Sheet mulching

Sheet mulching is a great, no-dig way to create a new garden bed. It builds healthy soil that is rich with nutrients and micro-organisms. Roto-tilling and even just  digging up a garden bed kills micro-organisms and other critters. These living beings are critical in creating rich, healthy soil. The best time to sheet mulch is mid to late Autumn so that all the elements of the sheet mulch have had time to break down over Winter before Spring. However, you can sheet mulch in early Spring - or any time - and just cut or dig through the layers to plant if they haven't broken down.

This is a great article about how to sheet mulch: http://www.patternliteracy.com/books/gaias-garden/how-to-the-ultimate-bomb-proof-sheet-mulch. It's written by the author of Gaia's Garden, a book I highly recommend for anyone interested in creating a permaculture-inspired backyard. 

This year, I am extending one of my garden beds using sheet mulching methods for vegetable gardening. I am also creating a naturalized woodland garden bed in my shady front yard, also using sheet-mulching. I will be posting pictures as I create the garden beds so that folks can see the steps involved and the finished product!

Sheet-mulching is relatively easy to do yourself. As Hemenway points out, as long as you have enough cardboard and organic material you can create excellent soil. Cardboard is generally free and abundant on garbage pick-up days (I just found tons of it this morning with a quick drive around my neighbourhood). When using cardboard make sure you take off all tape as well as any glossy coloured stickers.

The city of London has a compost day during which they sell compost at very reasonable prices. This year it is going to be held on Saturday, May 3, 2014. I'll post the details as the date approaches.

If you want help creating a sheet-mulched garden bed email me at earth magic.london@gmail.com.