#Does cardboard decompose pro#
#Does cardboard decompose free#

I like to measure out where the rows and walkways will be in my garden so that I am only adding compost in the planting areas to avoid wasting it in the walkways. With the garden fork or shovel, add a thick layer of compost (about 6 to 8 inches) to the top of the cardboard.If you can’t do that, water the cardboard every day until you are ready to put the soil down. Ideally, you will put the soil on top of it the same day. Watering the cardboard begins the breakdown process. Using the garden hose, completely saturate the cardboard with water.When using the no-till method, continue to follow the steps below.

When following the till method, simply weigh down the cardboard so it will not blow away, wait at least 6-8 weeks, remove the cardboard, and till/plant seeds as usual. If you are not putting soil on right away, weigh down the cardboard with something heavy like boards or rocks to keep it in place. Cover the entire garden area with cardboard overlapping the edges so that weeds and grass cannot grow up in between the cardboard.Steps for Preparing a Garden Bed with Cardboard

#Does cardboard decompose pro#

Pro Tip: To make the most out of your rich compost, concentrate it in the areas where you intend to plant, and fill the walkways with dirt, mulch, gravel, or whatever is handy. You will need 6-8 inches of soil and compost to cover the cardboard. It is for this reason we recommend using the no-till gardening method which is building your soil upon the initial cardboard layer. However, as you turn the soil, this will potentially till up any seeds that were deeper in the soil, bringing them to the surface, and allowing them to then germinate. Soil and Compost – You can alternately remove the cardboard after the seeds have all died out, till the garden area, and plant.Garden Fork or Shovel – A tractor is recommended for large-scale gardens, but a hand tool for smaller spaces works just fine.Garden Hose – This is the most efficient way to wet the cardboard, but a watering can or buckets of water would work just fine too.I really underestimated how much cardboard I would need the first time, and recommend collecting boxes from deliveries, neighbors who have recently moved, or even asking local furniture, appliance, or grocery stores for their waste cardboard. Strip away any tape or labels, and break the cardboard down flat. Avoid using heavily printed or coated cardboard (with a slick surface). Cardboard – Plain brown cardboard is best.

#Does cardboard decompose free#

Additionally, silage tarps need to be removed prior to planting, so they are not appropriate to use for a no-till method, and they require a place for storage as well.Īlternately preparing a garden bed for planting with cardboard is generally free (assuming you have as many boxes lying around as I do), doesn't need to be removed before planting, and doesn't require off-season storage. The major downside of silage tarps is the expense, and they eat up a lot of cost savings in growing your own food. They are a bit less time-consuming, and I have used them before in our pasture or other large spaces that I just don’t have enough cardboard to cover. Silage tarps prevent weeds and usually create a sterile seedbed in about 3 weeks in hot weather, but can take up to 6 weeks in the cooler weather. The black color adds an additional benefit because it absorbs more warmth speeding up the seed germination process. Silage tarps are large sheets of plastic that also block the sunlight.