For those of us without a “green thumb”, growing flowers in outdoor plant beds can be intimidating. In practice, however, it can be a lot easier than you’d imagine if you know tricks that professionals use. Start with a small bed and see how easy it can be!

1. Select a sunny location that is easy to water. Clear a planting bed of grass and weeds by turning the soil and removing as much of the vegetation as possible. Using a weed control product a few days before bed preparation may help in the process. As you will need to water the bed regularly, make sure it is convenient for a hose or watering source.
2. The soil should be amended with organic material to create a fluffy soil that will hold moisture and drain well. A large bag of potting mix will work well for flower soil. You need about a three to four-inch depth of prepped soil.
3. Create a stage on which to plant your flowers. The bed should slope downward toward the viewing area. Creating this slope toward the viewer ensures that every flower in the bed will be visible. If the bed is flat or slopes away from the viewer, only the first row of flowers will be visible.
4. Maximize the impact of flowers. Plant masses of flowers, not just a couple of flowers here and there. Bright colors show best, but don’t show too many different colors. Light colors make beds look bigger and dark colors make them look smaller.
5. Buy flowers from a location that sells lots of them. This will ensure fresh plant material.
6. Planting is simple but here are some important need-to-knows. Plant spacing should be 8” to 10” with small cell pack plants and 12” to 18” with 4” to 6” pots. Set plants in a triangular spacing, starting at the front of the bed and moving toward the back. When done correctly, you can see rows of plants from the primary viewing angle. Fertilize liberally with 100% slow release and leave it on the soil surface.
7. Water and enjoy! Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged, with frequent watering until plants are well established.