The idea of lasagna gardening was pioneered by Patricia Lanza, whose inspiration came from nature. During a walk in the woods, she realized that by piling organic materials on top of one another, she could create rich soil, just as the layers of fallen leaves and twigs in the forest decompose and become earth. The soil would be ready for plants — shrubs, perennials, annuals, vegetables, or herbs — with no digging required.
In her 2004 book, Lasagna Gardening with Herbs (Rodale Books), Pat describes her method in less than 50 words: “Pick a site. Cover site with wet newspaper. Cover paper with peat moss and other organic materials. Layer materials using 1 part green stuff (nitrogen) to 4 parts brown stuff (carbon) until your garden is deep enough to plant in. Pull back the layers and tuck in plants. Water.”
This simple but ingenious method sparked a gardening revolution where would-be gardeners no longer needed to tediously remove sod and weeds, as well as pick for rocks, prior to planting. By simply layering organic materials including chopped leaves, straw, compost, pine needles, kitchen scraps, topsoil, and aged manure on top of wet newspaper, they could create a lasagna-style garden that was ready to plant right away.
For novice gardeners, a lasagna-style plot is a very easy way to grow food. Pat recommends building the bed the autumn before you intend to plant, if possible, so that the materials have a head start on the decomposition process. If you don’t have an ample supply of leaves from your own property, you may be able to source a few bags from your neighbors or gather them in autumn as they’re piled at the street curb for pickup. Once you’ve collected your organic materials, choose a sunny, relatively flat site. Frame in the bed with boards to make the garden look tidy and to help keep the layers of organic materials in place as they compost. A 4- by 8-foot bed is an ideal size for beginners; as your plants grow and your skill level increases, you can always add another bed (or two!). When Pat built her original lasagna garden, she piled the layers of organic matter 24 inches high in November; by the time spring arrived, the materials had composted down to an 8-inch-deep garden bed with dark, rich soil and plenty of worms.
Keep the garden well watered in the first year to ensure the plants have plenty of moisture, and also to support the decomposition process. As the layers of organic materials decompose, you will need to top up the garden bed to maintain an appropriate soil depth and to ensure that the roots of your edibles are not exposed. The easiest way to continue building the bed is to keep a few bags of shredded leaves, a bale of straw, or a compost pile nearby, which can then be spread around your plants when necessary. The lasagna method may be an easy way to build a garden, but remember that the decomposition process takes time. “Practice patience,” says Pat with a smile. “What started as a walk in the woods has resulted in a new way of life for me.”