If you’re going to be growing directly in the ground, whether in raised beds or traditional beds, then now is the time to give your soil some TLC for the season ahead. To do that, follow the simple steps below, ideally in early/mid April before planting in late April/May.
Pull up established weeds
By established weeds, we mean weeds that have a proper root system and are larger than a seedling. This job is best done when the soil is not too hard so that it is easier to work with. You may need to use a hand fork, or a bigger fork if the bed is very overgrown, to carefully loosen the soil around roots of weeds so that you can pull them up intact. The idea is to get the weed and the root up to prevent it from re-sprouting.
Hoe weed seedlings
This is an easier job, to remove the baby weeds that haven’t yet established themselves – you’re looking for those teeny tiny two to three-leaf seedlings. On a dry day when the sun is out, run a hoe across the soil’s surface and they should get uprooted fairly easily. You can then leave them at the very surface, uprooted, and they will dry out and die in the sunshine.
Remove large stones and break up clumps
You can do this either by digging over the bed with a garden fork, or if the soil is already in reasonably good condition, by simply raking it over. For those who prefer not to dig (see our articles below on no-dig), just use the rake.
Add compost, or well-rotted manure
Adding compost to the soil really helps to boost the nutrients and to condition the soil/improve soil texture. This is a step that is definitely not worth skipping! You can either add a layer of compost over the top of the soil, as a mulch, which can help to prevent weed build up, or you can dig it in.
Cover with cardboard or polythene until planting time
Covering the bed once it is ready is a good idea as it will prevent new weeds from taking hold, and also helps to warm the soil so that when it is time for planting, the plug plants have lovely warmth which will help them to grow faster.
