Make a New Garden Without a Rototiller

You don’t need a rototiller to make a new garden. We used a no-till method to create a 17' x 8' oval flower garden on the northeast side of the Alexandria Historical Society building. If you have a few of the right items, a little time and a little labor, our method will work for you, too. In the process, you’ll improve your soil, minimize soil compaction, discourage weeds, improve water retention, and create an inviting environment for beneficial soil microorganisms.

First, pick out the site. Knowing the exposure to sunlight over the growing season will allow you to choose the best plants for the environment. To get an idea how much of each type of plant you will need, mark and measure the size of the plot you plan to develop.

Now gather a supply of newspaper large enough to cover the entire garden area with a layer six sheets thick. Collect the black print pages only, no shiny inserts.

Have access to a large amount of composted manure or other finished compost. If you don’t make your own, you can purchase it bagged from a local garden supply center, or in bulk from a nearby compost facility. The UNH Cooperative Extension fact sheet Purchasing Compost contains a list of New Hampshire composting facilities. Many New Hampshire towns produce leaf-and-yard-waste compost at their local solid waste facilities and give it away to residents.

Finally, you’ll need a layer of topsoil (any ordinary dirt will do) and a two-inch layer of organic mulch: pine needles, shredded leaves, grass clippings, or shredded bark. When you’ve collected all the above items and have a nice day with rain expected overnight, it is time to start the new garden.

If the grass has started to grow, mow it very close. Then lay six sheets of newspaper over every speck of the ground. The paper will block the light and prevent the grass or any weeds from growing. Wetting the paper as you go will make it stay where you put it.

Then spread two or three inches of the compost over the damp newspaper. On top of that goes an inch or two of dirt, topped off with a layer of mulch.

Now just sit back for a month and let nature take over creating a ready-to-plant garden. The time is essential for the earthworms and other organisms from the soil and compost that live in the ground to begin decomposing the various organic items. While you are busy planning what to plant, they will be working to prepare your planting bed.

Whether you plant annuals for season-long flowers, or perennials for long-lasting structure, having the plants in mind and knowing their requirements before you go to the garden center to buy them will ensure a better outcome.

Although annuals are easy to raise from seed, with a new garden it makes more sense to start with plugs or transplants. Use a plant catalog or book to find out how big your plants will become, so you’ll give them enough room and so you don’t buy too many.

Lay out your design beforehand. Set tall plants in the back if you’re planning a border garden, or a garden that will be seen from only one side. If your garden is along a path, placing small plants in front will allow taller plants behind them to be seen. Just try to imagine how you want it to look.

When the month has gone by, your new garden bed should be ready for digging. Use your small spade to make the three-inch-deep holes to receive your transplants or plugs. (Plugs are what the little started plants are called. You “plug” them into the soil and they grow into a big plant.)

Make sure to give your plants enough space to allow them to grow. Wait until any chance of frost has passed in your area—in central New Hampshire that typically means after Memorial Day. Covering tiny plants with newspaper or old sheets every night to protect them gets tiring quickly, and you risk losing everything to a frost.

After preparing our garden plot, we laid out our plants like a braided rug: nine bright pink geraniums in the center with 18 dark coleus plants circling them. An outer circle of 30 yellow French marigolds completed the rug effect. The colors were effective, the plants were happy, and we were able to over-winter the geraniums for the next year. When the frost threatened in the fall, we removed the plants and put in daffodil and crocus bulbs. It gave a great start to the garden the next spring.

So, give a new garden a try. Almost any color or type of plants will work. Just consider how much less work your garden can be if you let nature help you do it without a rototiller.

By Judith A. Kraemer, UNH Cooperative Extension Master Gardener