What is Lasagna Style Planting?

If you are new to gardening, you may not be familiar with techniques like tilling the 
ground and digging for certain types of drainage. In this case, a good method to use is 
called lasagna style planting. This type of gardening is often referred to as layer 
gardening. Here are some things to know about this method of planting.

The Basics of a Lasagna-Style Garden

When you want to know what a lasagna style garden is, all you need to do is think about 
an actual lasagna. The point is that it is a type of casserole where there are layers of 
ingredients. You have a layer of sauce, a layer of noodles, a layer of meat, and a layer 
of cheese. You keep repeating the layers until you reach the top of the dish. Lasagna 
gardening is the same way. You are layering the different ‘ingredients’ for planting in the 
ground. It is an easy way for beginners to learn growing their own food.

Benefits of Using This Method

There are quite a few reasons to use this method. First of all, the lasagna style garden 
can be started any time of year. So if you are having a mild winter without frost, but you 
aren’t planting until spring, go ahead and start creating the basis of the garden. By the 
time spring comes, you have the area prepared for planting. It really does make it a lot 
easier.

Another benefit is that you are using up a lot of yard waste and food waste that would 
otherwise have gone to the garbage, as well as other materials that frequently end up in 
the trash can or dumpster. It is like an automatic recycling system that also helps with 
your gardening efforts.

Materials to Use

Now you’re probably wondering what materials go in these layers. This can be just 
whatever you have on hand. You might have cardboard at home, so you can start with 
that, then add a layer of old leaves, followed by a layer of straw or newspaper, and a 
layer or grass clippings. There are many ways to do this with whatever you have on 
hand. You can also add layers of coffee grounds, seaweed, wood chips, veggie or fruit 
peels, prunings, and just about anything you would normally add to compost. Instead of 
mixing them together, you are layering them one by one.
