Does 'Lasagna Gardening' Work?

Just got my book today and am thinking of trying it this year in one small veggie bed.
Has anyone ever used this method and how were the results?

It just sounds a bit TOO easy to me- LOL!

The only difficulty with it is the waiting. But, yes, it's worked very well for me.

This is how I make all my flower beds.

Linda


Look below to see what others have said.

This message was edited Feb 8, 2005 1:49 PM

As a reformed double digger and current lasagna gardener, I have to tell you that it is much easier and it does work. It's also addicting.

I conducted a little experiment. I put in new beds when I moved into my house. I double dug and amended one bed and lasagnaed another. After 6 months, I had fewer weeds and bigger plants in the lasagna bed.

I recently got the book. It says that if you cover the bed it only takes a few weeks to 'cook'- so to speak. I am gonna try one for this year to see how it goes. I just dont have much ingredients right now for a proper lasagna.

I save all my grass, scraps,wood ashes, manure, etc. so I can lasagna up until there is no more stored grass, usually December.

Right now I have leftover leaves that were mulched in the fall so that when i start mowing again in April i can use what i have stored. Also have stored large broken down boxes. I do buy peatmoss to layer in between the layers. It really makes it 'airy'.

I watched the author one day on a garden show several years ago and she said you could plant right away. I have never done it. I suppose if you top it with compost there should not be a problem.

I usually let it sit. My finished product ends up being quite high so i remove some of the top dirt and place it on an area that I have just completed the layering process. Then I plant in the fall or Spring.
Linda

I had bought the book when I lived in Maine, and made a huge circular flower bed that I filled with Petunias. They grew beautifully, there were hardly any weeds, and the few that struggled throu were easy to pull.Now that I live in New Mexico I will have to try again, but the property is irrigated every two weeks and I am afraid I'll see my Lasagna float away.