Hey everyone! I'm thinking about transforming a small section of my lawn (about 6'x12') into a vegetable patch. I've heard about the no-dig technique where you cover the grass with cardboard to kill it off, but I'm not sure if that's the best approach for such a small area. I'm also aiming to plant some pumpkins by early June, but I understand that might be a bit tight on time. What's your advice?
3 Answers
I have a more hands-on method that worked for me when I converted my lawn. It involves a good bit of digging: skim off the turf with a spade and set it aside for composting later. Once that's done, spread some compost over the bare soil, then take some soil cubes, break them up, mix in the compost, and put it all back. You can plant right away, though expect some weeds to poke through—it's usually manageable!
For my recent veggie patch upgrade, I went with raised beds (make sure they're no wider than 1 meter to easily reach across). I turned the turf over with the grass side down, then added a mix of topsoil and compost. It worked really well for planting. Using the cardboard method didn't work out too well for me since the compost dried out too fast, but it was great for killing the grass.
If I were you, I'd consider a mixed approach. Start by scraping off the grass, then lay down some cardboard and soak it. After that, you can build a raised bed on top and fill it with compost. This way, the pumpkins can grow their roots down toward the cardboard. For your space, going with a couple of 4'x2' beds should work, and leave some space around them to navigate. You could even add pathways if you're feeling ambitious!