Does Lasagna Gardening Really Work?

I got an email earlier this week from a reader who had a question about lasagna gardens. Lasagna gardening, also known as sheet composting, is a super-simple, no-dig way to make a new garden. If you're not familiar with the method, please check out my article on how to make a lasagna garden.

Anyway, in her email, the reader, Patricia, asked: "Does it really work? I made a lasagna bed last year, and nothing happened!" Meaning that the materials she used in the lasagna bed didn't break down, and she did not end up with the rich, crumbly soil promised by fans of the method.

So, what was the problem?

Not having seen Patricia's attempt, I'd guess that her bed had one (or more) of the following three issues:

1. There wasn't a good mix of material in the bed. Remember that lasagna gardening is essentially composing in situ. Any compost pile, whether we're building it in a large bin or sheet composting, needs to have a good mix of greens and browns to break down properly and as quickly as possible.


2. The materials weren't piled deeply enough. When it's first constructed, a lasagna garden should be about two feet tall. Sure, this looks a little funny at first, but the materials will break down a ton in just a few months. Decent depth allows the lasagna bed to heat up and decompose faster.


3. The materials weren't chopped small enough. In a traditional compost pile, it's best to chop materials as small as possible so they break down quicker. This is even more important in a lasagna garden, which is generally shallower and spread out more than a typical compost pile would be. If there are a lot of fall leaves in your lasagna garden, these especially should be shredded. Otherwise, they take a long time to break down.

Hopefully, these tips will help you build your own successful lasagna garden. Good luck!