Chasica123 (@chassstastic) shows viewers how to prepare the soil for a vibrant garden. In the video, her daughter shows off her lasagna-making skills that plants will love.

The scoop

In the video, her daughter builds a mulch lasagna step-by-step, following a variation of what's generally considered to be an "ancient technique" that is also known as "sheet composting," "sheet mulching," or "cold composting," according to Kruckeberg.org. 

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The little one starts by picking out her garden spot and laying down cardboard or newspaper. Doing so will kill the grass and encourage earthworm activity on the surface.

Next, she adds organic mulch followed by a layer of kitchen scraps ranging from eggshells to banana peels. After spreading those around, it's time to add some dried leaves, followed by a layer of newspaper.

She holds down the newspaper with another mulch layer, followed by more compost and then more leaves. Mushroom compost is also in this lasagna mix as it adds a slow release of nutrients and is high in calcium.

"Continue to add layers and layers just like a real lasagna," Chasica123 narrates in the video.

After a total of 10 layers, Chasica123's daughter can start planting onions.

How it's helping

Growing your own food makes it easier to stick to a seasonal diet where the produce tastes better. Gardening creates more self-sufficiency by reducing reliance on chain store produce, which often comes from other states or foreign countries. 

Before reaching your kitchen, that pineapple or mango has already left a sizable carbon impact through transportation pollution that can pollute and trap heat in the environment. However, according to Stanford Magazine, switching over to all-local ingredients is equivalent to driving 1,000 fewer miles annually.

Packaging waste also declines as people have more gardens. After all, you don't need plastic bags and wrap to pick something from the garden or your tree.

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With rising grocery costs, saving money is a big concern for most households. But with various techniques, like lasagna mulching or raised garden beds, you can produce greater crop yields annually. Companion planting can keep pests away, while mulching (as shown in the video) prevents weeds without spending money on chemical methods. Thus, you can reduce food waste.

While there's joy from seeing the literal fruit and veggies of your labor, enjoy even more mental relief knowing where your food comes from. Have confidence that you're feeding your family clean and healthy food packed with fiber and nutrients. 

As you can see from the video, you can include your family in your gardening lifestyle. One of the highlights of the video is seeing a child confidently building out her plot to produce onions. Such children have a vital life skill to pass down.

What everyone's saying

A few people joked about expecting a real lasagna but praised this technique and the thorough video. 

"This is brilliant. Worm paradise and a great start for her garden," said one.

One grandparent remarked, "This is how I would get my grandson to start his garden."

Noting the educational component of gardening, someone else commented, "All kiddos should be learning this [in] schools! Love this!"

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