Mulching & Sheet Composting

Sheet composting — often called lasagna gardening — is the art of composting in place. Layers of brown and green material are spread directly over the soil of a future bed, where worms and soil life do the turning for you. No piles, no turning, no hauling: the bed builds itself while you watch.

This guide covers the layer recipe, when to build a sheet-compost bed, planting into it, and the mulching practices that keep the soil — and the system — healthy all year round.

What Is Sheet Composting?

Sheet composting mimics the forest floor. Dead leaves, pulled weeds and kitchen scraps fall onto the soil, are colonised by soil life, and slowly become humus. Sheet composting does the same thing deliberately: you stack alternating layers of brown (carbon) and green (nitrogen) material in place and let the soil community do the rest.

Sheet Composting vs. Pile Composting

• No turning: the layers are never mixed — decomposition happens in place.
• No transport: finished compost appears exactly where the plants will grow.
• No structure: no bins, bays or equipment required.
• Slower: expect 4–12 months depending on materials and climate.

"Feed the bed, not the bin — and let the worms do the turning."

When Sheet Composting Shines

• New beds on lawn or weeds: build layers right on top and plant through them.
• Poor or compacted soil: the layers smother weeds and slowly rebuild structure.
• Dry climates: thick layers shade the soil and hold moisture.
• Gardeners with limited strength or time: no turning, no hauling, no bin-building.