Advice on 'lasagna' beds?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by BastLoki, Feb 28, 2012.

  1. BastLoki

    BastLoki Gardener

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    Advice on 'lasagna' raised beds?

    Just like the title says, does anyone have any tips or advice on 'lasagna'-style raised beds? I'm in the process of clearing some ground to make a new, huge one, and I'm worried that I don't have enough 'green' compostable stuff.

    Is green really necessary for raised composting bedding, or can I just muddle through with last year's leaves and some hay? I mean, I have a bit, but not quite enough to cover even half of the bed. Hence my worry - will it make it uneven in some way? Effect the nutrients in the soil? If so, is there a way that I can make up for it?

    Thankyou in advance!
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Never heard of these before. Can you explain or provide a link please as to what they are?
     
  3. BastLoki

    BastLoki Gardener

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    Oh, sure. They're a relatively recent thing, as I understand it... I've already made one and they're basically a kind of raised bed created with layers....

    An Introduction to Lasagna Gardening | ThriftyFun

    ^ An introduction for lasagna beds.
     
  4. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Thanks for the link. I can't say it is something that appeals to me. It looks a lot of hard work to set up in the first place and I'd be quite worried about making layers of mushy decomposing plant material that attracted slugs to nibble your precious veggies underground.

    I've seen some no-dig gardens which on the face of it sound like they need very little maintenance but actually they need tonnes of organic material added every year, which has to be bought in. It only works for gardens that have access to large amounts of farmyard manure.

    Why not just use your existing garden soil and cultivate it in the normal way? Dig in some well composted manure to your existing soil and you should be able to grow most things.
     
  5. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Not being funny, but it sounds like a load of hippy nonsense to me.

    If you make layers of different materials like that, it will either turn on with bacteria, thereby heating up & killing the plant roots that you've just put in, or it won't turn on and remain just like that, layers of stuff that will take ages for the worms to turn into something the plants can use:what:
     
  6. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    Am i reading this right?

    You plant into fresh plant material or saw dust that has had no chance to decompose.
    Sounds like a good way of robbing plants of nitrogen, as the material rots down.
    A small about of nitrogen in bonemeal I believe.

    Compost is mentioned at one point, is that potting compost or rotted garden compost?
    Its a bit vague.

    "Baking the beds" seems like a good idea, but if you do that at what point do you actually get to plant?
    The following year maybe.

    Sounds like a compost heap to me.:D
     
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    • PeterS

      PeterS Total Gardener

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      I have always assumed that lasagna beds are simply a way of making compost in situ. ie instead of putting all those things onto a compost heap, just put layers of the same stuff on the ground. If you alternate the layers between green and brown and get the balance right you can make good compost in situ and not even bother to mix it up because the worms will do that for you.

      I think the idea of planting directly into a compost heap that hasn't yet started to turn into compost is a bit dubious - but presumably it could work. But you probably need to get the mix right.

      However if you are just going to make a compost heap and wait some time before planting then it doesn't matter so much if the mix is not perfect.
       
    • BastLoki

      BastLoki Gardener

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      Well, I've made a smaller one for my shade border and it worked perfectly fine for me. *shrugs* For composting in general, then - is green necessary, or does just 'brown' material work just as well?

      Thankyou all for your advice so far...
       
    • Kristen

      Kristen Under gardener

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      I know of folk, who's gardening skills I respect, who swear by it for making a new bed (without digging). Not tried it myself.
       
    • PeterS

      PeterS Total Gardener

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      Hi BastLoki

      I believe everything that is organic will breakdown and compost eventually - even fallen trees. However it takes time. I think that by getting thin layers in the optimum mix, you minimise the time. If you are prepared to wait long enough then brown material by itself will happily break down.

      I remember Beth Chatto being asked about turning a compost heap. She said she never bothered, she hadn't got time to waste turning compost heaps. She said it all composts eventually, if you don't turn a heap maybe it takes two years instead of one - but if you have got the space who cares.
       
    • BastLoki

      BastLoki Gardener

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      Alright, thankyou very much. I might just have to 'cook' it for a little while if I can't scrape up enough green...
       
    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      I dont think it matters if its green or brown, if its not rotted down when you plant, it will use nitrogen to rot, while the plants are growing.

      Bit like a fancy version of a runner bean trench, but in that case you are growing beans, which are able to produce their own nitrogen.

      I'm thinking the system will only work if the "compost" layers are much greater than the unrotted material.
       
    • clueless1

      clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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      I used to think that the green and brown was just about regulating moisture, green stuff being quite full of water, brown stuff less so.

      But according to a very informative book I read about horticultural science, its not about that at all. Green stuff still has lots of nitrogen in it, which the bacteria need in order to do the rotting. Nitrogen is very rapidly lost both by being used by the bacteria and by escaping as it turns back into its gaseous form through natural chemical processes. That's why you need a mix of greens and browns.
       
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      • JWK

        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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        BastLoki; sorry I was a bit negative, having thought about the idea I realise there are some veggies that quite like growing in fresh compost, pumpkins and squash and runner beans (which many folk grow in a trench filled with kitchen waste) so maybe these are plants you can try. There is a system called the "3 sisters" which american gardeners use, growing maize, squash and beans together, I've not tried it myself but it might work in your situation :dbgrtmb:
        Three Sisters Garden -
         
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