Lasagna Garden: 2010

I learned a lot last year in my first lasagna garden. I made the garden too deep, which meant that I couldn't reach the back of the garden without stepping in the front. I also learned plenty about the particular likes and dislikes of the local rabbit community. (They love lettuce and carrots. They don't really like tomatoes.)

So this year, Steven built me a garden box that will better fit my reach. I started the layering this weekend:

First, a layer of wet newspaper to kill off all the weeds.



(As a former wanna-be journalist, I always feel a pinge of guilt for using newspapers like this. But then I get over it.)



In case you are curious, this is the equivalent of about 5 full newspapers. I filled the orange Home Depot bucket up with water, dunked the pages, and laid them in the box. (Also, Steven bought me a new wheelbarrow! Yay!)



Next layer: Compost! We'd begun a compost pile last year, mostly leaves and grass clippings, and just let it sit there all year. The bottom of the pile has turned into really beautiful rich dirt, but it took a good bit of shoveling to get down to that layer.



So, yeah, there are some less-broken-down bits in there, too.



Layer, The Third: I dumped out our old tomato containers and re-used the dirt, and also dug up some dirt from our previous garden's location. I'm hoping this dirt won't be too tired and over-used for a second garden...



I think it still needs a good top layer of gardening soil from Home Depot. Maybe next weekend.



I still haven't planted anything inside yet, nor have I set up our (slightly shady-looking) grow light contraption yet. I think I'm going to direct-sow pretty much everything this year.... I might start some tomatoes, peppers, cantaloupe and watermelon, but the rest of the plants are just going straight into the dirt outside this year. (Hopefully in a more organized fashion than last year. Maybe I'll get some of those "garden label" sticks...)