I have made two, in two different years. I think I started one mid April, the other early May. Basically, I'd start as soon as the snow was gone - now! I put about 4 layers of newspaper right on top of the grass, all the leaves I'd saved from fall, emptied the composter and had some triple mix delivered to top it off. I planted in it right away, but it would be hard to dig the really big holes for roses through the leaves and paper. Not impossible, but some extra work. These are now 2 and 3 years old, and my most productive flower beds. I found it was easiest the first year to put little annuals and perennials, and put shrubs etc in the second year once things had settled. Have fun!

We started several beds in the fall for veggie beds.
The ones I made in spring were fine for shallow rooted annuals. All in all, the "best on your back" garden.
Also if you do any in the fall, try covering in black plastic to speed up the cooking! Good Luck.

I have made two lasagna gardens. I started both in early spring sonn as frost was gone. I used several layers of news paper first. (Good to atract earth worms. A layer of mulched leaves. Compost. Wood sawdust, earth, more leaves, peet, more earth each layer about 1and1/2in. thick. Covered it with black plastic until ready to plant. before planting i mixed it all up with a garden fork. Never seen a garden of perenials grow so fast. Good Luck.

I have to admit, when I first saw the term "lasagna garden," I was thinking it was like a salsa garden! And then, I started thinking...tomatos and oregano? Wheat and cows? LOL...Finally, I read a link someone posted and I got it. I assume it's too late to start now for planting this year? Maybe I'll start one for next year's veggies. I love the idea!

AmandaMI, I really enjoyed the book "Lasagna Gardening" by Patricia Lanza. It's informative and very easy to follow. I got it from the library, maybe there's a copy at yours too. According to the book, it's never too late to start. Check it out!

Cheers
Yvonne

Amanda, if you read the book by Patricia Lanza, you will see that she says you can plant a lasagna garden immediately or you can wait for it to cook down a bit. I've done both and had good results each time. Every year they get better and I just keep adding organic material to them, grass clippings,compost, etc. If the leaves you use are chopped up by your lawn mower, they will cook down faster. Give it a try. Most gardening is by trial and error anyway, and that just makes it more fun.

Laurelann

Thank you both! I just ordered the book for Amazon! :)

Question: Is lasagna gardening only for raised beds? or can you do this for a level garden?

Right now I am digging out a new bed, digging mostly clay out of the ground. I was going to fill it semi-lasagna style.

I had thought that lasagna gardens were only for raised beds. If not, boy that would make life easier and I would probably make another flower bed this summer. But I need to keep all my gardens level (a drainage concern).

(if not answered here, I will post as a new topic)

Thanks,
tma

Definitely for ground level gardening! Just pile it on the spot you want and either let it "cook" or plant right away. I got interested in this method 'cause the thought of digging all that sod put me right off! If you can get hold of the book I mentioned, it's really helpful. In fact the majority of the book deals with building beds on the ground rather than the raised types.

I agree with Raptorfan! The only reasons I used the raised bed method is:

a) It's easier to whippersnip around and keep neat. My DH cannot be trusted with a whippersnipper.
b) Drainage is much better, as I also have clay soil.
c) It's much easier to work (vertually no digging)and mass plant. No pathways!

You don't need to have sides on a raised bed. I just find it is much easier to work with. Whatever way you want to do it will work just fine!

Laurelann

I'm planning on starting mine this week, on top of groundcover gone mad (eek). I live in the city so it's been hard for me to find some of the typical things. Here are my questions. Can I just layer with compost and peat moss? And do I have to mulch with traditional (red / black) mulch or can I leave it alone until I start my fall planting next month?

Thanks for any help? I'm so nervous about starting my first garden EVER!!

I did mine in the spring. I just laid down cardboard and when I ran out I used wet newspaper. I had soil delivered, threw in whatever my composter had and that was it. It was my first time too and I was pretty nervous. It's now August and I'm so happy with the results. The weeding is cut way down and the cardboard/newpaper is decomposing very nicely. I'm starting my fall one soon for spring.
I would think compost and peat moss would be great. I don't think it's urgent you mulch right away if you're not planting until later. The mulch is for moisture retention and inhibiting weeds so I would think it could probably wait.

Fabulous! Thank you so much raptorfan. I started it this weekend and ended up finding dehydrated manure and used it as one layer. It's not as thick as I want it, but I still have a month before my plants arrive.

It's still hard to beleive it's going to work! It just seems so non soil like. but, I tink I will also use a layer of soil on the top once I'm ready to plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: My (first) garden!

Great link! Keep us posted! Mine wasn't as thick as I wanted either but I figure fall is a good time to heap it on less expensively.

I have a couple of raised bed gardens and have had limited success with various veggies. However, the problem I have is that my raised beds are infested with bermuda grass YUCK! I have a small cultivator and every spring I cultivate and try to pull as many weeds as possible only to find more bermuda all through the season. Could I use the lasagna method over my existing raised beds? Sounds like a great idea that I'm going to use in other places in my yard.

I don't see why not. It's all soil amendment. What ever you add to your existing raised beds will ultimately leach down to the original bed, making it much better. You'll also be able to dig deeper because you are making your lasagna garden over an already existing garden. Keep us posted on the progress.

I still get the odd grass coming up the sides of my gardens, but they are much easier to pull out if I keep up with them.

Laurelann

When we had our recent thaw, I went outside and shoveled some of the snow aside, put down cardboard and newspapers in places I wanted to start a lasagna bed, then shoveled the snow back on top of them to keep them from blowing away. I figure it will give me a head start by keeping the ground moist and the melting snow moisting the paper and cardboard. Then, in the spring, I'll order some manure to put on it.

I am also saving compost from kitchen scraps to dump on the bed whenever I can. I have a plastic garbage bag inside one of those TidyCat buckets and when it gets too full (or too smelly), I'll just tie up the bag and put it outside, or dump the pile on the bed.

I am told that you can start a lasagna bed anytime and even start one in the spring and plant in it right away. It may not be that pretty then, but the soil/compost still breaks down and creates good soil even while the plants are growing. Cut a hole where you want the plant, maybe put some potting soil in the hole, then pluck the plant in the hole.

The answer to when to start Lasagna gardening is :- now. If it is cold just add whatever you have in the way of organic matter (see my pages of lasagna gardening at www.gardeningforyou.com ) you do not have to turn it or dig it, you can plant sraight away if you wish, but the frequent remark I get is that it does not look right, in which case add soil or whatever brightens it up, when you have the ocaisional weeds or grass, don't bother to pull it or weed it out either tuck it under then put a further layer of matter over it so that it is deprived of light. In starting lasagna gardening, you will find that initially you are told to put down wet cardboard or paper, believe it or not this actually breaks down and or little friends worms, bacteria ets will much it up and convert it, so there is no reason why you cannot add it at a later stage, but if the lasagna method is already working then shredded and finer will make the reactions quicker.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.gardeningforyou.com