Great Resources

There are a number of classic gardening books that have helped changed they way we garden.  One such book is Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza, that explains a simple, yet powerful way to prepare plant beds organically.  The book’s title borrows from the way lasagna is made – using a luscious layering of components – and cleverly ties into the author’s last name, Lanza.

The “lasagna” method is a no-dig, no-till process of layering components such as newspapers, leaves, grass clippings, cardboard, straw, etc., allowing them to decay in place, and then planting into the rich fertile soil which remains.  Lanza’s process is a wonderful way to eliminate a lawn, in a completely organic way.   If you stick with “lasagna” components that you already have on site, this is a great way to prepare plant beds sustainably.

Lasagna Gardening empowers readers to replace the tedious digging and the tremendous soil disturbance which the traditional preparation of a plant bed involves.  Unknown to many gardeners, each teaspoon of soil contains millions of living microorganisms that are vital to healthy, fertile soil.  Your soil is literally alive!  The process of digging or rototilling actually kills many of these valuable living critters in the soil.

Digging or even worse, rototilling, also harms soil structure.  Healthy soil has many tiny air pockets that help give soil its structure and allow for air flow – critical to the health of many plants.  These nooks and crannies are greatly diminished by the slicing and dicing of a shovel or rototiller, and lead to compacted, anaerobic soil.  “Lasagna gardening” is easier on you and far, far better for your soil.  A simple, but powerful method!

Pick up a copy of this wonderful book!

From Kim Eierman at EcoBeneficial!