For a beautiful garden
Have you always dreamt of being the envy of your neighbours, boasting about your well-kept, manicured and beautiful garden? To date, you perhaps have had a daunting task.
Preparing the garden, lawn and landscape and maintaining them is one of the first steps to beautifying your home, and making it picture perfect. The result is a gardening system so simple and carefree that anyone, no matter where he or she lives, can enjoy a beautiful home environment. But how do you prepare the garden, lawn and landscape?
Ann Forrester, supervisor at Nature's Paradise in Kingston, said, "Preparing the garden, lawn and landscape is important for the growth of the plants. The nutrients they need from the soil will be provided with proper fertilisation, and the use of the correct chemicals will protect them from different types of diseases, such as the white fly and fungus." 
If you have decided to undertake the gardening, lawn care and landscaping yourself, then it is important to understand the skills required to build the features in your garden efficiently for financial reasons and safety. This is not just for your safety during construction, but also for the safety of those who will be using the garden. Prices may vary for plants from $60 up, and for tools from $708 plus tax, depending on the brand and where you buy them.
TOOLS NEEDED
- Cutlass
- Fork
- Rake
- Pegs and line
- Shovel, etc
- Hosepipe and sprinklers
STEPS TO PREPARING THE LANDSCAPE
1. Clear the site and mark where the lawn will be situated using pegs and line, then clear the site of any vegetation and large stones. Break up entire surface with a garden fork.
2. Level the surface. This can be best achieved by raking soil from any high spot in the hollows, and firm with your feet as you go.
3. Tread the soil all over to ensure it is evenly compacted. You may need to rake over the surface and to repeat the process up to three times
4. Start at the first edge; roll out the first couple of turfs to form a straight row. Stagger the joints like a brick wall so no two ends match and remember to butt them up tightly to each other. Continue the fashion until the entire area has been covered, ensuring the turf goes at least 50mm or 2 inch over the edges.
5. Firm the turf with the back of the rake to make sure there are no trapped air pockets and brush top dressing into gaps for the best results. Neaten edges to the shape you mark out with your line.
STEPS TO GET YOUR GARDEN GOING
1. Get rid of all weeds and dig the garden.
2. Use granular fertiliser to water plants (buy a general purpose fertiliser).
3. Use one tablespoon to a gallon of water to water the plants.
4. Ensure that roots are covered with topsoil, manure, or NPK granular fertiliser mixed it up in the soil before planting the plants.
WATERING TIPS
- Avoid frequent watering that promotes shallower root systems and weeds (e.g., crabgrass).
- Spread the water uniformly across the lawn, sprinklers vary in distribution patterns, and require spray overlap for uniform coverage.
- Leave a measuring container (empty it once per week) in the yard to help you monitor the amount of rainfall.
- Water in the early morning, before 9 a.m., to reduce evaporation and scorching of leaves.
- Water slowly to avoid run-off and to ensure the soil absorbs the water.
- Regularly check your hose or irrigation equipment for leaks or blockages.
- Collect rainwater from your roof in large containers and keep it covered with an insect screen.
DID YOU KNOW?
When planting vegetables it is best to use seedling trays for a start than planting vegetable seeds in the garden. Get seedling tray, put soil in it, then put seedlings in tray and when they reach a certain height, transfer them to the garden. When placing them into the prepared ground, ensure that the roots are covered.