Lasagna gardening is in no way a new practice. It’s also known as sheet composting and is used to turn any patch of land into a healthy place to grow plants. This method is helpful because it allows anyone to grow a garden, regardless of their natural soil composition. It’s also a great way to fill raised beds. Sheet composting took on the name lasagna gardening because you build it by layering different materials. The base is often brown items like cardboard that will add carbon to the soil, then green layers are added for nitrogen.
Similarly to composting, this method is perfect for reusing waste that would otherwise end up in the trash. As the layers decompose, they release nutrients into the soil that you can later use for growing a garden. However, there are downsides to using this method. Since you need trash for the layers, you want to ensure they’re safe to use. Some cardboard is shiny because it’s processed with plastic which should be avoided because it will release microplastics. Lasagna gardens also take a while to decompose and provide nutrients to the soil, but you can combat this by adding more nutrient-rich materials to the layers.