How to Plant a Small Garden Yourself

Planting a small garden is often more challenging for amateur gardeners because they have difficulty choosing just a few plants for the space. By choosing the right plants and forming a strong soil foundation, your small garden will be beautiful all season.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Choosing Plants for Your Small Garden

1. Find which USDA Plant Hardiness Zone you live in and use plants that are best suited for your area. You can find your zone by searching the Internet or asking a garden center employee.

2. Choose a simple design that will fill your space with color but not overpower it.

3. Limit your garden to three colors. Smaller spaces begin to look too busy with a large color palette.

4. Buy a variety of plants to create a space that will bloom throughout the year. Mix annuals with perennials to get immediate color now while allowing your garden to grow and bloom in following years.

5. Talk to a garden center employee to ensure the plants you like will work well together and within the sun and shade conditions of your small space.

6. Use flowers such as violas, pansies, snapdragons and petunias, which often bloom from spring through the fall. Many grasses and foliage also keep their form and color from spring to fall.

Planting Your Small Garden

7. Remove any existing plants that are not a part of your new design. Also remove weeds and noticeable rocks.

8. Mix existing soil with a nutrient-rich garden soil to give plants a proper home. You can find garden soil where plants and flowers are sold.

9. Arrange plants on top of soil before permanently planting them, so you can find the best arrangement in color and size. Visualize where any bulbs or seeds will be planted.

10. Use a small hand shovel to dig holes for the plants. Transfer the plants and bulbs to the holes and cover with dirt.

11. Water your garden often during the plants' early stages, and during dry periods. Continue to care for your space by keeping it free of weeds and pests.

Tips & Warnings

• Dig a hole twice as large as the plant to ensure the soil is loose, giving roots plenty of room to grow.
• Experiment with your small garden. If plants aren't growing correctly, use extra plant food or water to try and wake up the plant.
• Line your space with rocks or decorative fencing to keep it separate from the rest of the lawn and to give your garden a special look.
• Do not get discouraged if your garden looks a little weak in its first year. Many perennials take a couple years to mature. Fill in empty spaces with annuals while waiting for the perennials to take over.

Resources

• Find your Plant Hardiness Zone to get the most from your gardening.