Sheet Mulching Now For Planting Next Spring

Lance · 09-20-2008, 08:23 PM

Greetings:

This is my first post so instead of directly responding to numerous queries on other threads I'll do a run down on how to turn a lawn or any area with soil beneath it, into a garden without digging.

1. Pick your area, I would keep it as close to your front door as possible.

2. Save your and your families urine for a week.

3. Collect enough cardboard to cover the area with a decent overlap.

4. Collect enough compostable matter such as mulching hay/alfalfa, fallen leaves, grass clippings etc. Nothing too woody though.

5. Chop down the area you are going to garden with a weed whacker or scythe if you are into old tools.

6. Spread the urine over the newly chopped area, lay down the cardboard then apply the compostable material. Make sure the cardboard is completely covered or it will wick moisture out via any exposed corner.

Keep adding anything you can find that will break down in a few months, and if you are not too squeamish...keep pouring on the urine. In a few months after the snow melts or the rains come or whatever...you will have created a few inches of fine tilth.

Sheet mulching is also called 'lasagna gardening' and was popularized out of the Permaculture community by a book of that name.

if you have NO soil, it doesn't matter. You can grow enough food for yourself in other ways. The most exciting system I have heard of lately can be found here, but you have to buy the book. There is a PDF of an interview though which kind of gets a little into it.

http://www.gardeningrevolution.com/index.html

09-20-2008, 08:23 PM	#1
Lance Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: South Coastal British Columbia Posts: 183	Sheet Mulching Now For Planting Next Spring Greetings: This is my first post so instead of directly responding to numerous queries on other threads I'll do a run down on how to turn a lawn or any area with soil beneath it, into a garden without digging. 1. Pick your area, I would keep it as close to your front door as possible. 2. Save your and your families urine for a week. 3. Collect enough cardboard to cover the area with a decent overlap. 4. Collect enough compostable matter such as mulching hay/alfalfa, fallen leaves, grass clippings etc. Nothing too woody though. 5. Chop down the area you are going to garden with a weed whacker or scythe if you are into old tools. 6. Spread the urine over the newly chopped area, lay down the cardboard then apply the compostable material. Make sure the cardboard is completely covered or it will wick moisture out via any exposed corner. Keep adding anything you can find that will break down in a few months, and if you are not too squeamish...keep pouring on the urine. In a few months after the snow melts or the rains come or whatever...you will have created a few inches of fine tilth. Sheet mulching is also called 'lasagna gardening' and was popularized out of the Permaculture community by a book of that name. if you have NO soil, it doesn't matter. You can grow enough food for yourself in other ways. The most exciting system I have heard of lately can be found here, but you have to buy the book. There is a PDF of an interview though which kind of gets a little into it. http://www.gardeningrevolution.com/index.html