The Making of a Lasagna Garden: Part 2

~Laying the Foundation~

(PS. The oh-so-tacky sneaker/dress combination is not a usual for me, but we were heading to town shortly but I had a few minutes before we left for garden work...so I opted not to change out of my dress to lay the cardboard. Incidentally, I also decided to roll some tires down to the garden where I was sploshed from head to toe with manure tea. It was fabulous, let me tell you. And my attempt to save time splashed me right back in my face.)

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The foundation of a lasagna garden is made from either cardboard or newspaper and the layers are then built up on top of that. After a while, the cardboard/newspapers decompose creating a more rich soil. Sounds good to me.

I began saving cardboard boxes and newspapers in Mid-march and when it came time to break them down I realized that, interestingly, the horrendous mess outside your backdoor magically turns into a measly collection once laid flat. Thankfully, about this time I noticed beautiful cardboard, broken down and bunched together with rope sitting on the side of the road outside of a greenhouse.

Turns out, THEY use lots and lots of cardboard-but not for lasagna gardening. They were happy to see me take it off their hands and I was happy to do so.

Free cardboard, and just enough too!

I made seven different "beds" because when you garden, it is best not to step on the soil being used. When you do, you compact it which is not good for the plants. An airy soil is what we are going for-so I made lots of beds that were about 4 feet wide. Wide enough for space but not too wide that I couldn't reach in the middle from the sides to plant/maintain.

It also looks very nice.

WITH that, though, comes compromises. Seven nice neat beds is a tremendous amount of MORE work than just dumping a bunch of soil somewhere and spreading it out. A LOT more work, actually. Just ask my back. And my legs. And my abdomen. And my arms.



After I laid out the cardboard~ I spread out some huge chucks of old henhouse manure on top. Coincidentally, it ended up thunderstorming that night and for quite some time after. I didn't want the cardboard to fly in the wind and I am glad I took the precaution...because it didn't.

While I am spending all this time gardening, you may ask where Bunkin Baby is....

Right HERE!


She starts out overseeing, but her workload is just so heavy...she doesn't make it for very long before she needs a bit of beauty sleep.


Well, SHUT EYE anyway. I don't know how she could get any more beautiful.

(For previous lasagna garden posting, go here)