How do you turn a bad garden good?

I have this patch of dirt in my backyard meant for gardening, however it is an awful place to garden (for now at least). The dirt in unfertile, there are weeds everywhere, and it's the most popular rabbit hangout spot. Help!!!! what do i do!!!



thanks SO much for the help!!!!!!!

How do you turn a bad garden good?
clean up the weeds - if they are not wanted.



Figure out the sun pattern - and what kind of plants will do best. DavesGarden.com may help you determine what will like your garden spot best. There is always a plant that will enjoy a spot.



Rabbits? You can find lists online that will tell you what deters them such as Lavender, Yarrow, Columbine, Thyme, Hyssop, Bee Balm, Sage, Mints....this list grows easily :) These plants I have luck with and I am in the middle of no mans land :) Plenty of rabbits %26amp; deer yet they don't seem interested in these plants. These also have some great uses so we are all happy!
Reply:Rent a rototiller or have someone come in and do it for you - it should be fairly cheap either way. Unless you have good strong wrists and arms, you don't want to double-ditch the ground by hand with a shovel. If possible, add a bunch of compost before the rototilling, or shovel it in and turn it over with a shovel after the rototilling. You might want to add in some manure too. Ideally, you'd get your soil analyzed by a state or county extension agency to see if it's acidic or alkaline and take add chemicals to create the ph you want.



Then, put up a rabbit-proof fence that can't be chewed through and is buried 1-2 feet into the earth. Then you can start thinking about actually planting something.



Your other option is to just build some raised beds (frame with natural timber, brick, stone, or concrete) on top of that soil and fill them with some decent fill and compost. But you'll still need the rabbit fence if they're an issue for you.



If you rototill and plant in the same soil, the weed seeds will still be there and might grow through your garden, whereas if you plunk some raised beds on top, you'll mostly smother whatever is already growing there.
Reply:unless its in full sun forget it if so cut down the weeds cover the area with a full piece of plastic weight down the edges let the ground salaries for about two weeks take off the plastic put down about one inch of good compos do not till and start planting
Reply:till the ground pull the weeds and plant something you'll be surprised try tomatoes and squash for starters
Reply:Every garden spot can turn bad or rather tired, I think. That is why I will rotate my plants year to year.



I started early in the year, (Feb) depending on where you live, and work up the spot where you want to plant. Add topsoil, peat moss if you have lots of clay, and some kind of nutrients like a Miracle Grow product.



Then I let the soil rest till spring planting times depending on what you want to grow.



For your critters, you may have to place netting or fence your garden to keep them out, otherwise, tilling the soil, pull up the weeds, add topsoil, mix, plant, water, and enjoy.



There are lots of help with gardening tips from your local garden centers, who can show you the things to do.
Reply:You can turn a bad garden spot to a good garden spot. First you need to roto till the garden. You you don't have a tiller, it is best to rent a tiller for a day or two. It is a lot cheaper to buying a roto tiller. Tilling the garden will break up the soil. Aerating it and the weeds adds organic matter to the soil.



You should then test the PH of the soil, The soil's pH is best at between 6 to 6.9 for vegetables and about 5.5 to 6.9 for flowers. You can get a pH testing kit from your local hardware store. You can take the soil sample to your state Cooperative Extension and they will be able to test the soil for pH, nutrients, and even toxic chemicals. There is a fee to test your soil.



To add nutrients. manure from cattle is the best way to add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Another way to add nutrients to the soil is use garden soil from a hardware store or a chain store such as Wal-Mart. Till the manure or garden soil into the soil. Compost is good, you can make it by building a compost bin. you can put any plant matter into it such as grass clippings, kitchen waste (no meat, eggs)



For the rabbits, it is best to buy a fence that will keep rabbits out. Your local hardware store should have a garden fence to keep rabbits out of the garden.



With the tips, you can turn bad garden dirt into the good, rich garden soil that your plants will thrive.
Reply:pull all the weeds out and buy some old rail way sleepers and put around as a garden bed then put potting mix and new plants in and wallah a new stuning garden p.s. after a month fertilise

ljuliano11s