RE: RE: sod< leaves now lasagna bed

It's a garden bed constructed like you would put together a lasagna dish (in layers).  The book Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza got the whole thing going.  Excellent book, I borrowed Jesse's copy.  Basically, you start w/ lots of newspaper and raw materials.  You wet down the newspaper and lay a thick layer over the sod. then a layer or straw, grass clippings, garden trimmings, green kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, leaves, peat, sawdust, manure - whatever you have and just lay it down in layers.  Newspaper, peat, more paper, grass clippings, etc.  You generally end up w/ a bed between 12 and 18" high (it will settle some over time).  I edge mine w/ cinder blocks just to keep it neat, but you can use anything you like.  This creates a very nice, nearly weed free raised bed.
And it's a LOT easier on the back than double digging rock hard clay and amending w/ compost, lava sand etc.
It's a GREAT idea and I have grown my best crops of peppers ever in my lasagna bed.  I add shredded leaves to it every fall and it is enriched by the kelp I use on the peppers all summer and fall.  Basil in this bed grows chest height and quite bushy!  No fungal problems either.  
Does that help??

Pam

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Melody" <mhobertm@excite.com>
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date:  Wed,  1 Jan 2003 15:00:36 -0500 (EST)

> Okay, since I'm sure there are plenty on this list who will say there is no such thing as a dumb question, here goes...What exactly is a lasagna bed?
>
>Melody, IA (Z 5/4)
>
>"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious."    
>--Albert Einstein
>
> --- On Sat 12/28, Pamela J. Evans < gardenqueen@gbronline.com > wrote:From: Pamela J. Evans [mailto: gardenqueen@gbronline.com]To: gardenchat@hort.netDate: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 09:46:55 -0600Subject: RE: [CHAT] RE: sodYou can plant a lasagna bed the same day you build it.  Wish y'all could see my cardinal convention right outside this window!!  :-) 
>
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--
Pam Evans
Kemp TX/zone 8A
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