Turn Your Lawn Into Garden
I can hear you saying, “But I don’t have the energy to dig up that lawn. Isn’t there an easier way?” Yes, there is! Not only is removing turf hard on your back, but doing so also removes the healthy topsoil that is needed to nurture your new plants. The good news is that by imitating Mother Nature, you are well on your way to a new garden without ever having to dig up the sod.
ADAM GIBBS PHOTO
Mother Nature never rototills anything. Why should you?
TRANSFORM YOUR LAWN WITHOUT EVEN DIGGING By Elizabeth Leboe
“Sheet mulching” imitates ecology by layering organic materials on an area of lawn, weeds or poor soil to create rich healthy soil for your plants. Mother Nature never rototills anything. Why should you? So put away your spade and gasoline-powered machines and begin hoarding organic materials. When the time is right, gather together some helping hands to make the job faster and more fun. This is what some folks in North Vancouver did one Saturday morning as part of a GardenSmart workshop hosted by the North Shore Recycling Program. Here is how they converted about 45sq ft (4.2m2) of weedy lawn into a healthy, productive garden in three hours flat.
Wait a Minute – Leisure?!
The kings and queens of yore may have had armies of minions tending their lawns, but you probably don’t. You weed it, you feed it, you water it, then you mow it, you rake it, you get rid of the “harvest”... and then you must do it all over again. What has your lawn done for YOU lately? If you feel like your lawn is taking up a lot of your energy and not giving you back enough, maybe it is time 46
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to consider converting part of it into something a little more beautiful and much more productive. I’ll bet your lawn is occupying the sunniest, flat-
What has your lawn done for YOU lately? test spot in your yard.That sounds like a location that will be perfectly suited to a new flowerbed or, even better, a veggie plot.
AMANDA GEE PHOTO
Let’s start by considering why we have lawn. Originally, the conversion of arable land into non-productive grass symbolized wealth. Landowners didn’t need to grow food. Instead they hired workers to tend their pretty lawns. Today, grass tracts are a testimony to the triumph of humans over nature, the “brand” of urban and suburban living. They are still a sign of wealth and leisure. An awkward lawn to mow can turn into a great spot for a garden.
Site Selection
Pick a site that suits your new garden’s needs. The existing soil does not have to be good. The patch of weedy lawn we selected is ideal for flowers and vegetables. It is south-facing and backed by the wall of a house. Gardens West March 2009
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Gather Materials
HEATHER JOHNSTONE PHOTO
ELIZABETH LEBOE PHOTO
• Fallen leaves • Straw • Thin woody prunings • Manure • Used stable bedding • Peat moss • Compost
Collect some of these materials for your sheet mulch project. Be creative, many materials are considered “garbage” and are free!
Compost does not need to be completely broken down.
ELIZABETH LEBOE PHOTO
ELIZABETH LEBOE PHOTO
Peel tape from cardboard.
Used straw bedding is free from stables.
Cardboard is a sturdy weed barrier.
Weed Barrier Materials
ELIZABETH LEBOE PHOTO
• Burlap, wool or cotton fabrics or natural-fibre carpets • Newspapers or cardboard
Soil-Building Materials
A layer of topsoil creates a finished look.
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•Grass clippings, soft plant prunings or weeds (dry weeds in the sun or drown in water to kill them)
Your neighbours will be happy to give you their grass clippings. Be sure to enquire about pesticide use before using. Gardens West March 2009
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Prepare Your Site
Weed & Grass Barrier
Spread natural fertilizers first.
This is the most important part of the sheet mulch project, as this step replaces digging up sod. These are the basic rules for whatever barrier material you use:
heather johnstone photo
elizabeth leboe photo
Mow or trample the grass and weeds and leave them there. If you have any organic fertilizers (rock dust, alfalfa meal and such) scatter it on your new garden site. Water the site well.
Laying cardboard is even easier if it’s moistened first.
March Puzzle
• Overlap edges well (15 cm or 6" or more) • Don’t skimp (if you can poke through it, so can weeds and grass) • Don’t leave gaps Ideally, you would lay down a thick, unbroken barrier and let it naturally break down while it smothers the weeds and grass below. But in spring, you likely have rooted plants to place in your new garden (as we did); in this case, lay the barrier material snugly around transplanted perennials.
1. Chenopodiaceae is the Latin name for the __________ family. 2. The polyphemus caterpillar is green with _________ vertical stripes. 3. Make no major changes to your ponds until the water is over 50° _________. 4. Four species of this bird are found in North America. _____________ 5. The ________ of the Polyphemus moth's wings resemble dead leaves. 6. Genus name for a Top Ten Prairie tree pick with a vase-like habit. _________ Send your answer to CONTEST by mail, fax or email to contest@gardenswest.com. Include your full name, address and phone number. The draw takes place March 18. If your answer is one of the first three correct answers drawn, we'll notify you and you can choose your new book. The winners and their prizes will be announced in mid-March.
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The answers to the following six questions can be found in the articles in this month's issue. Once you have found the correct answers, take the first letter of each answer and rearrange them to answer the following – Mr. Mushroom wanted to be known as a real ______! (2 words) Warning: New year, new puns!
We put the barrier around plant stems.
Puzzle created by Elaine Murphy
November/December Puzzle Contest Winners: Jacquie McNeil, Savona, BC won Garden Spaces: Simple Solutions for Planning & Design by George Carter (Mitchell Beazley). Joan Brown, Winnipeg, MB won The 2007 Prairie Garden: The Edible Landscape (The Prairie Garden Committee). Norlaine McIvor, Davidson, SK won The 2009 Prairie Garden
Take care not to damage plant stems.
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(The Prairie Garden Committee).
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November/December 2008 Contest Answers 1. Officinalis 2. Okanagan 3. Obelisk 4. Homebush 5. Hawthorne 6. Honeydew: FINAL PHRASE: HO HO HO
Plant through Xs cut in cardboard. 48
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adam gibbs photos
Add grass clippings as a nitrogen layer.
Compost and manure contain beneficial soil microorganisms Add old rotting straw for a quick-to-decompose carbon layer. Fallen leaves also work well.
Add more layers for more new soil.
Layer Soil-Building Materials
Mix and match as many different kinds of materials as you can get your hands on. Don’t be stingy – make an “organic sandwich” at least 4" (10cm) deep as it will shrink by ¾ as it composts down.
Planting is Optional
Since it is spring and you want to put plants in your new garden, here are a couple of things to keep in mind. Large seeds work best in a new sheet mulch (potatoes, garlic, squash). Rooted plants should be planted into the soil below the barrier layer – either cut an “X” through the barrier and plant through it or place the plant first, and lay the barrier material around its stem (we did both). Gardens West March 2009
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elizabeth leboe photo brenda webb photo
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This September photo shows healthy soil and squash leaves.
Look at this fine crop of tomatoes ripening on the vine in the warm sunshine. Who could possibly miss an unused chunk of lawn when they get to enjoy this fine crop of freshly cooked home-grown potatoes right from the garden? These tasty pommes de terre alone more than make up for the loss of the grass.
A Finished Garden
We added a layer of topsoil to make the instant garden look better and watered heavily to kick-start the composting process. As the season progresses, organic materials will compost down and turn into beautiful, rich soil. Our flowering and fruiting plants flourished. You can add more mulch materials to the top as you gather them.
adam gibbs photo
Conclusion
A productive garden by mid-summer is your reward for sheet mulching this spring! 50
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Sheet mulching is an easy way to convert lawn into garden. Best of all, the technique is flexible enough to work with whatever materials and energy you have available and you can do it at any time of the year. You can also use this method to improve soil on existing garden beds. So transform your lawn. Pile it on!i Gardens West March 2009
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