Not Your Mama’s Lasagna: Lasagna Mulching Made Easy
Another day, another overwhelmed-to-inspired spiral.
I didn’t set out to write a lasagna mulching guide. I was just trying to make sense of the land I steward, and my brain. But the more I layered cardboard and compost, the more it felt like something worth sharing. Not just as a garden technique, but as a way to begin again.
There is no perfect way to do this. You can’t really mess it up. But there are a few key steps, and a lot of room for intuition, scavenging, and improvisation. Which makes it pretty ideal for the ADHD garden crew (hi, hello).
🌿 What Is Lasagna Mulching?
Also known as sheet mulching, lasagna mulching is a way to build a garden bed without digging. You layer organic materials like cardboard, food scraps, and leaves in a kind of compost quilt. Over time, it breaks down into rich, plant-ready soil.
No tilling. No perfection. Just layers and patience.
✨ Why I Love It It’s forgiving. It’s accessible. It feels like making a cozy nest for future growth.
And for neurodivergent folks like me, it’s a ritual that doesn’t require precision—just presence.
✨ Why I Love It
It’s forgiving. It’s accessible. It feels like making a cozy nest for future growth.
And for neurodivergent folks like me, it’s a ritual that doesn’t require precision—just presence.
🪴 What You Might Use
You don’t need fancy ingredients for a lasagna bed. Really, this is compost, not cake. And here’s the thing about gardening that’s radically different from baking: it’s not an exact science.
I’ve layered with coffee grounds from juice bars, produce pulp, leaf bags from neighbors, and even two-year-old horse manure from a nearby farm. You can check with your local municipality too andsome towns give away compost or mulch during certain seasons.
There’s no perfect recipe. Just remember: greens (like food scraps, grass clippings) + browns (like cardboard, leaves, paper) + a little patience. The worms will take it from there.
🌱 How To Begin
Pick your spot. It doesn’t have to be big. A corner is enough.
Cut or smother any existing weeds. You don’t need to dig them out (unless they are aggressive!) just lay them down.
Water the earth.
Layer cardboard or paper. Overlap it like shingles. This is your weed barrier.
Water it. This helps kickstart decomposition.
Add greens and browns. Think of it like compost layering: food scraps + leaves, manure + straw.
Top with mulch. Leaves, straw, wood chips—whatever you have.
Set an intention. A real one. This is a good moment to plant more than just plants, this is what will feed them!
🌾 There Is No Wrong Way
Some beds are tall and mounded. Some are flat and slow to break down. Some get re-layered each season. All are valid.
This is a guide, not a rulebook. You can improvise. You can mess up the order. You can stop halfway and come back tomorrow. The worms will keep working.
🍓 Want the Printable?
I made a free printable version of this guide—complete with:
a visual flow
an ADHD-friendly checklist
a sourcing guide for compostables + free materials
and a gentle reminder that compost doesn’t care about perfection
👇 Download the Lasagna Mulching Freebie below.
