I've seen newspaper mentioned as a good way to take care of grass but I'm not sure when it can be used. What's the deal?
For instance, I am thinking of putting rock/gravel over that square piece of nearly dead lawn I have and I am thinking that instead of digging up the dead sod and using landscape fabric (to keep the rock from sinking into dirt) a faster easier route would be newspaper over grass, rock over newspaper. I need to know if that would work and how thick the newspaper has to be.
Second is if I want beds, do I have to dig up the grass or can I just pour a whole bunch of dirt on top (essentially making beds that are higher than the lawn. That would mean I only have to dig a sort of moat (sp?) around the bed to keep the soil and grass apart. Or could I do the newspaper and dirt and what would that do to roots that eventually work their way down.
Real reason here is I am trying to avoid a lot of digging if I can as my back can't take a lot. Moving soil and rocks will kill me as it is unless I can find the handykid who was around this winter.
I got some nice bushes and perennial bulbs at Costco yesterday. It doesn't seem the stuff I bought last year and buried in my trench survived (NUTS!) so I'll need to get some more stuff that will actually be above ground this year (gads I hate starting new gardens...this will be #3 in 4 years and I want something up and growing now (although my surprise tulips are up so that's cool)).
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i just discovered lasagna gardening last year. it's so much easier to do then digging up a garden bed. i used this method in 2 beds last year...and it was a joy to do...and dustbunny there was no back pains the next day. i was abrehensive about using newspaper (because of the amount of wind we get here) so i used cardboard...but i gave it a major soaking before putting on the next layer. the plants in both beds survived the winter and are coming back nicely.
thanks both of you, that was what I needed to know. What I am thinking of gardenwise is like the last picture with out the rock border or like in the article (although I am thinking if I put a foot of soil on top maybe I don't have to wait 60 days (because summer will almost be over here by then).
Do you think that will work, lots of soil and by the time the plants are even close to where the paper is it will probably be next year anyway and the paper will be gone?
Here is a link to an article from Canadian Gardening magazine, outlining how to smother your grass with newspaper & mulch. It says 45-60 days to new beds, but with some high-nitrogen compost or bloodmeal, it may go even more quickly.
[URL=http://www.canadiangardening.com/howto/tech_new_beds.shtml]http://www.canadiangardening.com/howto/tech_new_beds.shtml[/URL]
that in the lasagna garden I used leaves and peat moss layers and shrimp compost mixed with soil for the top layer and then mulch. It ran expensive buying soil, peat moss and mulch in bags. :) If you can find some old brick or rail road ties they work along the edges, but I don't think you need it edged uinless the supplies are free :) Just have a moat around to separate it from the lawn. Plus hire as young guy for the heavy work. Maybe you have a person on the street who cuts lawns that would be interested in earning some $.
I think what you are referring to is a lasagna bed. Which is layers of aboput 12 sheets thick of newsprint, then 2" earth, then water and layer this way 3-4x with the last layer of earth about 12 " deep. This would be to grow something, but if you are wanting to cover with gravel/rock then a sheets of tar paper, thick carboard should work. You just need something to stop water and light in that area.
For the other beds you can just pile dirt over grass but a better way would be to flip the sod over first ( back breaking again) and make what is called a berm.
Berm Garden:
A berm is a type of raised garden. This style of garden is often used on a relatively level site. Freely draining garden soil is mounded at least 12" above grade. Rocks of different sizes are then placed and partially buried along the berm. A variety of plants are used to create a visually interesting garden. I have seen berms made with out any rocks but covering with a good 2" of mulch is a good idea.