Lasagna Garden question.

Bricore · #1 02/10/10, 10:20 AM

Is it to late to start a Lasagna garden now for this years garden?

Thanks in advance,

Dora

Pony · #2 02/10/10, 10:33 AM

I've done it before. I planted right into the composting materials, and everything did just fine. Did a lot better the second year, of course, but no complaints.

I think I'll be trying it again this year.

What's your USDA zone?

Bricore · #3 02/10/10, 10:36 AM

I am in zone 7b.

Paquebot · #4 02/10/10, 10:50 AM

Till it good and deep now and then start adding whatever organic material you are going to use. Then you are set for years of decent harvests as long as you keep adding more material than you take out.

Martin

Bricore · #5 02/10/10, 11:18 AM

Martin,
Would horse and rabbit poo be ok to add still too? The horse poo is about 2 months old. The rabbit's is just whatever they have under their cages (some of it would be fresh.)

Thank-you both for your help.

Dora

Paquebot · #6 02/10/10, 11:49 AM

Yes, horse and rabbit manure would be great additions if used in moderation. Any potential problem from the horse manure would be the salt that it contains. But as long as it's kept a few inches away from seeds and seedlings, the salts will leach straight down and not harm anything. The nitrogen would also help break down any carbon material used in your layers.

Martin

Pony · #7 02/10/10, 11:52 AM

You don't have to compost rabbit poo, nor goat berries. If the horse manure has been sitting around for a couple of months, I'd go ahead and use it, but that's just me.

How 'bout you, Martin?

Ladyhen · #8 02/10/10, 01:40 PM

I did lasagna garden raised beds last year. I put down layers of newspaper (should have used cardboard...), leaves, aged donkey manure, and top soil. They did fairly well (other than I did have to add calcium for blossom end rot on my tomatoes), but I hope they do even better this year since they've had a chance to break down.

Jenn · #9 02/10/10, 05:45 PM

I built up my (sunken down) raised beds with leaf mould- pretty rough. Right now peas and fava/broad beans planted in rows in it with layer of dirt under and over them, then covered again with the leaf mould, are coming up. Will not try this in the dryer season coming.

Tricky Grama · #10 02/11/10, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ladyhen

I did lasagna garden raised beds last year. I put down layers of newspaper (should have used cardboard...), leaves, aged donkey manure, and top soil. They did fairly well (other than I did have to add calcium for blossom end rot on my tomatoes), but I hope they do even better this year since they've had a chance to break down.

I did this fall of '08 & planted corn in the spring. Probably planted too deep b/c not much came up, the 'plot' was still mostly leaves. I need to dig in it & see if its any more 'ready' this year.

Paquebot · #11 02/11/10, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tricky Grama

I did this fall of '08 & planted corn in the spring. Probably planted too deep b/c not much came up, the 'plot' was still mostly leaves. I need to dig in it & see if its any more 'ready' this year.

If you plant in a medium which is high in carbon material, it will deter germination since the seeds need a certain amount of nitrogen in order to germinate. If you plant into a medium with a lot of decomposing green material, the bacteria will consider the seeds as more food. Those are just two reasons why the lasagna method can fail.

Martin

Marcia in MT · #12 02/11/10, 03:06 PM

If your layering material is coarse, the seeds will settle down too deeply to germinate. Putting a furrow of soil where you want to plant seeds is supposed to work (if I remember correctly; I haven't read the book for a while). Seems the author mostly used transplants.

Cheryl in SD · #13 02/13/10, 06:31 AM

I love lasagna beds! I use them in areas that don't have good soil or that need a lot of amending. I would suggest you read the book (Lasagna Gadrening) and follow the directions in making your beds. I have had great success with both seeds & transplants.

Pony · #14 02/13/10, 07:17 AM

The farm here hasn't been in gardens for quite a few years, so we're planting into sod. No matter how much you break that up, it's not the best -- yet.

I'm much more diligent about the composting since last year's garden fiasco. I'll be planting into lasagna beds this year.

Really wish I could have brought all my lovely compost and soil with me when we moved...