What Is a Lasagna Garden?

Have you always wanted to create a beautiful, bountiful garden, but you don’t exactly have a green thumb? Maybe it’s time to consider a saucier approach to growing.

Lasagna gardening might sound delicious, but it really has nothing to do with hot Italian pasta. Instead, it’s a growing method that lets you create an above-ground garden without having to dig or till.

Instead of using enriched soil, lasagna gardens are “stacked” with compostable materials. You can use everything from newspapers and cardboard to leaves and grass to layer up your growing area. If it looks a little messy, you’re doing it right, but you can also clean it up by adding some landscape edging.

While being able to successfully grow your own herbs and vegetables is always a win, there’s an even bigger benefit to lasagna gardening that you can feel good about—it’s one of the most sustainable ways to garden! They tend to use less water and are made from materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

So, what do you need to start stacking your layers?

Your base layer should be made of newspaper or cardboard, followed by a “green” layer of grass clippings or vegetable scraps. You can even use animal manure if you’re willing to get your hands dirty. The top layer (also known as the brown layer) should be made of things like moss, leaves, mulch, or sawdust. Not only are lasagna gardens easy to build, but they’re easy to care for year after year if you keep adding organic materials.

Your garden itself might not be as tasty as your nonna’s lasagna, but think of all of the wonderful produce you’ll be able to harvest each year. Plant some tomatoes, basil, and garlic, and you can even end up cooking a real lasagna from your efforts.