Past Garden Builds

These are a few examples of previous garden builds in the Hudson Valley region.

Barrytown, Lasagna Gardening

This garden started as a portion of lawn. We developed it using the layering or
‘lasagna’ method of gardening. We layered straw and a compost/topsoil blend
below a layer of cardboard which eventually converted the sod underneath to rich
organic matter. Then we applied another layer of the blend on top of the cardboard
and were able to plant young seedlings that same day!

Kingston, Container Gardening

The resident of this property had a strong desire to grow food for her family. She
had no previous experience with gardening and said everything seemed to fail
under her touch. We worked together to determine the sunniest locations available,
those which the deer didn’t frequent, and settled on trying a container garden. We
used some old pots that she had on hand and gave her a list of plants and potting
soils to purchase at the local garden center. By the end of the summer she and her
family had an abundance of peppers, tomatoes and herbs.

Woodstock, Lasagna Gardening

Here we used the “lasagna” layering method again to start the garden. We began
with an abandoned garden site grown over by weeds. First, we pulled out some of
the persistent perennial weeds and then, using a string trimmer, reduced the height
of the remaining weeds so we could layer the compost/topsoil blend with cardboard
and then, ultimately, mulch with straw. It is so satisfying to witness the wonder of a
first-time gardener as their first seedlings emerge.

Rhinebeck, Raised Bed Gardening

At the Rhinebeck Community Garden we presented a simple and inexpensive way to build a raised bed. Materials included 2×8 planks for the sides and 4×4 posts in standard SPF lumber. The wood is treated with a non-toxic coating so it lasts through the season.