lasagna gardening advice, please

OK, so if I start with wet newspapers (three layers), then a layer of coffee grounds (is 2 inches enough, more than necessary?), and then old hay I've cleaned up around my round bale ring, can I use fairly fresh horse manure and then some topsoil, and still plant right away, or would I have to wait until fall or so? Can't wait to get started.

I have read on other forums many, many people say they have grown well in that right away - even tho technically u might expect nitrogen to get tied up. Try it and tell us!!

Well, what I'm worried about is the manure burning the plants. Is that what you're talking about?

There is a lengthy discussion about lasagna gardening few months ago.

Bellie

I'm not sure it's the same problem but I have hear that too fresh manure can do that. One thing I have seen is where the lasagna gardener uses actual soil but just in the holes where he's planting. Then the other lasagna layers don't have quite as much impact on the plants until the layers have time to decompose a bit.

Bellie is right that u can google and find long threads On lasagna gardening I various garden forums.

Thank you both. On to more reading. lol

Here's a link to an in-depth article about lasagna gardening from Mother Earth News:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1999-04-01/Lasagna-Gardening.aspx

Yes, Honeybee, very interesting. Thanks for the link.