products reduce the population of new weeds in the garden.  Add 1.5 pounds of Nursery Special 12-6-6 per 100 sq. feet of bed area.  Apply spreading with a handheld Earthway handheld fertilizer spreader. 

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Begin planting each plant by removing the plant from the container.  Loosen the rootball of the plant by loosening the soil with your hands.  This will stimulate growth.  Dig the hole 1 1/2 times larger than the container.  Make sure to create a small mound on the bottom of the hole. This helps will drainage. Place the plant in the hole and backfill with soil.  Make sure not to plant to deep.  As a rule, plant 1” higher than the soil creating a miniature levee around the plant.  This will make sure the plant is not too deep and help with retaining water.  Repeat this process until all the plants are installed.  Do not install any 4” or 6” annuals, ground cover or perennials at this stage.   Using a metal garden rake, regrade the garden bed to provide positive drainage. 

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