Termites LOVE cardboard. Did you know that termite researchers use cardboard feeding stations to lure termites?
Organic mulch, such as wood chips, bark, or leaves, is the best choice for keeping termites away from your garden. Inorganic mulches, such as gravel, pebbles, or rubber, are also effective at repelling termites, but they don't offer the same long-term benefits as organic mulches.
Termites were found to prefer cardboard over wood chips as a food source, and rodents such as voles often nest underneath mulch sheets. 2) Newspaper and cardboard sheet mulches were often not as effective as other organic mulches (e.g. wood chips or bark) in preventing weed growth or improving yield.
Cellulose Materials
In fact, termites will typically only eat the wood inside of a structure for the cellulose material it contains. This, unfortunately, means that any plant-based materials that contain cellulose, such as cardboard boxes, paper or even leaves, could attract termites.
Termites are particularly attracted to cellulose material (paper, wood, cardboard, etc.) that is also moist because they can easily digest the soaked cellulose.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The good news is that no, mulch does not “cause” termites. First, it's highly unlikely for termites to spread via infested bags of mulch. While it is possible to find termites in a bag of mulch, it is rare. Furthermore, it's doubtful that these termites would even survive long living in the mulch bags.
Also, when using mulch for landscaping, ensure that you leave some space that's about six inches away from the house. This space creates a barrier that will make it harder for these pests cross over and invade your house easily.
While the material itself does not draw termites to the area, mulch spread over three inches deep creates an inviting habitat for the pests. Layers of organic matter trap heat and moisture next to the ground. Termites use this thick mulch as shelter from harsh weather.
Stone is the longest-lasting mulch, followed by landscape fabric. Black plastic and rubber mulch last a long time, and help with both heat and water retention in the soil, though they're also more expensive than stone or landscape fabric.
A single layer of cardboard is laid out over the areas of lawn no longer needed. When it eventually breaks down, the cardboard will add carbon back into the soil. A crack in the cardboard reveals hardy weeds making their way to the sunlight. Extra mulch will solve this issue.
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. Earthworms flock to the dark, moist, safe habitat cardboard provides, leaving behind a nutrient-rich layer of worm castings–free fertilizer!
Yes, the cardboard method works nicely for raised beds. It's the same steps used for preparing open, in-ground garden beds. Line the bed with plain cardboard, dampen it, add 6-inches (or more) of good quality soil, compost, or other organic mulch.
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).
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!
Using Newspaper Under Mulch
Remove any weeds you see (This isn't totally necessary. Newspaper will smother weeds. However, the weeds could leave seeds that might sprout in uncovered soil next year.) Lay paper down just up to the root system of plants in the garden.
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.
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.
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.