Aren't you supposed to keep lasagna beds damp? that should curtail much of the wind damage. If heavy winds are coming maybe a tarp with some brick/rocks/other heavy material to weight down the tarp. Once the bed matures wind is probably no more an issue that with any other exposed dirt/mulch, yes?

Slightly OT but related. I am planning on growing in raised beds and I plan on using some lasagna bed techniques -- sort of combining the best parts of what I can do within my circumstances. May be something to consider.

Cheers!

"We have frequent windy days, sometimes up to 30-40 MPH"

Those are the calm days here. Windy days are when they close the interstate to vans and trucks and when the trains get blown off the tracks. Sustained 90 MPH winds with gusts to 130 are windy days. gusts of 30-40 MPH are days when it's safe to climb on the roof to repair damage.

If lasagna gardening can work with winds, it can certainly work with light breezes.

i AGREE WITH REAVER. kEEP THE BEDS MOIST BUT NOT TOO WET. YOU CAN ALSO MAKE SOME WINDBREAKS OUT OF PLASTIC,SHADE CLOTH,CANVAS ETC. AND WOODEN STAKES, HOPE THIS HELPS. BILL W.

I've used burlap to cover lasagna beds and that worked very well. You can stake around the edges to hold the burlap in place. (If you don't have something like garden staples, cut up coat hangers work very well and are free). If you don't want to use burlap, netting is another option but doesn't provide the same advantages as the burlap. I've done both, and I like the burlap best.

Technically the use of the burlap originated in Wa state, I believe, and is called "interbay mulch". Monte describes it well in the FAQs. I'll post a link.

Another thing that worked well for me was just not to build separate layers, but rather mix greens and browns well, adding water as you build. (I used grass clippings and fall leaves). It gets very windy here, too, but the stuff didn't blow away as it did when I tried browns on top, the leaves blew away doing that.

Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: interbay mulch

Thank you for your info. I know it seems like a silly question, but no one mentions covering or not covering. If so, with what. We have a big rocky, clay slope covered with grass. Lasagna beds seem to me to be the only practical way of turning this into a useable planting area.

See the link above for interbay mulch, covering with burlap.

Karen

Thank you all for your suggestions. The regular instructions for actual lasagna beds with the many, many layers make my eyes cross.

bpgreen: Yep, compared to the winds you get, ours are gentle breezes.

Karen: Thank you for that link. That tells me exactly what I wanted to know.

I'm thinking that if I start some of those beds on the light slope and then if it turns out that I need them to be leveled off (so it doesn't all wash down the hill) I can put landscape timbers on three sides as a kind of faux terracing.

Have any of you tried it this way?

Karen

Hey glendalekid,I found ya! I am lost over here, so I will need some help finding my way around. :)Gotta read all this so I can learn how to do my own lasagna bed, too. :)

The reason for the burlap cover on the Interbay Mulch is to aid in moisture retention, although I am not sure that would be a problem in Seattle. If you do choose to use burlap look for material made from Jute and not the plastic "burlap" now available.

It may be the most primitive way, but when I put a new layer of something on my new lasagna bed and don't have time to water at that moment, I just gather a few tree branches off the ground in the woods and lay them over the bed. They can be easily thrown out when you do get to water down your bed and they keep the wind from wreaking havoc in the meantime.