Call us crazy but we are building a new sharing garden and it’s May, our busiest month of the year. We plan to grow lots of squash and zucchini, some overwintering crops and start a seed-saving program in the new garden. And we already have two new volunteers signed up to grow there!
For anyone out there with a chafer beetle problem on their front lawn, follow this homeowner’s lead and grow food not lawn! In order to convert the bare earth to rich garden beds, we used the lasagna bed method with materials we could collect easily at this time in the season–cardboard, leftover organic material from Tao Organics, lawn clippings, spent bedding from a horse stable, manure, and extra soil from an earlier garden build.
We have an inspiring design with angled pathways and triangular keyhole beds to make the most of the space and create a beautiful front yard–huge thanks to our volunteer Heather Pelz for this design. And thanks also to all the volunteers who have come out to help with the build! Stay tuned for more pictures as we get growing.
Building a Lasagna Bed – Step by Step
- First, we had an organic lawn care company deliver cut grass that we spread over the beds, as our first layer of nitrogen rich material.
- We wet these base layers with the hose to help activate the good micro-organisms and so that our base layers would be moist (with all this dry weather, it’s essential).
- Then we put down a good thick layer of cardboard.
- Next, we added food waste from TAO Organics off Lonsdale–the shredded veggies leftover from juicing will break down quickly to create a layer of compost in place.
- With each new layer, we watered again.
- Then we added layer of spent bedding from a horse stable.
- Finally we topped it all off with 6 inches of soil. Now we will have soil that is rich and alive–perfect for heavy feeders like squash and tomatoes.