If you're just adding mulch, spread what you have in an even layer at least 2 inches thick on top of the cardboard and call it done.
Using cardboard or newspaper as a natural weed barrier can allow you to kill a very large area of weeds and grass without using any chemicals or herbicides. Cardboard is applied to the area. Then a layer of mulch goes on top of that.
Though termites can eat some types of wood, they prefer cardboard in taste testing. If they are given no choice and have only wood to eat, they will consume it but their survival rate decreases.
Cardboard can effectively prevent weeds from growing. It blocks the sun from reaching the leaves of the plants underneath, hindering photosynthesis and the plants' ability to grow. It's also difficult for seeds to germinate on the cardboard. However, if organic mulch is added, they may still germinate.
Landscaping fabric adds no nutritional value to the soil, and it doesn't decompose. And over time, the fabric can be detrimental to your soil's health. Biodegradable alternatives like shredded leaves, cardboard, and compost are healthy foods for the soil –– and the hungry earthworms!
Whether your raised garden bed ideas require a new form of weed control or you're battling weeds on your lawn, the cardboard will come in handy. 'It is thick enough to smother weeds, but unlike landscape fabric, it'll rot over time,' John says.
In more typical garden conditions — when a piece of cardboard is used as mulch or specifically shredded and soaked to decompose efficiently — biodegradation occurs quickly, with the majority of cardboard completely broken down within three months.
Cardboard and Paper Concerns
The glue used in cardboard boxes can contain chemicals, but the glue used to form the cardboard itself is derived from starches found in plants like rice, wheat, potatoes, and other tubers. This is perfectly safe to use in your garden and will eventually decompose.
Cardboard takes approximately 2 months to decompose. However, instead of sending your boxes to the landfill consider adding them to your recycling or your compost pile. Cardboard breaks down fairly quickly when exposed to the elements, but stacks of cardboard can take years to decompose.
Will roots grow through cardboard? Yes! Unlike silage tarps, cardboard decomposes into the soil making it the perfect element to use in the no-till method.
Why use cardboard in a garden? It's a great mulch, and prevents weeds from sprouting. Decomposing cardboard adds organic matter to the soil, improving your garden's drainage and boosting nutrient levels.
DEFINITION: Sheet mulching is a technique of laying cardboard or newspaper over an existing lawn and then topping it off with layers of compost and wood mulch. The layers suppress weed growth, giving you healthier soil and plants. Lay down weed barrier: 2-3 layers of B-flute card- board (rolls or salvaged boxes).
The cardboard layer breaks down after several months (depending on soil type and geographical region) and the mulch will begin to decompose through contact with the soil.
Container Garden: Yes!
You can plant into cardboard boxes and use them as your containers! Remember, they decompose in about 3 months which is the lifespan of a lot of vegetables. If you find that it decomposes quicker than your plant's life, try adding it to another box!
If you cover grass going into the dry season, it will go dormant and be ready to spring into action when the rains start next fall. If you cover it now, when the cardboard and mulch are soaked, the grass will be covered just when it wants to start growing, and it will die. By the next fall it will be good and dead.
A garden or landscape mulched with cardboard (or heaven forbid several layers of cardboard as part of the science-free lasagna mulch method) is now covered with a tough, relatively gas- and water-impermeable material that will take some time to break down. It's hardly a mulch that's going to nurture soil life.
Cardboard is susceptible to moisture and humidity and attractive to many types of insects. Use plastic bins with lockable lids. Not only are these more secure, but using clear boxes allows you to see what is stored inside and can reduce the number of times you are opening and closing them when not in use.
Also, earthworms are very attracted to the cardboard and are great for the garden, since their movement through soil increases aeration, nutrient cycling, and water infusion. The earthworm 'castings' manure (worm poop) provides an organic type of fertilizer that offers many beneficial nutrients for plants.
However, exposure to water or humidity is highly destructive toward cardboard mechanical properties. Water-soaked corrugated cardboard can easily collapse with irreversible shape distortions. Various treatments have been developed to render cardboard hydrophobic including wax layers and nanoparticle treatments.
Sheet mulching is hassle free and effective. To sheet mulch your lawn, follow these easy steps: Wet the lawn and then cover it with one layer of cardboard or six layers of newspaper. Be sure to overlap the sheets by at least six inches to prevent the grass from growing through.
This natural method, also known as lasagna layering or sheet composting, involves putting down layers of compost, cardboard or newspaper and mulch over your lawn. The layers create a decomposition process which kills grass and creates a rich fortified soil for future plantings.
In Walkways
Pull out as many weeds as you can. Then, lay the cardboard down on the ground and then cover it with a few inches of pea gravel.
By simply installing a layer of cardboard on the soil and covering with mulch, you can prevent weeds from poking through for up to 6 months. An unlike rolling out and cutting around plants with fabric, you can place cardboard pieces easily and quickly wherever you need the protection.