Don’t Toss those Old Cardboard Boxes. Use them in the Garden.

Preparing Garden Beds with Cardboard

Preparing your soil for planting is an essential step in creating a beautiful and lush garden—and old cardboard boxes can be the perfect tool to help you get going. “It’s a no-fuss, practically free way to create a clean palette for planting future blooms and veggies,” says Linda Vater, Southern Living® Plant Collection.

Here’s how sheeting works

The plant expert says to start by trimming the greenery You’re looking to eliminate as low as possible. Place the cardboard directly on top and soak it with the hose. Vater says more aggressive weeds can be smothered out by adding four to six inches of wood chips on top of the cardboard. “Over time, it will break down beautifully, enriching the soil in the process,” she says.

Sheet mulching is one of the simplest ways to prepare a new garden bed without digging. It’s also a great way to recycle old boxes while creating healthy planting areas.

Also, earthworms love to feast on cardboard; as they do, they will both aerate the soil below and add valuable deposits of nutrient rich castings (“worm poop”).

When using cardboard for sheet mulching, make sure that the cardboard is of the plain-brown corrugated variety, not shiny, glossy, or printed, which can be harder to compost, and remove any tape or staples before laying the cardboard down. The layer of cardboard should not be too thick, because that will slow down its decomposition.

This method is especially useful in areas with tough weeds that keep coming back. Using cardboard instead of plastic is better for the environment, and it saves you from hours of pulling weeds later.

Creating New Garden Beds with Cardboard

Choosing the right spot for a new garden bed takes a lot of consideration. Light exposure and proper drainage are key factors, but once you find the perfect plot, the fun is just beginning. Now it’s time to carve out your new bed, sometimes with the labor-intensive process of taking out the sod that you worked so hard to grow in the first place. But, in an effort to alleviate some of the insult to injury this task requires, reach for your pile of leftover cardboard instead.

Rather than doing the backbreaking work of digging up turf when creating a new garden bed, you can simply layer cardboard topped with a thick layer of mulch right over the existing grass or other vegetation. Water it well, and over the course of a few months, the turf grass or weeds beneath will smother and die off. The cardboard, as well as the vegetation, will compost, which will result in richer soil and a fresh new garden bed, too.

Vater suggests that you allow enough time for the cardboard to decompose before planting. This will eliminate the potential for issues related to root development and seed germination.

Pest Control with Cardboard

Slugs and snails are drawn to cool, damp cardboard. Kelly Funk, President & CEO of Jackson & Perkins, advises laying pieces of damp cardboard on soil overnight to use it as a trap. In the morning, you can lift the cardboard and scoop up gathered pests by hand (or shovel). Funk advises this method as a chemical-free and safe option for organic gardens.

Pests can also be particularly harmful to tender, young plant stems. In these scenarios, cardboard collars can provide a protective barrier until the stems are strong enough to ward off pests on their own.

For this particular task, paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls are ideal as you can simply trim them to size and bury the bottoms 1 to 2 inches within the soil. The cardboard rolls will gradually break down, allowing your plant to mature in the meantime.

If you want to make a flat plant collar to deter pests who might lay eggs at the base of your plant, simply cut a small circle about 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Cut down the center of the cardboard until you reach the half way mark. Using a box cutter, create an “X” at the center point. Push up the newly created flaps the “X” created. Slip the collar around your plant, allowing the stem to pop out of the center “X” portion. The flaps should be pointing upward. This will allow plenty of room for the stem to grow while still protecting the base of the plant.

Cardboard Raised Beds

Cardboard boxes can be used as simple raised beds. Place the cardboard box where you want it to, fill it with soil, and plant your seeds or plants.

And you can use cardboard in raised beds as a natural weed barrier. By laying sheets of cardboard on the ground and overlapping the edges it will block out sunlight from reaching weed seeds. The next step is to saturate the cardboard, which will help it stay in place and mold to the ground. Add a layer of soil over the cardboard, then allow time for the cardboard to break down before planting. The softened, decomposing cardboard will allow plants to grow through.

Moisture Control

Cardboard holds onto water longer than regular soil. When used as part of a garden bed or under mulch, it helps keep moisture in the ground.

This is especially helpful during hot weather when plants dry out quickly. By adding cardboard under your planting area, you create a natural sponge that saves water and reduces the need for frequent watering.

Since the cardboard breaks down slowly, it also improves the soil’s ability to hold moisture long-term. This is a simple trick to keep plants healthy and strong.

Cardboard box gardening is a simple, low-cost way to grow plants almost anywhere. From starting seedlings to building raised beds, cardboard can do a lot in the garden.

Sources:  smallgardeners.com©