The problem: your lawn is hurting, the grass is dying, and destructive weeds seem to be winning the battle. Here’s a solution you may not have heard of: create a sod-top garden where before there was only dry grass and weeds. No tilling required!
Sod-top gardening is a simple, eco-friendly way to begin growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, and other plants right in your own yard. All you’ll need are a few layers of newspaper and some premium compost to create a new foundation for plant growth. Over time, the grass and weeds underneath die, turning the covering into a rich, friable humus in just a few months.
While traditional garden prep can be labor-intensive and pollution causing (if using a gas-powered tiller), this method is much easier and non-invasive, so earthworms and other microbes that enrich the soil are not disturbed.
Sod-Top Garden How-To
1. Mow the ground at your chosen site. Cut anything to the ground that you don't want in the garden, such as weeds or tall grasses.
2. Soak newspaper in warm water. Lay wet paper on the ground, six layers thick. This is your barrier that keeps the grass and weeds from invading your new garden.
3. Top with layer of compost - four to six inches in depth.
4. You may wait several months before planting for newspaper covering to turn into nutritive humus.
5. Plant vegetables, herbs, flowers, or shrubs of your choice.
6. Use an organic fish emulsion or seaweed for extra nutrients.
7. Water, and place decorative rocks around the edges, if desired.
Tip: Some gardeners suggest building your sod-top garden in the fall so that the soil will be nutrient-rich and optimized for planting in the spring. Here on the Central Coast we have ideal conditions to begin the process year-round. If you’re tired of your tired old lawn, now’s the time for a change!
Calling all gardeners! This Saturday, May 21, you can get the tools you need to get that garden started. Come to Harvest Blend Compost’s LAWN & GARDEN WORKSHOP from 9:00 a.m. – noon. BYOB: Bring Your Own Bucket and take home FREE Premium Harvest Blend Compost & FREE Vegetable Transplants!
Local experts will be on hand to instruct attendees on the uses and benefits of compost for lawn & garden. Top-dressing lawns with a fine layer of compost adds vital nutrients, increasing soils’ water holding capacity. Added to soils before planting, compost creates the perfect foundation for new plants, ensuring healthy veggies and colorful flower beds. Naturally!
For more info on compost use or details on Saturday’s workshop, visit http://www.gotcompost.com/
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