by Dana Richardson
It is quick and easy to install ano-dig vegetable garden on top of an existing lawn with established grasses and weeds. Where you once grew a lawn you can now grow food! Trust us!In 2020, we transformed a plot full of tenacious grasses and weedshere in Los Angeles, California into a bountiful Garden of Eden! Keep reading to seethe steps we recommend to install a vegetable garden on top of grasses and weeds.
Beforeyou begin, DO NOT TILL THE SOIL!All of the materials you use to mulch yourgarden plot are biodegradable and will immediately begin to decompose, breaking down into nutrient-rich soil. It will transform your dead soil into living soil!
Simply cut your grass and leave it in place. Then you are ready to begin!
1. APPLY DAMP PAPER
A step that manypeople forget is to first add a layer of dampened paper. Apply at least 3-4 sheets of newspaper or WeedGuard and then spray it down with water. Water helps the paper from flying away andit removes any air pockets between the paper and the grass. The goal is to suffocate the grass and weeds so that they decompose.
Do you have tenacious weeds and grasses established where you are planning to install a Back to Eden Garden? Then WeedGuardPlus is for you!
This biodegradable paper weed block offers many advantages:
Saves Time and Money. With WeedGuardPlus, you spare yourself endless hours of weeding, giving you more time to enjoy your garden. And unlike black plastic, you don’t have to remove and dispose of it at the end of the season. WeedGuardPlus decomposes naturally over the course of the growing season, adding beneficial organic material to the soil – with no work on your part!
Helps Plants Thrive. With WeedGuardPlus, your plants thrive without competition from weeds. What’s more, the porous material allows water, nutrients and air to pass through easily. Unlike black plastic, soil temperatures remain moderate and roots aren’t overheated. The result: happy plants!
Benefits the Environment. Organic WeedGuardPlus is OMRI Listed and 100% biodegradable. It’s the natural alternative to black plastic.
Give it a try, and enjoy more bounty with less effort!
2. APPLYCOMPOST
Apply at least 3-4 inches of organic compost (the more compost the better) on top of the paper.
3. APPLYWOOD CHIPS
Apply at least 3-4 inches of arborist wood chips to the surface of the compost. Wood chips are essential for a Back to Eden Garden.
Sign upfor a free delivery of wood chips today!
Apply a dusting of composted animal manure (ie: composted chicken manure) as a natural fertilizer on top of your garden as needed throughout the growing season.Addingorganic liquid fertilizers is an excellent way to generate healthy plant growth with rapidly bioavailable nutrients.Do not add chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides!
Make sure your garden plot is always mulched!Mulch provides a protective covering on top of your soil that helps retain moisture which reduces watering, weeding, and work. Wood chips also decompose into rich soil overtime.
Does yourvegetable garden plot need edging? If you installed your Back to Eden Garden next to an area with grass growing an edging border is a must to prevent the grass from creeping into your garden. It can also help with creating pathways, andhelpprevent mulch from spilling into unwanted areas.
