Lasagna gardening, a term that brings to mind both the kitchen and the garden, is a no-till, no-dig gardening method that offers a simple and effective way to prepare soil for planting. This method, named for its layering technique similar to making a lasagna, is gaining popularity among gardeners for its ease and sustainability.
Lasagna gardening is about creating a garden bed from scratch by layering organic materials. This method is especially appealing because it doesn’t require you to remove existing sod or weeds. Instead, you layer materials on top of them, effectively smothering any undesirable plants and turning them into compost in place.
The process starts with a layer of cardboard or thick layers of newspaper laid directly over the area you’ve designated for your garden. This base layer acts as a weed barrier, blocking light and suppressing the growth of grass and weeds underneath. It also attracts earthworms which are essential for healthy soil. Ensure the cardboard or newspaper is thoroughly wet down to help it break down faster.
Next, you start building your layers, much like assembling a lasagna. The first layer should consist of a nitrogen-rich green material, like grass clippings, vegetable scraps, or coffee grounds. This is followed by a layer of carbon-rich brown material, such as dry leaves, straw, or shredded newspaper. These layers should be alternated, with each layer being a few inches thick. The idea is to balance green and brown materials, akin to balancing nitrogen and carbon in traditional composting.
One of the great benefits of lasagna gardening is that it can be started at any time of the year. If you start your garden in the fall, it will have all winter to decompose, and by spring, you’ll have a bed of rich, loose soil ready for planting. If you start in the spring or summer, you can plant in your lasagna garden immediately; just make sure to add a layer of finished compost or potting soil on top where you will be planting.
As the layers decompose, they create an incredibly rich, aerated, and loose soil structure that’s excellent for plant roots. This method also improves drainage and helps retain moisture, which is beneficial for plant growth. Furthermore, as the materials decompose, they feed the soil with nutrients, reducing the need for additional fertilizers.
Lasagna gardening is not just an effective way to create new garden beds; it’s also a form of recycling. It allows you to make use of kitchen scraps, yard waste, and even old newspapers, turning what would be waste into a resource for your garden. It’s a sustainable, eco-friendly approach that nurtures the soil while reducing waste.
Lasagna gardening is a simple, sustainable, and efficient way to prepare your garden bed without the hard labor of traditional methods. It’s an approach that is both friendly to the environment and to the gardener, providing a fertile ground for plants to thrive and turning gardening into a more enjoyable and less labor-intensive activity. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, lasagna gardening is an excellent technique to consider for your next gardening project. We use Lasagna Gardening in the community garden, feel free to swing by The Gathering Garden in Mount Gilead at the corner of W Allenton St and School St, if you want to discuss gardening with us, you can find out more about or workdays on our facebook page.
In these weekly columns, I will share the science of gardening and so many more interesting tidbits. Check back here every week for tailored Montgomery County garden advice, sharing our garden updates, and more.
Let’s grow together!
This article was originally published in the Montgomery Herald and is reused here with permission by Mary Poplin.