Landscape Bed Preparation: Mounds, Fabric, and Soil Mix

Front yard bed preparation for shrub planting: fabric optional, soil drainage critical, Roundup requires 2-week wait.

Mound Construction

• Fabric: Personal choice — helps contain soil on slopes, not required.
• Soil mix: Any well-draining topsoil — peat moss optional.
• Drainage: #1 priority for shrubs — test by filling hole with water.

Roundup Protocol

• Apply to existing vegetation.
• Wait 14 days before planting.
• Ensures complete kill and herbicide degradation.

Pre-Planting Checklist

1. Kill existing vegetation (Roundup + 2 weeks).
2. Grade for drainage (slope away from foundation).
3. Amend soil if needed (compost for clay, sand for compaction).
4. Install fabric if on slope or over tree roots.
5. Add soil to desired mound height.
6. Plant shrubs at correct depth (root flare visible).
7. Mulch 2-3 inches.

Drainage is the non-negotiable — everything else is adjustable.