Dirt Therapy: Garden Bed Prep for the Semi-Sane Mom

By Lena, Blue Collar Green Thumb

I don’t always have time to meditate or do yoga — but give me 30 minutes alone in the garden with my gloves and a pitchfork, and I come back a better person. Or at least less likely to yell when someone leaves their socks in the kitchen.

Every spring, I prep our raised garden beds like it’s a sacred ritual... because it kind of is. And it starts with dirt.

Step 1: Pull the Junk

First things first — I get in there and pull out the old plants, weeds, and mystery items my kids left behind last fall (Hot Wheels, Pokémon cards, one flip-flop… standard stuff).

Pro tip: Keep a bucket or wheelbarrow nearby so you don’t end up with little dirt piles all over your yard like some overcaffeinated squirrel.

Step 2: Fluff It Up

I grab a garden fork and loosen the top 8–10 inches of soil. No need to till like it’s a cornfield — just enough to let air and water move through again. If the dirt is compacted like a brick, I get in there and work it loose.

Think of it like fluffing your couch cushions, but with more earthworms.

Step 3: Feed the Dirt

Plants are like kids — they’re picky and they eat a lot. I mix in a couple shovels of aged manure (store-bought, don't panic), some bagged organic soil, and a little slow-release veggie fertilizer.

I just sprinkle and mix like I’m tossing a salad for giants. No compost in our setup — too many raccoons and not enough time.

Step 4: Water the Bed

I give the whole bed a slow soak with the hose. Not a flood — just enough to moisten the soil and help it settle before planting. If you water it and it turns into soup, you’ve gone too far. Back away and wait a day.

Step 5: Call It Good

At this point, the garden beds are officially ready. I usually reward myself with a coffee on the porch and stare at the yard like I’m a queen surveying her kingdom.

Planting comes next, but for now — victory.

Want to know what I’m planting this year? Spoiler: tomatoes (again), snap peas, and probably zucchini because I never learn.