I always cover my sheet mulching with black plastic. If it doesn't rain or the wind blows it stays in place.

Penny

chopped leaves tend to stay put plastic tends to fly away and really tick me off (: though if you had some old carpet ect that might stay put better other than that I say try it without plastic there shouldn't be much blowing problem

I've not seen a problem with material, other than whole leaves, used as mulch being blown away by the wind and covering that material with an impervious sheet of plastic would reduce the amount of air available to the Soil Food Web that could change how they operate in the soil. The use of plastic over soil is on of the worst things anyone has thought of in centuries.

how would using biscuits of hay go? these can be lifted for adding more material under and as they later break down they would also add nutrients, plus allow the sheet mulch to breath and take on any rain that may fall.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

In an interbay mulch bed, a burlap cover is used. This produces nice dark conditions and helps retain moisture. In addition, it will keep the contents home and prevent blowing away.

I live in an extremely windy area, and have done interbay mulch beds with burlap several times and was happy with the results. After my husband threw away my burlap (it does get pretty gross after use), I also covered some with old cotton bedsheets and that worked well, too. Just weigh down the ends with rocks or something.

My very best advice- moisten each layer very well as you build the hump, and sprinkle to top occasionally while waiting for it to decompose. It's extremely difficult to moisten after building.

Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: interbay mulch

Lately, after a bit of research, I discovered that sheet mulching is not living "green" and probably increases the carbon footprint quite a bit.

Lasagna Gardening is anti-green living

It's not anything I've ever done anyway. But a thought came to mind last week about all the resources being removed from the recycling pool, and my suspicions were confirmed with some pretty hefty numbers.

Well that is one of the most ludicrous things I've read or heard.

Lloyd

Figures never lie, but liars figure.

Well...I did read the article. I suppose it is true that recycling cardboard is a better use for it but.....

In my area there is no recycling program for cardboard. We do have a recycling drop off point but it only takes cardboard such as cereal boxes - no corrugated cardboard. So we use ours in the compost.

If we didn't, it would go to the landfill. We would love it if every town, village or city would be more "green" but that's just not the case. Maybe Mario should put his efforts into making the municipalities catch up instead of condemning a good use for cardboard.

Val

I don't cover my shredded leaf mulch with anything. IF the leaves are shredded, they don't move much after I wet them down.

Val, there is a corrugated cardboard recycling drop off in Morton. Two huge dumpsters dedicated just for corrugated cardboard. You do have to flatten everything. Its in front of Grimm Brothers Trucking, just off Jefferson Street (right next to the tunnels). Its intended for Morton residents, but anyone can use it.

What's lasagna gardening basically? Sheet composting. Composting by another name/ different style. Same finished product=compost.

Following the logic of that article, nobody on this forum should compost. Recycle instead.

Oh how shocking! The author is selling something: himself and his services- landscaping, pruning, water features...
Need compost for your garden? I'll bet this guy might sell you same. For a price. I'll bet he'll even spread it, for a price.

Why does this sound just like sheet composting?

Karen

"...sheet mulching is not living "green" and probably increases the carbon footprint quite a bit."

*Perhaps* only true IF one lives where there is a recycling program.

However I'd like to see an unbiased opinion of this as the cost, both environmental and monetary, of trucking cardboard is not free. It's why it doesn't pay here in the boonies to truck many recyclables to markets.

Val, there is a corrugated cardboard recycling drop off in Morton.

Thanks Joe. We just don't get over that way much at all. It's a long way to go to get rid of cardboard.

Val

I wouldn't expect you to travel to Morton just to recycle cardboard. That wouldn't be very "green".

However, if you were on your way to Farm and Fleet, you might want to bring a load of cardboard with you. :-)

OK every one sheet composting anti-green? you probably have noticed I like to end my post with. Lets all try to be a little greener. well I will quit that. It seems like some people have a lot different idea of green than I do. Greenbacks in their pockets stars in their eyes and perhaps a lie on there tongue. Well I sure don"t want anyone thinking that I am one of them. Sorry about the rant, but like the good people on here by green I mean more natural. Thanks all I feel better now.

Curt:[

Nothing further Mario?

Was this about creating 'hits' on a webpage with google ads so as to increase revenue? How many hits did it create?

I can't help but notice there have been no further responses to questions on the other forum this topic was posted to, so discussion of your theory seems not to be the motive.

Just curious.

Lloyd

Pertaining to ptO3 ...

"I can't help but notice there have been no further responses to questions on the other forum this topic was posted to, so discussion of your theory seems not to be the motive.

"theory" is pretty much out the window as of several years ago.

Since you are "curious" as you say, its certain that you have already verified the information about sulfur dioxide, electric use, and oil consumption. By now, the reams of websites have probably equipped you to educate others about the other side of this matter. If you were "curious" to learn that is, and not curious about your opinion.

Its doubtful that more information is needed about black plastic, like how it traps carbon dioxide released from roots, etc..

No, sorry, I was not curious about your theory (I do not believe it) I was curious as to your motive for posting. Web page hits perhaps. How much does Google pay for those ads, I might want to get me some.

Was that a chainsaw I saw in one of your photos, I wonder how green that is.

Lloyd

come on now flower clippings and shreded leaves that the OP is using should really go to the landfill rather than release there posion though composting

Note sarcasm heavily intended (:

I;m sure her bed is done by now what method did you decide to use?

"No, sorry, I was not curious about your theory (I do not believe it) I was curious as to your motive for posting. Web page hits perhaps. How much does Google pay for those ads, I might want to get me some. Was that a chainsaw I saw in one of your photos, I wonder how green that is. Lloyd?"

I don't know - what photo, and who was it?

Since I do 90% of my work or more with a handsaw for wood even as big as 4" to 6" in diameter, I'll let you stew in your own opinion and your own questions.

Another suggestion for your question: "How much does Google pay"

For other technical stuff like that, try Digital Point. You will get a lot of info and leads.

http://forums.digitalpoint.com

Its perfect for computer and online questions that are off-topic from gardening.

Ya, you've been most helpful, we all really appreciate your contribution and look forward to hearing more from you.

The guys on the other site pretty well gave up on ya, phillistines!

Lloyd

I wouldn't use plastic in a lasagne bed. It's not necessary, it's not organic, and if it stays put for any length of time, it starts to fall apart and you end up with pieces of plastic to clean up (very tedious). It's liberating to make a lasagne bed and then forget about it. Or add more organic stuff on top as time goes on. You couldn't do that with plastic in the mix.

What a silly idea, that sheet composting isn't green. I can't imagine the small amount of waste paper that is used for lasagne beds across America making much of an impact on the total amount of paper recycled. Then you have to consider - how green is using a rototiller or tractor? Or herbicide to kill weeds? How much energy do people use driving the paper to recycling centers? And I heard that most of the waste paper is shipped to China for recycling - how much energy is used to do that?

I've been making lasagne beds and mulching with paper for several years now. It works great (although it's slow)! Guess I am a "lazy" gardener, but I use the time and energy saved to do something else - like eradicate invasive plants (which sux, I'd rather be digging a garden bed, lol.)

Reusing cardboard to sheet mulch IS recycling. Shredding leaves for mulch is decidedly NOT green. Unless you're tearing the leaves to pieces by hand, in which case it might be considered exercise.

Going back to the beginning, if you are concerned about the blowing around, can you lay the paper layers first, then leaves before the first snow? You could poke small sticks from pruning or something to hold the paper part. Do you have any tree surgeons in the area to get chips from?