Ok, I just tried the link and it went to my main PBase site. If you look on the 3rd row, middle thumbnail that says "Wheatfield Garden", that's where you need to click.

I'm not good at linking. :-)

I love your photo's, they are just beautiful! I have been looking for an idea for the border of my bed - they also flow along the edge of my yard - and I love the design you used.
I do usually prepare my new beds the fall before - but that's only when I "plan". I have put in a few in spring, just because I want to.
Many people favor the lazagna beds...I have never tried it, but it is in the style you mention of layering. They start with cardboard typically.
Glad you joined our Texas group - there are lots of helpful people around here. What part of Texas are you in?

~Angie~

Thanks for responding!

While I'd love to have the beds done now and start planting, I really want to "do it right" so I'm willing to wait until fall. Besides, thinking and planning are half the fun to me!

I'm in the Dallas area - live in Mesquite and work in downtown Dallas.

The method you are thinking of is frequently discussed in the "Soil, Compost, Mulch" forum. It's call No Till method. I did a little of it this year and used newspaper... some weeds broke through but they are not too bad and usually pull up real easily. I am still experimenting with it, but as I understand it, here's how it works:
1. mark your area - no need to dig or kill existing grass
2. lay down several layers of newspaper or cardboard. (I'm using cardboard next time)
3. on top of that put down layers of compostable items... grass clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps, used coffee grounds, animal manure... or you can buy soil/ compost. But the reason you let it sit is for the compostables to rot. If you bring in soil then no need to let it sit.
You may want to go check out that other forum I mentioned and/or search for "no till method" or "lasagna gardending"

ps - Your pictures are absolutely GORGEOUS. You have a great eye for framing the shot!

pss - I found the link from the experts and have attached it.

Here is a link that might be useful: creating a new bed without tilling

Brenda,

I've used the lasagna method and love it. My plants seem to, too.

Rumbum's link explains it pretty well---though I wouldn't plant anything until all the layering is completed. Make sure you wet everything down as you put the layers down. I finish up with a layer of shredded wood mulch on top to make it all look nice and to keep the leaves, etc. from drying out and blowing around.

When I'm ready to plant, I can just push things around with my hands to make a planting hole (unless it's something really big). I usually add a mixture of compost and soil around whatever I'm planting if the bed's layers haven't completely broken down yet.

If you have all your components assembled ahead of time, making a lasagna bed is fast and fairly easy. The results give you good soil, too.

Wow - I didn't realize it was more than just newspapers. So, if I'm wanting to start planting early spring, should I start now with the layering or wait until fall? Any idea how long it takes until it would be ready to plant?

Thanks for the compliment on my pictures and the link!

Welcome Brenda!!!!
The pics of your gardens are wonderful..Just wish I could grow a Rose...LOL Why wait!!! Start a spot to give you something to grow and then just grow from there.. I have used this method and it works great ..There is no reason you can't get started now...It will give you the oppurtunity to get all your plans to gether and be able to go full force and wrap it up come fall..and start planning for the coming spring.. I think alot of people are already looking forward to making some changes for the spring.. Or maybe it is just me.. LOL I love all I have but I enjoy looking down the road as well...
Blessings
Chena

If you use newspaper you need to use at least 10 sheets and overlap the edges a couple of inches.

This will not kill bermuda and wou may still have to dig/pull it out.

I have done the lasagna method, too. I suggest you check out the book at the library..by Patricia Lanza, I think.

Texased is correct....you need significant newspaper, which is why a lot of people choose to use cardboard instead. You can use color print with no problem, as most papers use soy based inks these days. But you cannot use paper with a glossy finish. I just took large rolled up sections of paper and let them soak in a bucket of water for a few minutes before I layered them. I think I have six layers under the garden.

In the raised bed, six layers was enough....under some pavers in the kids' playhouse it wasn't, so I think the layers on top might be key also.

You can use "browns" in a bed (composted manure, compost, brown leaves, etc.), if you wish to plant it right away. I also have some thin layers of peat per the author's instruction. While the bed will cook down several inches, it will not be too hot to sustain plants. I had a nearly six foot tall cherry tomato and some healthy globe basil in there. I didn't use any dirt. The last layer (top layer) was about four inches of compost, and I planted directly into that.

If you use "greens" or "hot" stuff....kitchen scraps, lots of green grass, fresh manure...the author recommends an entire season of cooking before you plant. I've heard that you can speed the process a little with black plastic over the top, but it seems like too much trouble to me.

As far as I know, nothing short of chemical warfare will kill bermudagrass...and sometimes even that doesn't work. Fortunately, I don't have much in my St. Augustine. My mom has Bermuda lawn, and we have a terrible time keeping it out of the beds and the mulch in the walkways.

Have fun!

Ok, so since the area where I'm wanting to expand the garden is bermuda, are you saying that this method won't work? Will the cardboard/newspaper just sit there?

srburk - we must have posted at the same time.

Ok, I'll check out the book. Thanks for all the advice!

As someone who recently used the lasagna method (I put down a layer of compost, covered it with cardboard, and covered that with mulch) to create flowerbeds, my word of advice is to kill the bermuda grass with RoundUp *first*. If you don't kill it (and believe me, simply covering bermuda with anything will *not* kill it) with RoundUp, you will be fighting it forever.

What I did was to spray RoundUp on the area that I was going to make into a flowerbed, wait one day and then I sprayed again. That killed off most of the bermuda. I then laid down the layers and let the area sit through the winter. If you have bermuda in your yard, you will never be completely free of it in your flowerbeds. But if you use RoundUp on the area prior to building the flowerbeds, it will be much easier to control.

Carla

The newspaper/cardboard's purpose is to smother and deprive the plant life underneath it of light so the grass/weeds/whatever dies and just rots. This way no digging up anything. The cardboard or the newspaper essentially composts after some time. Since my lasagna bed is about two years old at this point, I imagine the newspaper is about long gone.

I forgot to mention one detail....absolutely do not puncture the cardboard/newspaper in any way if you can help it. If you puncture it or you don't overlap and leave even a small hole, whatever plant life is there will find a way out.

Welcome to GW. Lovely garden so far! PJ

Ok - thanks to all for the warm welcome and advice. I look forward to getting to know you and sharing garden stories.

Brenda - I have done the lasagne gardening thing in the fall and it works fine then. This year I did another lasagne bed and I think the heat helps smother the grass even more quickly so by fall it can be planted. So, really, you can do lasagne gardening at just about anytime. Just make sure you use thick layers of newspaper since right now the grass is really growing strong and you're wanting to smother it. Oh, and welcome to Texas Gardening here on Garden Web. Glad you're here with us - instead of just "lurking." hee-hee!