Lasagne bed advice and what to grow in it.

[Jeanied]

I am, yet again, faced with a major clearing operation this year! I don't want to get my plot taken away from me - the council are getting more draconian - so I have tried turning over a couple of my beds to the lasagne method.

So far I have tipped some barrow loads of pulled weeds, including comfrey and nettles, onto the top of two weedy beds. These are now mounded high.

How thick should this layer be? It is over a foot high in some places but it could be evened out.

So is the next step to put a layer of cardboard on top, or plastic or soil?

What would be best to plant in these beds? I was thinking of putting my squashes, courgettes and pumpkins in them, with a good compost in the planting holes. Does this sound like a good idea?

Any advice gratefully received - I do want to get it ship shape this year!

[taff]

first layer should be something to stop the grass/weeds underneath growing, so cardboard, or wet newspaper.
then lay your rubbish on top, but hopefully, with no roots, especially in the case of nettles/grass , then layer up with greens/browns. Then you can eithe rplant into compost holes as you say, or cover with a cardboard layer and cut through, or a plastic layer and cut through, depends on whether you want it to look uniform, or you don't mind the messy look
I've just started an extension to one of my hugel beds, laid down a paper potato sack, then covered with the limanthes I've pullled up. I'll put a layer of kitchen waste, and some more newspaper, then whats ready in the compost heap on top.

[Jeanied]

Thanks Taff, I shall have to go in for some re-laying as soon as the rain stops! I'll strim the next bed and pull the main stalks out, put cardboard down, then the pulled weeds from the pile I made (maybe a sprinkle of chicken pellets) then some shredded paper and newspaper then cardboard and then as much soil as I can muster mixed with compost to make it look nice and tidy! I think I'll try beans on the next one.