CLOSED: The Lasagna Garden Brigade # 2

I am hear contrary information regarding Iris and ashes...maybe that should be a song..or a poem..

Re: using ashes

I think it depends on what type of soil you're dealing with. Here in my area of Texas where the soil is horribly alkaline clay, ashes are a big no-no. But if you're putting in something that's highly acidic, then I think ashes are recommended in carefully controlled amounts to balance the pH; for example, mix ashes with the pine needles if you're using lots of them. I may be wrong but I'm sure someone will know for sure.

DNP

Good Morning DNP My soil is clay I have lots of pine surrounding. It makes me think of your as you talk minus the heat...plus lots of water..

Yeah in acidic soil you can use the ashes but like DNP said carefully in how much.

Morning everybody. Trying to get my eyes open this morning. Got to go take care of animals, back in a while.

OK, we've got two conflicting opinions here on pine needles. The original post lists them under greens, someone else says browns. Since I just laid a pile of 'em down as a green layer (with a big layer of compost as brown on top), I hope someone can clarify? I might have two brown layers, not that it probably makes a lot of difference in the long run.

Top of this thread tells which is green and which ia considered a brown layer. Pine needles are green layer.

Dried pine needles would be a brown. Green would be a green.

Brown stuff is dead, dried plant parts like leaves
and pine needles. Brown stuff is high in the
element carbon. Green stuff is fresh, living parts
like grass clippings, kitchen vegetable scraps,
weeds and other plants. Green stuff is high in the
element nitrogen.

Here's the link that came from: http://sustainable.tamu.edu/slidesets/kidscompost/compostingforkids.pdf

seray,
Wouldn't grass be considered brown if it has dried?

I'm wondering if dried pine-needles would be a bit of green AND a bit of brown. They sure have a lot of nitrogen in them, and my understanding is that it doesn't fully dissipate when they are dry. But for the most part, I would go with Seray's generalization.

Hi Flower

Grass will retain it's nitrogen for awhile. So it can dry out for almost a week and still be considered a green. It's full of nitrogen!!!

You can buy pine needles that are baled like hay. Some of those are still a little green. Stuff that's fallen and dried is brown. No life.

This message was edited Sep 7, 2009 10:36 AM

OK I was just wondering. Curiosity killed the cat you know LOL

I'm getting all confused now, the top post says pine needles are green. It's listed in the green pile as green.

what happens if you get all greens? all browns? hehe

Well mamma, I think you would be at my lasagna bed.

ROTFL Check out the pdf. It'll make it clearer. Cue used green pine needles in her bed. I think that's why she listed them as green.

http://sustainable.tamu.edu/slidesets/kidscompost/compostingforkids.pdf

So pine needles could be green or brown, depending on their color when used? Sorry Seray. I get confused easy, my brain is old.

That's my understanding Mekos. Same with leaves. I used green leaves as one of my green layers and then brown leaves as one of my brown.

fresh pine needles are a green... dried pine needles are a brown... however, if you already have acidic soil, whether your pine needles are fresh or dried, you will need to sprinkle on some garden lime.

Well, now I've got three layers of brown! (last brown layer followed by pine needles that I thought were a "green" layer followed by compost as anothe rbrown layer.) Guess I need a LOT of grass clippings from next week's mowing. Thought DH says we can just add some nitrogen to make up for the extra brown & lack of green.

I did that in one of my beds too Crab. I thought peat moss was a green so I put it between 2 layers of brown. I'm sure it will all work itself out. I just made sure to add lots of green on top of that. I don't think lasagna gardening is an exact science. Which makes it perfect for me!

Hi CGC

I compost in a tumbler and the ratio is always 1 part green to 4 parts brown. I think if you add a thick layer of grass and leaves you'll be ok. It's all gonna merge anyway. If you have kitchen veggie scraps you can always bury them in the layers. That would work too.

I planted my first bulbs in one of my lasagna beds!! Even did daylilies in my Daylily lasagna bed LALALALALALA!!!

How cool Mechelle!!! Looks great. What kind of bulbs and what kinda daylilies?

lookin good here!!! Lgardens everywhere.....

Mechelle, your place is going to be a show place come spring/summer, when it's all green and in bloom. You got to show us pictures of it then, too. Great job.

I love lasagna gardening but have a question about composting. Can you put stuff that is listed in the brown section in your compost pile? Like shreaded cereral boxes, toilet paper tubes? Also I have a bunch of weird white fat worms in my compost pile are they suppose to be there?

Got a question for you guys- The LAST layer you put on BEFORE the top soil- should it be green or brown? I just added goat poo- good 3-4 inches on the top what now, top soil or another layer first?I already got layers of everything, but do I need something else before I add top soil now ,to finish it off?

garfieldkae,
To answer your question. No they shouldn't be there . I would say a big ole blow fly has gotten into you compost. Really won't hurt it but not suppose to be there either.

I scored a truckload of llama and goat manure for my lasagna beds. Is all (non carnivorous) animal poo created equal??? Not counting dogs or cats?

I would say that's a bona fide score, Lolly! Woohoo! I don't see why it would be different than horse poo.. As long as it eats no meat or meat products, it should work the same.

Mekos, I would say green layer before the top soil. I have found in mine (did I forget to tell I have been planting) that the grass/straw makes it easier to "dig" your hole before planting. You get a nice deep hole just by twisting the shovel in a circle. I have been throwing a small amount of my good potting soil (8 cups soil to 2 cups peat moss) in the bottom of the hole, placing the plant, adding more top soil and packing it around the plant, then putting pine mulch on top of the soil. I have planted about 10 daylilies in the daylily bed, and about 50 bulbs in the bed where my hammock is. I'm not adding the top soil until I am actually planting, because the rain kind of washes it away a little, or thins it out. I guess because it has all that looseness underneath it. Did I tell you I have found about 20 baby cedar trees around the yard? I have been digging them up and potting them until I can figure out where to put them. I don't know what type of cedar tree they are, but will try to find out. And I have started yet another lasagna bed. This one is going to be pretty large. It will go around the "little pond" . I am going to get creative and add a cement pad for a park bench and a little walkway down the middle to get closer to the pond. I'll take pics as soon as it stops raining! Ok, shutting up now, lol Nite!!

Sorry Seray, just saw your message.. The bulbs, I have absolutely no idea what in the heck they are! I keep finding them as I'm digging in the tropical garden. Huge clumps of like 20 bulbs. They're the ones in the picture I posted above. Heck they're something, so we'll soon find out! And the daylilies, I planted some that I divided from what I think are "Kwansos" that were in the tropical bed. I am taking out and putting tropicals in as I go along. Then I planted a "Joan Senior" that txaggiegal sent me, a burgundy NOID that txaggiegal sent me and a Stella De Oro that huneybunch sent me. It's really cool because I keep checking them and the leaves are getting a darker green and looking perky! Lovin all that good soil I guess! LASAGNA BEDS ARE SO COOL!!

I gotta turn in so I'll talk to you all tomorrow.
NITE

Hi Garfieldkae

Just read your post about composting. Yes you can put everything in the pile that you'd use in the lasagna bed. The big fat larvae you see in the pile are probably black soldier fly larvae. They are superb composters and are not harmful to the compost. Here's the link that shows you their picture: http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg226.html

They don't carry disease and are used to compost large amounts of waste fast. Here's a link that talks a little more about them and how to use them to compost: http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/

Flowers right about the blow flies. Definitely don't want them. They are smaller. :)

This message was edited Sep 10, 2009 12:14 AM

Seray53 thanks for the links, just never sure if there a bad bug or good bug.

You're welcome Garfieldkae I wouldn't know either without looking them up. I read they were good guys and then did more research. I started vermicomposting and they were in my bins.

The little pods someone had??? They look like my daylilly seed pods. You all have been busy. I lost two days you are all like lGarden monsters...Mine looks like a toy one compared to some of yours...
Gotta watch these newbies they are fast.

Which one is in your compost Garfieldkae? Grubs or BF larvae? Good bug or bad bug? LOL Send us a pic!