Lasagna gardenning

I kept hearing you talk about lasagna gardening. So I looked into it and decided it sounded like what I needed to do to establish a new bed where there were some small rocks. And it sounded easy because there was no need to dig into the original soil. I read that newsprint on rolls was the best because there is no ink. Was I surprised about the easy part. Have you ever tried to handle one of those rolls of newprint? Anyway I'm committed to finishing it but the recipe calls for sphagnum peat moss to be used between layers. A large bag cost $18. Is there anything that can be used in place of that? If I use manure, won't I get unwanted seeds in the garden. At the nursery they told me to use seedless hay for that reason.

Seedless hay is straw. Just ask for straw.

Hey GOLDDOG - I thought that straw was what was left when the oats went through the thrashing machine. Perhaps I date myself.

BIRD

Barbur - the spagnum peat shouldn't be that expensive. Are you sure you're looking at the right stuff?? It's not the long fibered spagnum moss that's used for hanging baskets and topiaries. It's the milled Canadian Peat... it comes in big 7 cu. ft. bales for about $8-10. If you can't find it cheaper then omit it. There's no rule of thumb when it come to a lasagna bed. Use what you have aaccess too and what's cheap to get. Shredded bark would be a good alternative.

I made a couple this past summer with huge cardboard boxes that I get at work. They're used on pallets to hold mail bundles. They sure were a lot easier to use than newspaper.

Hi BIRD, (after several days of not looking at this thread) I guess straw loosely stated, is what is left when the seed is harvested.

Hi Golddog,

I probably pre-date you, but I have fond memories of watching the thrashers at work on my grandmother's farm in upstate New York. The farmers would gang up and go from farm to farm with the thrashing machine to thrash the oats. To a young boy it looked like magic.

The end results were sacks of oats and a huge pile of straw. The straw could be used as "straws" for drinking. In Eurpope Christmas tree ornaments were made of straw and tied with string to make different shapes. We have a few old ones from my wife's family.

At noon my grandmother prepared a big dinner for the men. I especially remember the fruit pies.

BIRD

I'm using a lot of newspaper and also the heavy paper sheets used to cover pallets before sacks of animal feed are stacked on them. They are about 44 inches square and some can be used alone, others are thinner paper and need to be doubled or tripled. I'm putting sheep barn cleanings on top of that, it is straw, alfalfa hay and sheep droppings. Next layer will be more of the same stuff in a more decomposed form which will sift down through the mostly straw layer. I hope to be able to plant in it next spring even if it is just pumpkins. I think these lasanga beds can be made with whatever is handy, just don't pile up too many leaves in a layer with nothing mixed with them or they will just mat down and take a lot longer to decompose. Do a search in the box to the right that says Search the forums and you will come up with a lot of information. I seem to recall that this method was made popular by a group of community gardeners in the Seattle area but can't remember what they called it.

Thanks for all the info. So far I have added a layer of grass clippings and decomposed wood chips with layers of peat moss in between. I'm planning to add a layer of manure, some compost from the cotton gin and leaves when they fall.
Poppysue-I couldn't help but snicker when you explained about the spagnum peat moss. At first I had done just as you suspected. I had written on my note to get spagnum (not adding the peat moss), when I ask for it at the nursery they thought I wanted the kind for flower arranging. She said, "All we have are little packages but it goes along way." So with out seeing it I said OK. She handed me a little bag about 12" tall! I was too embarrassed to admit that wasn't what I thought it would be. I left the store but later decided I'd have to give up my pride and take it back and ask for peat moss. Then I did get the peat moss, but the bag (I think it was 3.8 cu ft) did cost $13(not $18 as I first thought). Since then I've foung another source to get it for $7.44.

Barbur goodluck with your lasagna gardening. I used that method in several of my gardening spaces. If you use the composted bagged manure you shouldn't get any weed seeds. WalMart usually has a good price on manure. Hoowever when they built the new Super WalMart nearby, they raised the price on several things, and one was manure which I used to buy for 97 cents, now it is 1.39, some raise Huh!, Donna

I have made several beds by lasagna gardening. The theory is to not be too technical and use whatever you have on hand that would be considered a soil amendment as it deteriorates. I usually start these in the fall, use heavy layers of newspaper, or cardboard, have even used fiber ceiling tiles to block the growth of whatever is beneath, and yes, I have done this right on the lawn! Then I start my layering, and use old hay, horse manure, whatever I have. The tip with the manure is not to use fresh stuff, and to keep it at the bottom of your pile so that if there are seeds they won't get a chance. I make it nice and deep, and water it down several times, then let it "bake" over winter. In the spring, I dig right down to the original soil, bring a little up, mix the layers in my planting hole. After planting, I top off with wood chips so it looks like my other beds, and Voila! You have a new bed and you've never turned a bit of soil. Later in the year, when you dig into the soil, You have never seen so many earthworms, doing their little duties. It's great!! Legit

Thanks Legit for the encouragement it seems I always have to make things so technical. I was wondering about the seeds in manure, thanks for the tip about putting it near the bottom.