New No dig flower bed

Ellen Porter

Hello,  I recently tried to widen my flower bed without digging be placing thick cardboard over the lawn edge and covering with compost.  I have kept this moist.  How long will it take to kill the grass underneath and be suitable for planting into?  Thanks.

rachelQrtJHBjb

Re planting now it really depends how deep your compost is. If it's 6" or so you could probably get away with planting tray bedding in it this summer (wait until the last frosts) or, even better, direct sow annuals either in blocks of one particular plant or buy an annual meadow mix.

By autumn the grass will be fully dead and you can then add container-grown stock for a more permanent planting scheme.

Have you looked at Charles Dowding's website for more info? 

Papi Jo

@Ellen Porter
"recently" is vague. When exactly did you start your lasagna experiment?
I did this twice to widen my borders. Set up the lasagna in Autumn, ready to dig up and plant in the following Spring. See https://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/september-small-jobs/

Busy-Lizzie

I made a shrub bed using cardboard topped by compost then bark chips in early March this year. Now the blackbirds are ripping it apart, scattering the compost and chippings and pulling up the now soggy cardboard and throwing it on the lawn. I hope your blackbirds are better behaved. I was going to do the same for a flower bed but I've changed my mind. I would have left the flower bed and planted next spring, but for the shrub bed I planted the shrubs first and surrounded them with the cardboard and mulch.

B3

I would slice the grass off first. Cut brick sizes sections with a half moon and slice them off with a wallpaper / paint scraper . Then you can do your cardboard thing.

Papi Jo

B3 said:

I would slice the grass off first. Cut brick sizes sections with a half moon and slice them off with a wallpaper / paint scraper . Then you can do your cardboard thing.

This technique might help, of course. But I have not found it necessary. I think patience is the key. You really have to wait at least 4 or 5 months (in my experience).

Ellen Porter

Thanks for all the replies.  I only did it in March so I'll have to be more patient.  Will try sowing annuals and hope the roots help to break down the cardboard and go into the grass/soil underneath.   Ellen.