I think Sharon has said in the past to wait a couple of weeks. Most of my beds have been lasagned. Not that it has helped me with the weeds - i'm finding that out. But it really makes for a nice soil and easy planting.

I've done this a few times. I wait until the grass etc is dead (yellow) so that I know I haven't missed anywhere - usually about 10 days. Then I just planted straight in - dug holes where I wanted them and left the rest. Eventually the rest got mulched and you cannot tell that there's dead sod underneath. The sod breaks down after a year or so. I did this for a shrub bed and a couple of areas where I extended the beds. I will never dig sod again. And if at all possible, RUp is my preferred method of weeding, too.

You don't have to dig or till after Gil, this is the beauty of no till/ lagasna gardening. Yup, the sod will break down.

LOL > pU dnuoR, you are a very smart cookie ;)

How soon do you need this bed, are you in a rush or are you making a new bed for next year. #1 goal is to get all the weeds out first before planting, otherwise you'll be sorry once you start planting plants in there.

I myself will take a whole season to make a no till bed ;)

I will give 2-3, sometimes 4 pU dnuoR application making sure every bit of grass blade and weed is dead, wait at least 7-10 days between applications. I use Super Concentrate and it says weeds usually begin to wilt within two to four days, with complete kill in one to two weeks. All ornamental flowers, trees and shrubs may be planted one day after application.

If your soil is very hard and clay, its best to add aged manure, compost, organic matter as well, but you knew that ;)

Sharon

Thanks for the RU particulars. I'm not desperate to start using the bed but I can't have it sitting around looking like a lasagne for months because it's right in the front yard.

My old yard was clay but the soil here is fantastic, it's silty loam and very clean to work in and quick draining. A little leaner than I'm used to though, I'm spending more money on fertilizer.

OK so I sprayed it almost 2 weeks ago, and it's almost all brown and dead now. There are a few green Creeping Charlie leaves, I guess they need another shot. But now I have a thick thatch of dead grass. What do I do with that? I still feel like I should till it.

I also am planning new beds in an existing lawn and am planning on using a sod cutter and then rototilling with compost, sand and a garden mix to enrich the soil. These beds will be used for shrubs and perennials as well aa my irises. I hope it works. Love the lasagna method but unfortunately do not have time.......or patience.....

Ginny

When you till, you just bring up all the dormant weeds seeds up to the surface and will have to RU all over again ;)

Sharon

I'm thinking of burning the thatch off...

(this is where someone should try to stop me)

gasoline or propane? LOL

the thatch will eventually break down, all those wonderful worms will come to the surface and do their job ;)

Sharon

Blowtorch, Gil, blowtorch. :>

Sweet nobody stopped me, I'm going to do it.

Eek so I did it, it burned nicely (with the hose on standby) but now I have ugly black thatch that is still almost as thick. I didn't burn right down. I'm thinking a thick top dressing of composted manure now and plant right in...

LOL, you crazy nut ;)