5 Methods to Convert Lawn into Garden

5 Methods to Convert Lawn into Garden

Transforming a lawn into a garden creates more space for planting vegetables or flowers and reduces the environmental impact of maintaining a water-thirsty lawn. There are several methods to create a garden bed and convert your lawn into a beautiful and functional garden space. 

 

1. Smothering Method: Cardboard or Newsprint

The smothering method is an easy and economical way to convert a lawn into a garden bed. By using cardboard or newsprint, you can effectively smother the grass and weeds beneath, creating a perfect base for your new garden.

Step-by-Step Process:

  1. Mow the lawn or cut back weeds in the area you want to convert.
  2. Lay down a layer of corrugated cardboard or thick layers of newsprint over the area, overlapping the edges to prevent sunlight from reaching the grass.
  3. Moisten the cardboard or newsprint and secure it with earth staples or stones.
  4. Cover the cardboard or newsprint with a layer of mulch to hold it in place and improve the soil's fertility.
  5. Wait for a few weeks or months for the grass and weeds to die, and the cardboard or newsprint to decompose.
  6. Plant your new garden bed directly into the enriched soil.

2. Solarization: Using Clear or Black Plastic

Solarization is a technique that uses the sun's energy to heat the soil, killing weeds, pests, and pathogens. By covering your lawn with clear or black plastic, you can create a greenhouse effect that raises the soil temperature to levels that effectively kill unwanted plants.

Step-by-Step Process:

  1. Mow the lawn or cut back weeds in the area you want to convert.
  2. Moisten the soil to help conduct heat more efficiently.
  3. Cover the area with clear or black plastic, ensuring it is tight and secure to the ground with rocks, stakes, or earth staples.
  4. Leave the plastic in place for several weeks, depending on the intensity of sunlight in your region.
  5. Remove the plastic and till or rake the dead grass and weeds to prepare the soil for planting.
  6. Add compost or other organic matter to enrich the soil before planting your new garden bed.

3. No-Till Garden Preparation: Top-dressing with Compost

No-till garden preparation is a method that minimizes soil disturbance and promotes healthy soil structure. By adding a layer of compost to the top of your existing lawn, you can create an ideal environment for your new garden bed without the need for tilling or digging.

Step-by-Step Process:

  1. Mow the lawn or cut back weeds in the area you want to convert.
  2. Spread a 1-inch layer of compost over the lawn or weed-covered area.
  3. Leave the compost undisturbed for a few weeks to allow it to break down and enrich the soil.
  4. Plant your new garden bed directly into the enriched soil, taking care not to disturb the underlying grass and weeds too much.

4. Raised Garden Beds: Hugelkultur and Traditional Raised Beds

Raised garden beds are an excellent option for converting a lawn into a garden space without the need to remove or kill the grass beneath. Hugelkultur, a centuries-old technique, uses wood as the base for a raised bed, while traditional raised beds use a variety of materials to create an elevated planting area.

Hugelkultur Raised Beds:

  1. Dig a trench in the area where you want to create your garden bed, removing the sod and setting it aside.
  2. Place logs, branches, and other woody debris in the trench to form the base of your hugelkultur bed.
  3. Cover the wood with layers of soil, compost, and mulch, creating a mound at least 1-2 feet high.
  4. Plant your new garden bed directly into the mound, allowing the decomposing wood to provide nutrients and moisture to your plants.

Traditional Raised Beds:

  1. Mow the lawn or cut back weeds in the area you want to convert.
  2. Install raised bed frames made from wood, vinyl, or other materials, ensuring a depth of at least 8-12 inches.
  3. Lay down a layer of cardboard or landscape fabric beneath the raised bed to smother grass and weeds.
  4. Fill the raised bed with a mixture of garden soil and compost, ensuring it is level and well-compacted.
  5. Plant your new garden bed directly into the raised bed soil.
5. Digging and Sod Cutting: Manual Labor for Instant Results

 

Digging and sod cutting are traditional methods for converting a lawn into a garden bed. While these methods require more manual labor than other techniques, they can provide instant results and a clean slate for your new garden space.

Step-by-Step Process:

  1. Use a garden hose or rope to mark the shape of your new garden bed.
  2. Cut and remove the sod using a sharp shovel or a rented sod cutter. You can either dispose of the sod or replant it in another area of your yard.
  3. Add compost or other organic matter to the exposed soil, tilling or raking it in to improve the soil's fertility and structure.
  4. Edge the garden bed to prevent grass from creeping back in.
  5. Plant your new garden bed directly into the prepared soil.
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