|
Wed, May 23, 12 at 23:39
| Thanks to everyone for all the good advice regarding my questions from last fall. Based on the advice, on a weed-filled plot, I layered cardboard, grass, leaves, dirt, and coffee grounds last fall. The mound I created shrunk a bit, and last week, I planted tomato plants and zucchini seeds in this plot. While planting, I found no trace of the cardboard, but did find many fat worms. The plot also had only a handful of weeds -- the adjoining plots were covered with weeds. So, it looks promising, and I hope the plants will grow well this season.
Planning ahead, I want to know what I should do to this same plot this fall. Should I layer it with all the same materials? Should I use only some of the materials (eg leave out the cardboard)? I also have another plot which has vegetable plants surrounded by shredded leaves. I did not use the lasagne method on this plot. If I do so in the fall, can I skip the cardboard layer if there are not many weeds? |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
| The only reason to use the newspaper or cardboard is to deprive any unwanted plants ("weeds") from getting access to sunlight which they need to grow. If there are no unwanted plants growing there there is no need to use newspaper or cardboard. If the material placed on "weedy" soils is thick enough (6 to 8 inches or more) then there is also no reason to use newspaper or cardboard since the material itself will deprive anything growing under it of that necessary sunlight and they will die. The primary reason to use newspaper or cardboard is to allow you to use less material as mulch thereby saving some money if the mulch material must be purchased. |
|
- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Thu, May 24, 12 at 12:09
| Agreed! Not needed. |
|
| Paper/cardboard isn't needed but it doesn't hurt either. worms love newspaper and cardboard. I like to use it as a base layer every to mulch with. newspaper/cardboard - grass clippings - shredded leaves. |
|
| kimmsr, the Lasagne Gardening is a layered mulch that you can plant though. This will rot & become compost as you grow the garden & add more layers. What did I miss? |
|
| jolj, Lasagna gardening is much more then "a layered mulch". Perhaps if you read what Pat Lanza wrote about you would learn. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Lasagna Gardening 101
|
| WOW So you plant Asparagus in an unfinished compost pile & they grow so well that you harvest the first year. But Garlic compost pile should cook under black plastic for 6 weeks, then plant the cloves. The only concern I have is these beds are that they have more then the 5%-20% compost/Organic Matter most soil scientist say to use. It was not a problem, before all the post telling me that soil should not be more then 20% OM/compost. |
|
- Posted by lazygardens PhxAZ%3A Sunset 13 (My Page) on Fri, May 25, 12 at 16:43
| Jolj - I have been growing tomatoes and squash in remesh compost bins ... basically 100% OM outside the 6" layer of dirt I add for the seedlings. They grow just fine. |
|
| lazygardens, I think I saw that wonderful pic on the thread about "show your compost". Sorry if my humor is not funny, but every time I say I use 100% composted OM or grow in a old hog pin full of rotten manure. The same person lectures on not having to much compost in the perfect soil. I think if it works for you great. I talked about making my new asparagus bed of coffee waste, animal manure & shredded leaves & grass. I got another lecture, now some of these people are doing the same things & calling it great & wonderful. So I thought I would have a little joke, but I should have know the joke is to inside too be funny to anyone, but me. I liked your compost pic's & am going to do one of the fence pile with leave & grass this Fall. I have 10 acres of grass,straw & leaves to mine, when I have time. I am sorry if I am not funny, never thought I was Jay Leno.:-) |
|
| And I thought worms were in LOVE with the glue in corrugated cardboard. Which means more worms --> better soil. |
|
- Posted by blazeaglory 10 SZ22 OC Ca (My Page) on Fri, May 25, 12 at 22:28
| Do worms really love the glue or are you joking? |
|
| It is not the glue that the earthworms like but it is the cellulose the cardboard consists of. In soils where it would appear earthworms really love cardboard, or newspaper, that may be because that is the only food source they have. I find the earthworms in my soil to be more enthralled with compost and shredded leaves (easier to munch on) then they are of newspaper or cardboard. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Soil Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.