Create a Flowerbed the easy way - lasagna style

 

Since I discovered this method, I would never do it any other way. Especially here in Florida, a flowerbed created this way is ready to be planted in just a few short weeks.

No need to dig up weeds or grass, especially the tough Augustine grass, it will be smothered and turned to fertilizer.

Layering is the key, just like making a lasagna in the kitchen.

Layer materials can be: grass clippings, leaves, manure, compost, peat moss, but you must have newspaper.

Here is how to do it:

First of all, you will need your ingredients. Here are the ones I like to use:

• Bed edging - for example bricks
• lots of newspaper
• compost, from the bin and if that is not enough, we buy some bags
• cow manure in bags
• peat moss
• mulch
• water hose, set on soft spray
   

 

Laying the outline of the new flowerbed, this one will be an add-on to an existing one.
I find having a firm edging will keep the flowerbed  in the shape I want it, and it does keep the soil contained. Bricks are my choice, since they are cost effective and using bricks lets me change the beds' size and layout if needed.
 

 

 

 

Once I have decided on the form of the flowerbed, I look it over from all directions, even from the upstairs window.

Now is the time to add your sprinkler lines. In this case we will do it later, since I can't decide  on where to place the plants.
 

 

 

I am impatient, and try to figure out where to place the potted plants  while hubby is doing the manual labor, of course he is not too happy with me being in his way ;-)

 

 

 

Creating this border with bricks is not that time consuming as one thinks. DH takes the big shovel and cuts along the outline, front and back of the bricks, lifting the grass as he goes along. Having created a trench, he then uses the hand shovel to adjust the depth to what is needed for the bricks to be buried about 1/3 deep.
 

 

 

 

 

Work's done, time for a break in the shade :-)

 

 

 

 

Ok, my potted babies need to be set aside, the water hose is dragged over, and now  the layering can begin.
 

 

 

 

Newspaper is most important and for me it works better than cardboard. It suffocates the grass underneath it.

I put down 4 (at least 4!) layers of newspaper, while DH sprays the paper with water, to soak it AND to keep it in place. There is always a breeze going in FL, the paper just wouldn't stay in place without being moistened right away.

 

 

 

Careful, so not to rip the newspaper, we spread some grass clippings, leaves, followed by the compost. the next layer will be cow manure and some leftover potting soil.
All will be covered in a thick layer of mulch


 

With a soft spray, the new flowerbed gets watered well.

Watered daily and with the Florida heat, the flowerbed is ready to be planted in two weeks.

We did create such a bed in the wintertime, it took 8 weeks for it to be ready, not enough water and heat just didn't 'cook' it fast enough ;-)
 

 

Here now the finished flowerbed done lasagna style. The layers are up to the top of the brick edging and mounded even a bit higher to make up for the settling of it all.

This new bed will have a lotus bowl, several cannas, a hibiscus standard, Musical Note Clerodendrum, Brazilian Bachelor Button, a bat face cuphea, purslane and other groundcover plants.

 

 

 

'Grass is a Flowerbed in Waiting'