Sheet mulching, also called lasagna gardening or composting in place.
Years ago I stopped ’tilling’. Living in this arid climate it seemed like digging up the already dry soil and exposing it to more wind and sun was less than helpful. Have you ever left a board or a piece of carpet out on the soil and then come back months later to pick it up and find moisture and critters underneath? This method is that plus more. No digging. Most of the work is in gathering the materials. Keep in the moisture and let the critters do the ’tilling’
Here are the easy steps:
- Gather cardboard
- Gather organic matter. Whatever is available-Ground bark, compost, straw, dry leaves, grass clippings, manure, stable sweepings etc.
- Chop down any weeds in area to be mulched. No need to remove.
- Wet the soil in area to be mulched.
- Moisten cardboard and lay down overlapping sheets by 6″.
- Apply layers of organic matter. watering in between layers is helpful.
I usually do this in the fall/ early winter so it can grab some moisture from snow and start breaking down before planting in spring. I try to get a good 12″ of mulch at least. You will wind up with some weeds but they pull up with ease. If you have a chunky top layer, you can dig trenches or holes and fill with fine compost for planting tiny seeds. 2 1/2″ or larger transplants can go right in. You will also notice the mulch works like a sponge and requires less water