Lasagna Gardening - Ask Extension
Hello! We recently moved into a rental in Corvallis, near(ish) Winco. We have a open space in the backyard that the previous tenants ignored. It is co...
Knowledgebase
Lasagna Gardening #870191
Asked May 26, 2024, 5:53 PM EDT
Hello! We recently moved into a rental in Corvallis, near(ish) Winco. We have a open space in the backyard that the previous tenants ignored. It is covered in grass, and has a really intense root mat. Under that is really dense clay. We have a solid mycelium network and a lot of worms. We worked soil amendment into one 3'*10' patch but I would like to do more. I heard lasagna Gardening was a better method of this area. Is that true, or should we keep going with the amendment?
Benton County Oregon
Expert Response
Lasagne gardening is really just an elaborate variation of sheet mulching. This is the application of various layers of material to the soil surface, usually to kill existing vegetation and, ultimately, improve the soil and make it easier to work. The simplest way is to use cardboard or layers of newsprint, topped by organic mulch. It takes at least a couple of seasons to work.
If your goal is to remove the existing vegetation to make a workable garden space, sheet mulching can work well. However, it sound like you already have a healthy soil ecosystem going there. So, the "smothering" effect of layers of cardboard etc. will probably have a temporary adverse effect on it.
Why don't you tell me what it is you want to do with the space, and how much you want to "convert". It is not clear from your question whether your goal is clear soil to garden in, or to just generally improve the clay soil.
If your goal is to remove the existing vegetation to make a workable garden space, sheet mulching can work well. However, it sound like you already have a healthy soil ecosystem going there. So, the "smothering" effect of layers of cardboard etc. will probably have a temporary adverse effect on it.
Why don't you tell me what it is you want to do with the space, and how much you want to "convert". It is not clear from your question whether your goal is clear soil to garden in, or to just generally improve the clay soil.
