New Hope Lasagna Garden

Shoo Dogs Shoo!

2009-05-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

UPDATE!
As of today, May 17, 2009, a bit more than a week, we have had no dogs run through the garden. With another week free from "canine terrorism", then perhaps we can begin to think this mothball thing actually works. We shall see.
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For several weeks now, someone's dog or dogs have been "plowing" through the garden. I come and find in the morning a "trashed" scene: plants uprooted, squashed or the garden just turned upside down in spots.

So I thought to me self, "Self!" how about you put some moth balls around the edge and see if that helps. I did a couple days ago. But their being on the grass is causing them to dissolve fast. I took it to the next level, by putting 4-5 in some cloth and tying it to a string suspended off the ground about a foot.

I am hope the sight of these and the string, will slow the dogs down...cause to smell the rags...freak out and not return.

We shall see. Stay tuned.

Oh BTW...I started to set the string for the climbing snow peas...see pics for all this.

More Planting

2009-05-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

One May 3, 2009, a neighborhood mom and her two kids helped me transplant some salad greens, lettuces, kohlrabi and one lonely zucchini.

As you can see that as of then, life is taking over. Spinach is really going to town.

We also installed some poles to put string on for the peas...for they are just about ready to climb!

Joy

Strawberries added...

2009-05-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

During the week of April 6, 2009, I planted ever-bearing strawberry plants along the edges of the raised bed. Also planted was a row of Walla Walla onions.

Peas have been up the last 3 weeks. Things are starting to look like a garden has taken over the neighborhood. Ha.
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Peace

Neighborhood Kids Help Plant

2009-05-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

On March 29, 2009 I was honored to have 4 neighborhood kids help me plant some vegetable seeds and transplants. This then was the start of things.

We planted 2 different varieties of snow peas seeds. Also transplanted starts of collard, Swiss chard, and spinach.

It was a wonderful day teaching the kids about gardening, worms, compost and how to plant. They loved it too!

Shalom...

From Grass to Food

2009-05-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

What the heck...let's do something a bit different, if not down right radical...yes right here in Lynden.

Why not convert 140 square feet of lawn into a garden? And not just a regular ole garden...but a "lasagna" garden. Some call this a "sheet mulch" garden.

"So what is this," you ask? Precisely this type of garden is one that layered by various organic materials at different levels, creating what looks like a "lasagna" meal ready to go into the oven. Not exactly, but you get the point...the organics, layered provide a series of "sheets" of mulching that puts huge amounts of composted or soon to be compost in a concentrated area.

Purpose:
1. Provide a strong and sustainable soil environment that is rich in fertility for garden vegetables (worms, beetles, bacteria and fungi...love things undisturbed)
2. Reduce if not eliminate the need to rototill or disturb the soil community (saves work, energy and expense).
3. Reduce weeding (every kid forced by mom and dad to weed the garden now sing praises!).

So with that as reasons for converting from conventional gardening to lasagna gardening...why then on the lawn?

"Why not!" I ask.

Lawns need fertilizer, weed killer from time-to-time...and during the summer constant mowing...more so in Lynden, where the perfect lawn awaits glorified recognition.

Somewhere I read that all the energy consumed in the US just on lawns exceeds the total energy requirements for the whole country of India. Well, that got my attention. What's wrong with this picture?!

So in a modest way, and for the fun of it, and with a little philosophical framing -- wahlaa -- a lasagna garden takes over a lawn. We win one for the Gipper!

Below are pictures of the site before starting the transformation.

[Click on pictures to zoom]

Now here is the sequence in the process to develop the garden bed.

1st layer is cardboard. This seals off the grass.

2nd layer is straw.

3rd layer is municipal compost.

4th layer is S & W Rock Product compost.

5th layer is straw.

6th layer is Smit Compost.

7th layer is straw.

Final layer (for now) is Smit Compost.

The final depth of the bed is around 12 inches. This will settle with decomposition and natural compaction.

Labor time: Driving to and fro getting the various materials, and unloading -- 3 1/2 hrs.
Cost: Straw and compost -- $39.

There you have it: Lynden Washington's very first "Lasagna Garden"!

More to follow in subsequent posts.

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