Instant Roll Out Flower Gardens

Question: We recently purchased a home and for the first time in our lives my husband and I will have to create and maintain a garden. We want our garden to be as maintance free as possible. A friend told me about a product she'd seen on TV called the Instant Roll Out Flower Garden. Have you heard of this product? If so, would you suggest this for novice gardeners?

Answer: The instant flower mat you describe is a quick and easy way to fill a garden bed because the seeds are already "planted" and all you have to do is roll it out and keep it watered.

The material in which the seeds are encased will act as a mulch once the plants begin to grow and it will help suppress weeds and hold in soil moisture. But, as the organic mat decomposes, weeds will sprout in bare areas. So, it won't be maintenance free, but it will be quick.

You'll still need to prepare the planting bed prior to rolling out your garden, so the new plants will have rich, loose soil. Dig the bed to a depth of 8"-10", add some organic matter in the form of aged compost or aged manure, rake the area smooth, then roll out the mat. Keep the area moist until the seedlings appear, then apply water as the top of the soil begins to dry out. Once the plants are established they can probably get by on one thorough soaking per week. Enjoy your new landscape!