Thanks to our current cold shoulder from Mother Nature,
our greenhouse is still a little in the planning phase. Constructing a green house in sub-zero temperatures is not far from the norm of my impulsive, “getter done” behavior. However, my desire to get out in the elements and soldier on is not completely reciprocated by the entire Chylan clan. In the mean time we are planning many fun projects that seem to all centralize around growing a high yield for harvest this canning season to boost our food storage with home made goodness. This week’s Blog will be all about prepping the garden Lasagna Layer style.
Preparing the Garden Bed:
Our backyard is not optimal for a good sized garden bed so we have allocated our lush green (who am I kidding)…… our half dead, greyish, brown patchy front lawn to become a delicious lasagna garden. We will keep some lawn; there are benefits such as clippings for composting and a place to lay for enjoying a nice cold beverage on a hot summer day
Step 1: Prep the Ground
- Map out where you will be placing your garden
- Mow it as short as possible
- Leave grass trimmings in place
Step 2: Dig a Garden Plot
- Dig up and turn about one foot of soil breaking up the sod as much as possible
- If the soil is poor quality, dig another 6 inches to a foot and turn the soil so the sod lies on the bottom layer.
- The effort into the extra layer will result in a happier, healthier garden.
- Remember healthy roots lead to delicious fruits!
Step 3: Making Layers
You will alternate your lasagna layers with brown carbon rich materials, and green nitrogen rich materials.
Green Layers
· Fruit and vegetable scraps
· Grass clippings
· Coffee grounds, tea bags, tea leaves
· Seaweed
· Weeds that haven’t set seed
· Trimmings and deadheads from the garden
Browns Layers
· Shredded paper, newspaper
· Pine needles
· Straw
· Peat moss
· Fall leaves
Cover the broken-up the soil with a brown layer first, cardboard boxes minimize the chances of grass regrowth. You can also use straw, leaves, sawdust or shredded paper. Each layer should be 1 to 2 inches think and packed loosely.
Step 4: Make More Layers
- Alternate the layers with as few or as many layers as you want, just make sure that it is packed loose enough that the layers can breathe.
- Make sure your layers are even, more greens than browns will create too much carbon dioxide.
Step 5: Let the Garden Cook
- Leave the layers be, mixing them together does not speed the decomposition process and there is no benefits. Let them do their thing.
- Finish up with a layer of soil or a layer of brown straw or leaves.
- Keep it moist and water if needed
- Cover with plastic tarp if you want to speed up the process and keep out any pests.
- You can plant in the garden right away, but your best results will be next year when your soil is perfect!
Taking our Love of Lasagna to the Nest Level!
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Visit us on the web: www.chylan.ca
or in person
109-6039 196th Street
Surrey, BC.