‘Lasagna Gardening’ Is The New Green Trend Everyone Loves — but Experts Say It May Not Be Perfect
Amidst the climate crisis, sustainable gardening practices have shaped up to be the spark of change needed to cut down wasteful use of natural resources. One such method is lasagna gardening that utilizes nature's decomposition process, as the name suggests, layering organic matter like lasagna. This practice also does not require huge amounts of water for maintenance and naturally suppresses the growth of weeds. While this method is great by definition, some people wonder whether it is actually functional. Experts weighed in on the gardening practice, per Den Garden.
Experts’ take on lasagna gardening
While several sustainable practices have emerged over the years, few require minimal effort and maintenance. Through this method of gardening, people can transform their garden beds into a thriving habitat for soil organisms while also facilitating the growth of plants. The best part is that lasagna gardening is independent of strenuous work like digging and tilling. Edwin Dysinger, co-founder of Seedtime, a garden planning and education platform, said, “Lasagna gardening, if done right, works very well. You will have minimal weed pressure and a moisture-retaining, biologically active soil.” Hence, lasagna gardening had his vote on its immense potential.
Likewise, Tammy Sons, founder and CEO of TN Nursery, suggested that she preferred this method over others because of how sustainable and cost-effective it was. The method is also called sheet composting or sheet mulching, and the layers of organic material contain newspapers, leaves, grass clippings, compost, kitchen scraps, sawdust, peat moss, wood shavings, and more. Essentially, the lasagna gardening sheets are alternated as layers of green matter, which provide nitrogen, and brown matter layers, rich in carbon. When the layers of organic matter break down, the decomposition enriches the soil with nutrients beneficial for plant growth. Tricia from GrowOrganic Peaceful Valley showed how she grows her own organic veggies using the lasagna method on YouTube.
Pros and cons of this gardening method
Lasagna gardening has more benefits than drawbacks when it comes to practicing it. Anyone with physical limitations or busy schedules can abide by this technique as it requires no digging or trilling. Just spreading layers of green waste into a garden bed. More so, it also requires minimal watering because the sheets hold water efficiently, creating a moist environment for beneficial microorganisms and plants. Repurposing kitchen waste and low-cost materials for gardening, otherwise an expensive hobby. The base layer of cardboards and newspaper suppresses the weeds and even prevents new growth. Overall, the practice significantly improves soil quality by creating loose, fertile soil that could sustain the growth of most plants.
Among the few disadvantages, timing is one of the most important factors. Lasagna gardening requires patience and determination. Since it heavily depends on the decomposition process, it may require a few months before the garden bed is ready for plant growth, per The Spruce. Small kitchen waste or home materials may not be enough to create whole layers of organic matter. Therefore, it is ideal for people with large lawns or yards. Additionally, the kitchen scraps and organic matter could attract pests to your garden, becoming a nuisance for the plants. This, however, can be solved by placing live traps and deterrents. In all, lasagna gardening works best with a little preparation and by planning ahead of the growing season.