The University of Guam Land Grant Extension Service will host a free, hands-on workshop this coming to teach residents how to turn lawns into productive gardens using a low-maintenance technique known as sheet mulching. The workshop, titled Sheet Mulching: Turn Your Lawn into a Productive Garden, will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, on the UOG campus.
The session will combine classroom instruction with a field demonstration to show participants how sheet mulching suppresses weeds, prevents erosion, conserves water and improves soil health. The method uses a three-layer system—concentrated nutrients, a weed barrier and mulch—made from locally available or reusable materials such as cardboard, newspaper, compost, grass clippings and green waste.
“This practice is adaptable to nearly any garden or farm site and is especially valuable for improving Guam’s limestone, clay and shallow soils,” said L. Robert Barber, an extension specialist of agricultural economics and sustainable agriculture with UOG Land Grant. Barber will lead the workshop alongside Mark Acosta, an extension agent of sustainable agriculture.
Participants will receive step-by-step guidance, from site preparation and layering to long-term maintenance, and learn about the ecological and practical benefits of sheet mulching, including improved soil fertility, stronger weed suppression and reduced maintenance costs. Seating is limited to 50 participants, and registration is required. Interested residents can register free of charge at https://url.uog.edu/sheet-mulching or call (671) 735-2003 or 735-2080 for more information.
