Overlap the pieces by 6-8 inches so the sun won't get through. Any lawn showing at the end of the project will come right back. Two layers of cardboard works well. Wet down the cardboard as you go to keep it in place and to shape it around obstacles.
Add 4 - 6” of soil or compost or mulch on top of newspaper/cardboard layers 6. Allow 6 - 8 weeks for the grass under the paper/cardboard & compost layers to die back. Be patient! The longer you allow the decomposition process to take place, the better results you will see.
For cardboard to effectively stop weeds and break down efficiently, you always want to place it in direct contact with the soil. If there is any mulch or fabric existing, it first needs to be removed before laying down your cardboard pieces. Overlap individual pieces of cardboard to seal off weeds from below.
Beneath the layers of compost materials, sheet mulches typically include a layer of cardboard to keep grass and weeds from growing through – a great way to smother unwanted vegetation or convert a sod lawn into a garden.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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. There are several advantages to sheet composting: It is an easy and uncomplicated method of composting.
It's really this easy! You just put down cardboard, dump mulch over it, keep it moist, and wait. And you can do it any time – there's no time like the present. Once you've killed your turf, you can replace it with native and/or climate-appropriate plants.
The weeds should be removed before they produce flowers and seeds are to prevent them from spreading. The best time to remove weeds is when the soil is damp and moist.
This no-dig garden hack is beautifully illustrated in a TikTok video from Brandon Gentry (@brandontgentry), below. Basically, you use sheets of cardboard in your planting area to kill off any existing grass and prevent those pesky weeds from popping up.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Other Uses for Cardboard
For example, you could use it in the pathways of your vegetable garden and add a layer of mulch like straw, leaves or ramial wood chips on top. This will prevent weeds from growing and since there are no plants, the lack of oxygen in the soil won't be a problem.
Arguably the most important benefit of tarps is suppressing weeds prior to planting a crop. No weeds can germinate and survive underneath an opaque tarp, and any emerged weeds prior to tarp application are killed within three weeks due to light suppression.
Smother Weeds with Mulch
Mulch spread over the soil surface blocks the sunlight most annual weeds need to take hold. Weeds that do sprout are easy to pull because soil beneath mulch remains loose and moist.
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.
Corrugated plastic is a waterproof, versatile material that can be die cut the same as corrugated cardboard. Light weight and durable, this material has a decidedly longer shelf life than cardboard and is better at holding out moisture such as snow and rain.