The Layers of Lasagna…Gardening
There are many ways to build a garden bed, and “lasagna” is one of them. No, I’m not talking about that tasty, savory Italian dish we all love! I’m referring to an easy DIY garden bed method that can be used to create a new bed or extend an existing one. This method is great for amending and breaking up our clay-rich soil here in Ohio. It’s also a good way to build soil where contamination might be what’s keeping you from growing your own food.
Lasagna gardening, also known as sheet composting, is a no-till, no dig, organic gardening method that involves layering materials that will, over a period of time, break down into rich soil for your plants. You’re essentially creating a compost bin that will turn into a garden bed.
With lasagna gardening, you don’t spend a lot of money on soil, so it can help decrease your costs. It’s better for the environment, too, because you’re reusing material from your yard and kitchen scraps that would normally end up in a landfill.
There are many recipes to making the famous Italian dish, and there are just as many ways to create a lasagna garden bed.
The first layer is typically cardboard to rid your bed of weeds. Make sure all of the tape and labels are removed from the cardboard you use.
Next comes a layer of high nitrogen followed by a layer of high carbon. Generally, the high nitrogen materials are green and the high carbon materials are brown. There are some exceptions, such as coffee grounds, which are brown in color but are considered to be a green when it comes to composting because they’re high in nitrogen. Some other high nitrogen sources are grass clippings, food scraps and weeds from your yard that have not yet gone to seed. High carbon sources to add to your lasagna bed include wood chip mulch and fallen leaves.
Finally, adding a deep layer of compost on top will help add nutrients and break down the layers beneath it.
Continue to layer your bed, alternating layers, until it is about 6 inches deep. Once done, you can go ahead and plant your crops or wait until spring. This easy method will add or extend existing beds in your garden while saving money and keeping organic matter out of the landfill. No matter how you look at it, lasagna gardening is a win!