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janet_w

another flowerbed question

janet_w
16 years ago

On existing beds if I put down layers of paper then manure then soil then mulch will what ever plants that were already there that died out over the winter will they be able to grow up through all those layers?

Is there a certain order for the layers to go in?

I didn't get to work in any of my beads at all last year and all my beds need to be re-worked and built back up.

Comments (4)

  • pjtexgirl
    16 years ago

    "plants that were already there that died out over the winter will they be able to grow up"

    The plants are dormant/"sleeping". Dead is deadandgone BTW.
    You are describing the lasagna method of gardening. It is supposed to smother everything so you start with a fresh bead. IMHO the weeds here won't even smother under CARDBOARD,manure and mulch. Weeds here need to be destroyed during the growing stage in spring. Solarization(plasic and sun's heat to "cook" the plants) or herbasides will slow the weeds down and make weeding easier. You can then lasagna the area and will have a clean bed for awhile.
    The only plants that I know that will survive the lasgna method are as follows:
    Tall ruellia
    Mint
    Bermuda grass
    Nut sedge
    Everything else will smother and die. Good luck! PJ

  • maden_theshade
    16 years ago

    I think I could make lasagne and turn up the heat to 400 degrees and it would just make the darn bermuda grass grow faster! argh! Was pulling that up the other day. I'm making a new raised bed and I'm going to transfer my worm bin there so I can work on composting more leaves!

  • pjtexgirl
    16 years ago

    Napalm? I HATE Bermuda grass!!! It's good to see you're back at it outside like a trooper. How's Baben theshade doin ? PJ

  • denisew
    16 years ago

    Janet - Lasagne gardening has worked for me. If there are plants that are dormant that you want to keep, dig them up now and keep them in containers until spring. Frost cloth will protect them from anymore hard freezes we get this winter. Here are some tips I can pass along for successful lasagne gardening:
    1. Layers of newspaper - Use at least 10-15 layers of newspaper for the best success.
    2. Overlapping - Overlapping newspaper, cardboard or whatever you use to smother grass is essential. Leave a small space or a thin spot, then you're asking for more bermudagrass to sneak through.
    3. The layers - you can use compost, leaves or any organic matter you want. If you use manure, make sure it is fully composted since it may also contain seeds from whatever the livestock was eating and it will grow.
    4. Mulch - Cover the entire mix with mulch. Mulch will help prevent weed seeds from germinating.
    5. Timing - Lasagne gardening in the winter won't smother the grass as well as it would in the spring or summer since it is the heat that helps kill the grass underneath the layers. You would still need to wait through a couple warm months before trying to plant all those perennials that you dug up during the winter.
    6. Cool weather - It is a good time of year to work in the garden since you won't feel like you're sweating so much. If you want to dig out the Bermudagrass instead of doing the lasagne gardening thing, it might be easier to do it now.
    7. If all else fails - You can buy chemicals (Fertilome makes one called Over the Top Grass Killer) that you can spray over your flowerbeds in warm weather that will kill just the grass. Be sure to read label directions since some perennials are sensitive to this chemical and might die from being sprayed.

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