Weeds and Lasagna

So, last night I took to cutting out some sod to enlarge the lily & iris garden. I stopped after awhile, disgusted with doing it with a trowel. After vowing to find a better method, I left off cutting sod, and started pulling weeds in an attempt to at least see how many bulbs there were, rather than actually clear the grass, dandelions, mock strawberries and ground cover.

I discovered that there are a lot of little bulblets coming up. The bulbs definitely need spread. I'll definitely need to cut down those hostas. There are lilies back inside of them. But first a trip to the yard to empty my bins. Although, that will be after I buy another one tonight, along with a decent sized shovel. The one I have now is too short for heavy soilwork.

So, after looking at the birdbath garden corner, I vowed to not go through this heartache and would lasagna garden it. I diligently collected my turtle from that corner and marched up to the computer. In my research, I discovered what a load of hooey the lasagna garden is. It is a great method, but it's a raised garden. Anyone could grow great plants after adding 2 feet of wonderful planting medium. Peat moss and compost and mulch are perfect potting soils. The grass clippings are so-so, but my dad's used that as mulch back when he didn't have access to free mulch. I don't have a compost pile yet, and the county sells theirs, so no free compost till I make some. I have access to free mulch, but I won't know what quality that will be. (I'll probably take extra and compost the rest. I plan on getting a free compost container from the county.)

So, the result of all that research? I'm going to buy a shovel, rip up that grass in the birdbath garden corner, turn it over, spread grass clippings and mulch heavily. Probably pile more grass clippings on top to keep late season weeds down. I'll compost it all and turn it over in spring. I have the time. I just need to do it.