Don’t you just love fall?
Yesterday The Girl and I collected a truckload of leaves and hauled them back home so we could add another layer to our lasagna garden. I’m not sure why, but lately I’ve become obsessed with the idea of the whole no till garden concept.
Had I known all I needed to do was layer a bunch of organic material on top of each other throughout the fall and winter months to have my vegetable garden ready to plant in the spring, I would have started years ago.
But maybe that’s why I like gardening so much, there is always something new to learn.
And then there’s Lucy, she loves gardening because she gets to do her favorite thing… Dig.
And then run around like a wild animal. {She reminds me of Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes in this photo}. 
After adding another layer of leaves to the lasagna garden, I dug up the old bean teepee mounds and placed the dirt on top of the leaves. I knew I needed to dig up the dirt from that area eventually {I’m thinking about putting a bench there next Spring} so I figured I might as well do it now so the leaves didn’t blow away.
The way I see it, if I continue to add a new layer of organic material every week or so to the lasagna garden during the fall and winter months, it should be ready to go by early spring. {I’m hoping for late April}.
What do you think? Have you ever made a lasagna garden before? Am I off to a good start?
~Mavis
Jean says
You’re off to a great start! If you add every week you’ll have a fantastic bed to work with! My vegetable gardening isn’t nearly as intensive as yours, but I’ve done all my garden beds that way because of the horrible stony/rocky clay we have here in SC. You do have to have paths or at least stepping areas. Also be sure to mix whatever additions you use because leaves by themselves aren’t that nutrient-dense, and they’re pretty low on the pH scale. Keep us posted!
sharon says
Do you have any tips for a fellow Carolina girl wanting to do this? The clay is horrible to work with 🙁
Thank you
Mavis Butterfield says
Here’s my post on how to make a lasagna garden. –> http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/how-to-make-a-lasagna-garden/
katy says
check out back to eden gardening. it is basically lasagna/no till gardening but he relies more on mulch than other coverings (just found this worked best for him) and chicken manure (b/c he loves having chickens). i am in NC & it works wonderfully – was able to plant carrots for the first time (previously was a no-go because of the heavy clay). this is my first year. during the spring & first part of the summer, i had to add manure tea to get more nitrogen but by late summer/fall, everything was adjusting & doing well…best yet – it just keeps getting better & easier each year! check it out! http://backtoedenfilm.com/
gisele says
I am doing a 16 x 16 bed that way right now. and all the rest of my beds are that way as well. most of them are 4 feet wide. I am sure it will turn out great. BTW- my weeds are almost nonexsistant, and the veggies are plentiflul.
PattyB says
I’m more of the kind of gardener that doesn’t like to step in the garden bed and compact the soil. So would make the lasagna garden a raised 8 x 4 bed. And I use the intensive planting method. I’m going to do that this year too for next Spring.
Sakura says
We’ve always put our fall leaves on top of the garden along with all the grass clippings. I didn’t know there was a name for it. The one thing I don’t do is put more dirt on top. I do however have to turn it over a couple of times because the snow and pressure make those leaves into a paper mache type of layer if I don’t.
Katie @ Life Lived Intentionally says
My husband and I built new beds this late summer and threw a bunch of straw down on the bottom and put new soil from my compost on top. My hope is that the straw decomposing down at the bottom will provide some heat for my fall/winter garden. I’m thinking that your bed will probably be warmer, come spring, if you continue to add leaves, which would probably be awesome for seed germination.
It looks good and Lucy is super cute!
Katie @ Life Lived Intentionally says
Sorry, new soil from my greenery and some of our compost mixed in!
Jodee says
I did this in my front yard this year, and it was amazing! I used newspaper, alfalfa, grass clippings, maple leaves, and compost. I put it right over the section of lawn i wanted to have for the garden and it did better than my raised beds did. Looks like yours is going to be great!
I believe Oak leaves are are really tough to break down unless you mulch them first, and isn’t there something in walnut leaves that plants don’t like?… i avoided both just to be safe 🙂
Olga says
Someone told me to be sure to add a sprinkling of lime with each layer of leaves to give the soil a better balance.