We are planning on expanding our in ground garden bed this spring to 60 X 8. It is currently about 25 X 8. Anyway, I'm guessing it would NOT be a good idea to use Preen to kill the grass before we tear it out... correct?

Also, the ground is 'hard' in some spots... should I just put 2-3 inches of compost on top and hand till it in? I'll have to buy whatever additions I need to the soil so I want to make sure I spend wisely. Don't laugh - I live in a suburban subdivision - not in a rural area with a surplus of dirt, etc. 8)

Lastly, to deter weeds, I read that I could put 4-5 sheets of wet newspaper down and then just put compost on top. Since I won't be sowing all seed directly, will I be able to easily tear through the newspaper for planting garden 'plants'? Or will this be a pain? Do seeds go on top of the paper then, under the compost? Maybe I should have done this in the fall??? Dumb questions, I know... bare with me!

Thanks, in advance, for your help!

2009 Garden

then, when i plant a larger plant it is easy to just dig right through the layers and plant it. no problem.

now, depending on how strong your grass/weeds are you may get some peeking out at the place where you dug through and you have to keep an eye on them so they dont start to take over.

Thanks to all of you for responding!

Here are a few more pics I just took of what 2011 will look like:
2011 Garden Plan

The area in question is an additional 35 ft by 8 feet.
Just to put down ...let's assume 3" over that 280 sq. ft.
will require (roundly) 1 cubic yard of your choice.
If you go with the 10" mentioned, a large truckload would be required to deliver 8 1/2 cubic yards....just to do the new area.
If such method included the whole area, you can figure its going to take a helloflotof soil/compost.

Its spring, if you intend to get this garden going this season, wouldn't it make better sense to just get at it...remove the lawn, kill the weeds and rototil the area, amending it with some good compost that 3" depth and plant what you have in mind.
Lasagna methods are best done when you have time on your hands. Begin in late autumn so the soil still has heat in it, the sun can still work its magic, and over winter/early spring the soil will do its work.

"For each 100 square feet of new garden space:
Plant Tone 5-10 pounds
Rock phosphate 5-10 pounds
Greensand 5-10 pounds
Gypsum 5-10 pounds
Osmocote (8 months) 2 pounds
Till all these ammendments plus organic matter (I presume this means compost?) into the soil, rake smooth and your bed is ready to be planted."

Now some background on my soil. Soil test in 2009 indicated dense/heavy clay > 40%, pH 7.7-7.8, N Med/Low, P High, K Med/Low, Volatile Organic Content 1.5%, Humus Med/Low, Salts 92ppm.

I laid down cardboard and layered peat moss and compost on top last fall. I already have an Acer Palmatum and plan to add Acer Truncatum (Shantung maple), Port orford lawsonia 'Blue Surprise' w Guardian Stock, and Thuja 'Emerald Green.' Also perennials and shrubs as yet to be determined.

I notice moss growing in the bed and areas where water pools. I did a drainage test by digging a hole 1 feet deep and filling it with water. After one hour there was about 3 inches left. Filled a second time and after one hour there was about 1.5 inches left.

Two more questions, will Doctor Earths 4-4-4 work as well as the Plant Tone and If I could purchase only 3 books and 2 magazine subscriptions to learn more about responsible gardening, which would you suggest?