New way to outline beds

Isn't it strange how we stumble across something quite accidentally and wonder why we never thought about it before!!! I feel quite smug this morning!! Hubbie and I started laying out newspapers to do a lasagna garden and I outlined the shape first by placing newspapers around the perimeter of the intended bed!! We put a little soil on the paper to stop it blowing away. It worked so well, so easy to just move a newspaper here or there to get the shape I wanted. For years I have used a hosepipe to do this and it worked OK too except that it took longer. Now hubbie is just finishing off laying paper on the whole bed and covering it with mulch and soil to start with and then I shall begin the process of adding different mediums to build it up. It was such an effortless task I just had to pass it on!! :-)

Louisa, sounds pretty ingenious. I'll have to use that method in my next garden!

Don't know about that Pebble but love the idea of teaching an old dog like me a new trick, especially a labour saving one!! :-)

Are you going to put some kind of border around the bed to keep the soil on top of the newspapers from spreading out? If so, what are you using? I am going to build a bed this way, but I've been stumped as to how to keep the soil in place.

Can someone tell me what a lasagne garden is?
Please. Thanx in advance.

All the best

Wintermoor

Wintermoor this will explain it better than I can, since I always seem to get in a muddle!!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/gardening/gar173.lasagna.shtml

Joan I am going to either use landscape logs sawn up into appropriate lengths so that about six inches can be sunk into the ground (like a row of soldiers) - or I am going to grow plants that will anchor the soil. You could build a dry stone wall too but stone is so expensive. I love slate!! Would that idea appeal to you? Of course, it would last longer than the logs!!

Thanks Louisa. I can't afford to buy that much stone, but I like the idea of cutting up landscaping logs and putting them into the ground. I never thought of doing that. We also have a bunch of dead elm trees in the shelterbelt. Maybe I'll take a look at those and see if they would be suitable for using this way. We need to get them out of there anyway.

Thanks for the tip on the lasagne garden Louisa!!
Isn't it incredible what some people invent, or refine??

Thanks again

Wintermoor

Joan,

Why not cut those elm trunks and large branches into rounds, about 2 or 3 inches thick. Then split them into half moons, and use those for edging?

Another great idea Brook, thanks. I might try both ways and see which works best with the elm trees. I like the idea of using them, since they're cheap and we need to do something with them anyway. I hope to work on this project all weekend, so maybe I'll have a picture soon.

I'm not as far advanced as you Joan. Hubbie is still working on it now and he's been at it for hours!! Hope you make some progress at the weekend and look forward to seeing your pics!! Brook that's another good idea. We have the trees but they are young since this used to be timberland until about 10 years ago!!

No, you are definitely farther along than I am. I'm just going to start on mine this weekend. So far, I just have the beds layed out where I want them, and have the topsoil and amendments bought. (Thanks to my thoughtful DH and Son). I got stuck at that point because I wasn't sure how to keep the soil in. Now I've got ideas, so I'm ready to go. I'm home alone all weekend and I'm gonna play in the dirt. I can't wait.

oops - sent it twice!!

This message was edited Wednesday, May 1st 6:18 PM

Joan I remember you posted a picture of your 'gifts' didn't you!! Lucky you, we still have to do a lot of hauling yet!! I was wondering if I could put down sawdust. I'll have to go back and check the link I posted. Have fun getting dirty then this weekend!! :-)

Louisa, everytime I see a post by you it reminds me of Steel Magnolias, one of my most favorite films ever!

A very good idea for shape design before digging! I saw someone once use spray paint from a can. Ever since, that's how I've planned before I dig. I like spray paint on the grass because, if we don't dig, we cut the grass and the paint is gone. We used this to plan the size of our deck, too. It's really quite handy.

Morph yes I've seen that done over here and a good idea - don't know that my hand would be that steady though and the bed we are doing is in the front of the house. lol I can see it now!! Purplepice I don't know how you came to that conclusion but it's one of my favourite movies too. Maybe you have picked up on me being a bit of a scatterbrain huh!! :-)

Wintermoor,

here is the url to see the visual image of lasagna gardening... http://www.lasagnagardening.com/heck.html

When the book first came out, I rushed to buy it, and then found that I was too ill to do the lasagna garden. But I am a pack rat, and I had already saved newspapers and computer paper boxes by the ton before I saw the book, so I thought I could improvise. I am finally able to pick it up again, and this is what I am doing on my gravelly limestone ridge. I am using some old cedar fence posts for part of it, just placing them on the ground to hold things sort of in place. On another part, I had placed many old roots, logs, stumps, whatever I liked to look at, and I piled the thousands of rocks I "harvested" while digging places to plant, a little here and a little there through the years. So I just let those fill in and soften the outline created by the old posts. At this point, about two thirds of the front border outside the dooryard is outlined, skirting existing planting and forming a wide area for the eventual garden. Within that area, I have placed all manner of cardboard and newspapers on the ground. Then I placed boxes from computer paper into the area, weighted with rocks while they waited to be filled. As I get a plant or group of plants ready to place into the garden, I fill boxes with the proper soil, place the plants into their individual boxes and pile stumps, rocks, whatever is handy and looks right, around the boxes to hide them. Eventually, the entire front border will be a mass of boxes containing plants and filled around with soil, peat and clippings to amend my alkaline soil as it blends, and wandering among the boxes are wildflowers that can survive with little or no care. For now, I can give each plant what it needs, so that new ones needing more water and attention are able to get it without disturbing those more established. The normal "soil" is so porous, moisture is gone within minutes after soaking, and our recent hot summers require something with the ability to retain it longer. Raised beds are expensive to build and I don't want to put all my garden allowance into the beds and still have no flowers. So I am building them more gradually, as the posts and other retainers hold the soil until roots can do the job. My land has a decided slope, and without much effort to stop it, everything washes away and across the highway in the heavy rains we sometimes get. In a way, this is like lasagna beds, but not as instant, nor as expensive.

louisa,if you're going to edge your bed with cut off timbers; we have done the same thing.
We used landscape timbers to the size you want and then hubby drilled a hole in the bottom of the timber and inserted re-bar and that way only the re-bar goies into the ground and not part of the post and it is so much easier then trying to dig a spot for each timber piece. We staggered our heights of the timbers. We have 10in,8in. 6in, and 4in and then the next set would go opposite of that; by the 4in you would have the 6in, then the 8 in. and then the 10 in. and then back down to 8,6,4. Really looks pretty cool. Will send you a picture for you to see if you want. Now if you want them to keep them from moving while mowing or weedeating;on the inside and inbetween the (seams)timber;seal with clear sylicone and that really holds them good.
Makes for a very nice border for your flower beds

This message was edited Thursday, May 2nd 6:53 AM

You clever people CoCo!!! I would never have thought of that. Before I had finished reading your post it did enter my mind that the logs would move but you took care of that also. I've seen them laid out in varying heights and quite like it!! Yes, please send or post a picture. :-)

Thank you for the link, MaVie :-x

Wintermoor

u're welcome Wintermoor :D!

Aimee how in the heck did I miss your message!! I am printing off these valuable tips because I know I will forget all about them if I don't!! I think the idea of planting in boxes is sheer genius!! I do have lots of lumber to spare and stones. I wish you too would post a pic of your achievements!!

louisa,I will see what I can do come this weekend or early next week. Co
CoCoSeed is to come out Saturday so will see if she will bring her digital camera. Hopefully to get a picture posted for you ASAP.

Thanks Coco - no hurry!! How's Melissa doing in her new home? I bet she's over the moon!!

you are all so imaginative and talented. thanks for the read. debi

I have to agree that I do really like Aimee's ideas, too! The boxes are absolutely ingenious! I will use that idea as I continue from here foward in building my garden around our fence.

We go to Canada each summer and the Ontario national rock is a "Puddingstone". We have also been harvesting these throughout the years in many different sizes. Now, I've more reason than any to continue with my fascination of gathering Puddingstones to use in our garden/landscaping.

I love pictures & can't wait to see any that are posted for us all to share!

You'll also find lasagne composting in Gardenology :)

If anyone has any old tarpaper or roofing shingles taking space in storage, it can be used to out-line beds and even between plants. (bugs don't like it)I (rather DH)made a pathway between two rows of tomatoes, so I could go between them and pick,without getting my wheelchair stuck. It's been several years now, and the weeds are creeping through. we will probably lift them, till, and put them back down.thinking of doind some herbs,since I didn't plant many tomatoes this year, only cherry.planted them in one of my raised beds.

Great idea, Tink! We've a good stash of those shingles & will never use them other than for ingenious ideas like yours. Thanks for the idea!

good idea tink!

As far as using trees cut in half, be careful.
My girlfriend used trees and a few years later we were having a dinner party in the yard and lo and behold millions of Termites started hatching and flying out of those logs!!
Needless to say they tore them out right then and replaced them with treated wood.

Good point there!! We keep all our felled wood well away from the house!!

Ew! I guess I won't be using the trees after all. Off I go in search of Plan B. Thanks for the heads up about the termites.

Is shingles safe for the soil? I had thoughts of using them for paths but was told they could contaminate the soil since they have asphalt in them. Mine would be in flower beds so not sure what to do. Any ideas on that???
Sugar

Hey Everybody, I am all ino very natural looking things and so I came up with this idea to border my flower beds this way. Ya know those Pine Cones that are really huge that you can buy at Michael's and other craft stores? Well, my Father has Long leaf (palm pines) on his new property and the pine cones that come from them are even bigger than the one's you can buy. They are about 8 inches tall and pretty fat around. Well, I went to their house and gathered up 2 huge boxes of them and dug a small little trench and lined my front flower bed with those huge pine cones. I have gotten more compliments on that than anything I have ever used. It really does look pretty neat and very natural too! And I noticed a pile of them that had been picked up out of the yard several years ago and they still haven't rotted, so I'm thinking I'll get some long term good use out of them. It just looks so natural and I really like it. Just thought I'd offer a suggestion and I packed mud around them to hold them in place and we just weed eat right up against them and they really stand out and it was all free! On wet days they close up some, but on dry days they are great big and just huge around and tall. Just a neat FREE border that is natural and I will have a steady supply of them even if these decompose over the years. I love it and just thought I'd share an inexpensive natural border for those of you who may have acess to this type of Pine Tree. The neetles on the pine tree are about a foot to a foot and a half long and some even longer, and it does favor a palm. Realy pretty pine tree, since I live in Ga, I thought I'd seen every Pine Tree there was, but this is the first time myself or my Dad, who has lived here all of his life(and is 62 yrs old) has ever seen this type of pine tree. Just wanted to give a good free possible border for those of you who have access to this type of tree! I will post a pic asap!!

Thanks, Traci S

Traci, please do post a pic. I'd love to see it. Are the pine cones maybe from a ponderosa pine? I have tons of those!

What a neat and crafty idea you have there Traci. Now if I just had some of the pine cones around here. Thanks for sharing this idea with us all.

Joan, I am not sure. I looked up Ponderosa Pine and it seems to grow more out West. I looked at several pic's of a Ponderosa and the pic's wern't that good, but it really didn't look like it. When this tree starts a new baby, it comes up about a foot-2 foot tall and is shaped just like a palm. Just one set of needles that actually touch the ground. The needles ae very long and on the pic's of the Ponderosa they didn't look quite long enough to be that. But, if the cones are big enough to use, you should try it. It will also help to keep things (kids, dogs, etc...) out of your flower bed, because they do not want to get poked. I noticed that the other day with my 4 year old neice and my dog!! Haha!! Didn't even think of that. I just love it though. And it does make a nice border. If the cones are big enough from the Ponderosa and you like it or are looking for a border, it is a really great looking and natural one! Now I am curious, so I think I'm gonna call my Extension Office today and see if I can find out what type of pine it is. If anyone does decide to do this, dig a small line in the border and really twist the cone down in there. If the dirt is real dry you may want to wet it a little after you get it dug and get the cones set and push mud up around the bottom of the cone and it helps to hold it in place. These pine cones I used were so strong and didn't break as I was twisting and smashing them. I hope to find out what type of tree this is and if I do I'll let cha know. Anyone interested in trading for some of the pine cones LMK, and maybe we can do a big enough trade to try it!!! The pine cones do not weigh too much, so LMK if you are intersted!

Thanks, Traci S