In order to make a garden you will need a pick-ax, shovel, rake, hoe and fertilizer. First, you must choose where the garden will be located. If you live in a hilly area, the base of the hill is the most desirable place because the water erodes the top soil on the hill down to the bottom, making it very fertile. If the area is flat, anyplace is good if it's not too "clayish" and fairly close to water.
The next step is to clear away any weeds. The hoe is well suited for this task. If the weeds are stubborn in coming out, soak the soil overnight. This will soften the earth and the weeds will come out easily. After this, the soil must be tilled. Chop the dirt up with the pick-ax and turn it over with the flat edge of the shovel and re-till the soil once again. If there are no more dirt clods, add the fertilizer. It is best to mix one part fertilizer with three parts dirt. Smooth the soil out with the rake. Dig out trenches around the garden plot, parallel to each other. Make them approximately two feet apart and throw the dirt onto the garden, raising the elevation to create beds. The beds should be about eight inches above the trenches. Smooth the beds out with the rake.
Now you are all set to plant! If you are planting seeds, make two rows in each bed. Plant the seeds anywhere from ten to eighteen inches apart, depending on the type of seeds. Dig the holes 1/4 of an inch deep and 1/2 inches wide. Gently cover it up with the rake. Do not pack the soil down. Water everyday lightly. If it is desired, you can cover the bed with burlap to retain moisture but it should be removed as soon as the sprouts appear. If you are planting already sprouted plants, it saves all the hassle of waiting for the seeds to sprout.
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