It seems gardening in the summer is my second full time job. I have so many things I would like to accomplish with our yarden (yard/garden), but as the primary manual laborer there just aren’t enough hours in the day. I am constantly looking for ways to reduce my hours of laboring, and maximize my enjoyment of gardening.
In my area of Texas we have dense clay soils that turn into an impenetrable brick layer once our summer dry spell begins in early June. Raised garden beds with thick organic matter seem to be the best solution for drainage, but installing them the traditional way (removing the sod/weeds, tilling or double digging) takes tons of time and effort. One of my favorite gardening time (and back) savers is lasagna gardening. Lasagna gardening involves piling layers of organic material over a thick base layer of cardboard or newspaper without having to remove or disturb the underlying sod or weeds. This layering, like a pan of lasagna, leaves a ready to plant raised bed with soil that will only improve as the components further break down.
About two years ago I tried my first lasagna garden. I had an approximately 30 foot by 10 foot area of sod that I wanted to turn into an organic butterfly garden. I first laid out the area to get the general shape, and then placed a thick layer of cardboard down to kill the grass. The following layers consisted of newpaper, peat moss, partially decomposed matter from the compost bins, leaves, and manure.
Laying out the garden shape, right half of garden
Putting the cardboard layer down, left side of garden
Once I placed all the layers I planted. My selection of plants included mostly Texas natives, particularly those that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Maintenance on this garden has been minimal with an approximately 4″ layer of hardwood mulch added every fall and spring. Compared to my beds constructed by conventional methods, this garden seems to get fewer weeds and continues to have excellent soil and drainage.
Left side of Butterfly garden, once planted.
Completed Butterfly Garden, freshly mulched.
Butterfly Garden, Approximately 2 Years After Installation
After neglecting my vegetable garden for a year I’m going to revitalize the area using lasagna gardening methods. Last weekend we cleaned the sludge out of the koi pond and placed it on top of the now weedy vegetable garden. I added a layer of peat moss and covered it with heavy plastic tarps. This weekend I will add a layer of cardboard, paper shredding from our office, material from the compost bins, and a final layer of manure.
Vegetable Garden, tarped and ready for Lasagna
Hopefully the vegetable garden will be reinstated in time for pumpkins and winter squash!
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Hi there- I love your butterfly garden! Very nicely done. I have one too but mine doesn’t look nearly as nice as yours. I left you a note on Blotanical too. Hope you enjoy it there, great way to spend rainy days.
Heather
I love garden art and the way you show them! gardening is one of my biggest passions
A fabulous garden. You can be proud!