Lasagna Gardening 101
Lasagna and gardening. Who knew the two could have anything in common?
Lasagna gardening is an organic gardening method that uses a layering system that harkens back to the classic pasta dish we all know and love.
If you’re looking to increase your crop yield, do less work, and deal with fewer weeds and pests – then keep on reading! We’ll give you the scoop on lasagna gardening, its many benefits, and how you can start one for yourself.
What is Lasagna Gardening?
A less labor-intensive way to garden, lasagna gardening (also referred to as lasagna composting or sheet composting) utilizes a layered garden method to help fertilize and grow plants.
The idea is that by layering garden beds with standard compost materials such as cardboard, kitchen scraps, and yard waste, you’ll create light, fluffy, nutrient-rich soil.
We understand that space can be limited when making a lasagna garden. Fortunately, with urban gardening becoming increasingly popular, you can easily grow a garden fit to scale for your particular situation.
For more on gardening in the concrete jungle, feel free to check out some of our tips on how to start an urban garden.
What are the Benefits of a Lasagna Garden?
Lasagna gardening requires no digging and no-tilling. It’s also great for the environment and is entirely eco-friendly and organic. It has many other benefits, too, including:
The ability to plant in practically any location that’s flat and sunny.
The option to use on-hand materials and make it any size or height you want.
Significantly less weed growth due to the layers of cardboard in your garden.
A lack of toxic fertilizers thanks to the nutrient-rich compost.
Little need to work the soil except for planting and harvest time.
An easy way to compost materials from your kitchen and yard.
No need to water as often since compost effectively retains that life-giving H2O.
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of this gardening method, we recommend checking out gardening guru Patrica Lanza’s book on lasagna gardening.
How to Set Up a Lasagna Garden
Most homesteaders are busy all year round, but the best time to start a lasagna garden, in particular, is during the fall.
This is because there’s more yard waste lying around, such as leaves, grass, and sticks. Plus, you can let your compost marinate all winter long, providing fresh, moist soil come spring.
Alright, let’s build this thing.
Tools you will need:
Gardening hoe
Gardening gloves
Gardening hose
Materials you will need:
Enough cardboard or newspaper to layer the size of your desired garden.
Organic materials such as coffee grounds, tea leaves, fruit and vegetable scraps, grass, straw, leaves, sticks, and garden trimmings.
Logs, stones, bricks or other preferred materials for boxing in your garden.
Seeds or plants of your choosing.
Twine, string, or chalk.
Instructions:
First and foremost, when it comes to lasagna gardening, you’ll want to make a blueprint of your garden with twine, string, or chalk. Start by outlining the width and length of your garden and make rows as you see fit. We recommend placing your garden on a flat surface with good sun exposure. You can box in your lasagna garden raised beds with logs or stones to hold the materials in place and prevent them from growing wild.
Next, begin your first lasagna layer by placing down cardboard or paper. This will suppress any weeds and prevent them from corrupting your garden in the future.
Use your organic compost materials to make several layers. Alternate between using 2- inches of dry, brown materials (leaves, straw, sticks, coffee grounds, and tea leaves) and 4-8 inches of fresh green material (grass clippings, garden trimmings, fruit and vegetable scraps). Hoe the materials in each layer together and don’t forget to water them as you go.
Do this until your bed is at least 2 feet tall. Finish your final layer with straw and leaves and hose it down with water.
Wait for the materials to shrink and decompose. In most cases, this can take up to several months. The key is for the materials to become similar to compost. The materials should stay moist (not wet) to decompose properly. If you find your garden becomes dry, water it with a hose.
Once your soil has decomposed and is soft, plant your seeds accordingly.
Over time you’ll need to maintain your garden by adding a layer of straw, grass, or leaves. Aside from that, care for it like you would your normal garden by weeding and watering it.
Additional Tips
If you decide to make a lasagna garden during the warmer months, be sure to consider adding some compost or topsoil in between your raised garden bed soil layers to help set the garden up for success.
Add a few inches of compost or topsoil before planting. This will ensure proper soil structure and increase the soil’s ability to hold nutrients.
If you’re currently raising chickens or plan to in the future, chicken manure makes for excellent compost material as well.
If you plan to make multiple raised lasagna garden beds, consider making a path in between each for easy access. By using cardboard under mulch in between your paths, you can prevent walking upon a muddy mess in the future.
Here’s a short video that will give you an idea of how simple it is to make a lasagna garden.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCyum7tPMP0
Are you Ready to Try Lasagna Gardening?
The lasagna gardening method is a dream come true for beginners and advanced gardeners alike. With little to no maintenance and no digging required – who wouldn’t want to give it a try?
Have you tried lasagna gardening? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!