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from "H" contains these words:

Anyone tried the no-dig 'lasagna' gardening technique? If so, what do you
think?

I've recently read the book by the woman who calls it that; it's
written for America where summers may be much hotter, and decomposition
might be much faster; so I'll be charitable and suppose that in a
different climate she could genuinely make plants grow with their roots
planted straight into raw green layers of plant material, not soil or
compost. But I wouldn't count on it working in the cool damp summers of
the UK.

Although she doesn't acknowledge it, permaculturists have been using a
variant of the method for decades. I have used that and it works
brilliantly at instantly reclaiming rough unworked land for instant
planting.

On undug, weedy soil;

Beat or stamp flat all the weeds, bruising them as much as possible,
and cover the area with flattened cardboard cartons (available free from
shops).Overlap the card edges where they join, to exclude all light from
weeds. Water the card well then cover with a 6" layer of plant material
such as bracken, seaweed, lawncuttings, veg waste.If necessary use some
planks or bricks here and there to add extra weight to ensure the card
doesn't blow away. Using a knife, cut X's right through the card, one
for each seedling or potato, and plant them through the X into the soil
beneath. The card suppresses all weeds, the plant material keeps it
moist and looking neat, and the whole lot forms a perfect breeding site
for worms which will rapidly drag it down into the soil, making more
humus to feed plants.

Janet.