In climates with very long growing seasons, annual beds are often turned over two or three times a year. For example, if you live in a warm region where winters don’t freeze at all, or where they freeze only slightly, you can plant pansies in the fall and enjoy them all the way until May. By then, the pansies are pooped, and you need to replace them with something new. You can complete such a garden renovation very quickly by following these steps:

1. Dampen the soil to make the old plants easy to pull out.
2. Grab the plants close to the soil and pull to get as many of the roots as you can.
   Throw out the roots or toss them into a compost heap, if you have one.
3. Spread a 2-inch layer of compost or composted manure, along with a light dusting of a balanced time-release or organic fertilizer, over the empty section of your bed.
4. Dig or till the bed as needed to mix in the compost and fertilizer, and rake the soil smooth.

You’re now ready to install a new crop of annuals.