YES, OF COURSE I know about the more backbreaking ways to make a new bed, but lately I confess I’ve been relying more and more upon the magic of recyclables: newspaper and cardboard to be specific.
Where I used to double-dig and work in lots of compost before I began planting, now (assuming the underlying soil is fairly decent, neither bog nor wasteland) I simply layer on newspaper thickly, or spread out flattened corrugated cardboard boxes as the weed-smothering underlayment to my bed. I was reminded of this recently on the ever-so-useful blog by English newspaper editor and allotment gardener Jane Perrone. Someone asked Jane, a dedicated organic gardener like I am, about whether using cardboard as mulch like this was OK. Jane checked with Garden Organic, the 50-year-old UK organic-garden charity, and got the thumb’s up. Good thing for me; good thing for all of us who want to smother some more lawn this spring in favor of more diverse plantings, but need a little shortcut.
Welcome, Mary Lou. There is no precise formula and no particular rules; everyone does it a little differently.
I am confused with “winterize” — do you want to protect some perennial crop from damage? Or are you trying to prep ahead for next year?
If it’s to suppress the weeds, generally if it’s in the vegetable garden I prefer not to use paper products that may have inks on them, and I use straw a lot instead.
If you want to smother an area where you will grow food, I’d just keep that in mind — that coated (slick) and printed (especially colored inks) papers can contain unwanted ingredients (heavy metals). Plain, unprinted corrugated cardboard is probably a little safer; don’t use magazines or printed boxes (with labels etc.) at all.
More details, please, what your goal is? You can email awaytogarden [at] gmail if easier.
Hi I havea house in NW CT and inherited several beds that were grown over with weeds. Last fall, i tried to reclaim the beds. I covereredtheam with newspaper, cardboard and mulch. I expected this to breakdown to create new topsoil, especially with this winter
question: how do i get this to be plantable top soil for a flower garden.
Welcome, Lori. Depending on the kind of weeds (how tenacious) and how well the smothering is going so far (take a peek) you either just forge ahead and cut X’s in the paper/cardboard and plants through the holes, or wait until things are killed off after longer suffocation, so to speak. In lawn areas I have even planted right away…but there will be some grass that pokes through that will need weeding. With weeds with runners and so on, I am more inclined to wait longer.
The method doesn’t “create topsoil,” so to speak, but helps the desired plants have the advantage over the covered-up ones. The breaking down of the mulch (assuming it’s farily fine-textured and can break down, not some big bark chips or anything) is what eventually makes for crumblier soil underneath, but this takes time and repeat applications; not instant after the one fall/winter under the first layer of mulch.
Does that help?
Hello! Will the paper and cardboard method be useful in eliminationg honesycle after it is cut back?
Hi, Robert. No, the honeysuckle will regrow from the roots I fear, as will most woody shrubs and vines. You will probably have to cut it down multiple times and cut through the roots with a lopper or hand saw once it weakens and you can get at them.
i have mistakenl;y placed the colored part of newpapers with the ads etc as part of my mulch for vegetable garden. Is there a way to test my soil and find out whta problems this may do to ,my soil?
Hi, Leicester. You could do a full analysis and see if there are concentrations of metals (inks can have some metals in them sometimes). I get my soil test “kits” (a mailed and instructions) from my county or state cooperative extension by mail.
Margaret,
I live in the Pacific NW and want to start a new garden spot in a grassy pasture area. I am wondering if right now (during the rainy time of year) would be an appropriate time to use the cardboard method for clearing out the existing grasses before spring planting? There is currently some standing water in this area, due to all the rain and a somewhat clayey soil.
I am also wondering what is the best material to place over the top of cardboard, for a no-till planting in the spring?
Thanks,
Tree
Hi, Tree. You can start the smothering anytime…EXCEPT for the fact of all that water you describe. Not only will it be hard to prep now with water there, but a spot that has standing water in one season or another is only going to be appropriate for plants that can handle those conditions (wet-meadow plants, for instance; shrubs like buttonbush or winterberry holly and so on). “Wet feet” in winter is hard on many garden plants.
As for a mulch material, my faq page on what makes a good mulch is here.
I like the cardboard method, but getting cardboard can be a pain, esp. nice clean stuff. Then I went to a local lumber yard and found they have large amounts ( 100′s ) of 4 foot by 4 foot sheets of completely clean stuff. They we happy for me to carry it away. Your results may vary. Let us know if this works in your area and what stores.
Thanks, Russ. Good idea. The local farm and feed store here also tends to get big sheets of it wrapping things and I go scavenge. :)
This is a great thread! I have a space full of weeds ( sumac, mint, dandelion, crabgrass, musk thistle, etc. ) My plans are to pull as much as I can up, till in manure, then cover it with cardboard and mulch. I am wondering how much of the roots I need to dig up before I put down the cardboard? Or will the cardboard smother the root systems? I need advice! : )
Hi, Emily. The smothering is great with turfgrass (a piece of lawn) and some basic lawn weeds, and the like. Very little prep but a close mowing needed. Things like sumac (woody) or really tough herbaceous things like thistles can be tricky, and mint seems to live on to eternity. :) I would take the time to dig as much as you can — especially not to till things like the mint before you dig out as much as possible (every little piece of rhizome the tiller sends flying can make a new plant, I fear). Notice I say dig since pulling will leave deeper roots behind. Dig the worst stuff. Worth the trouble with the tough weeds you have.
Oh no! I’ve been adding (not coated) shredded newspaper in my compost. Some has had colored ink here and there — not the cartoon pages, but you know what I mean. How much harm have I done?
I would not worry one bit, Donna, in the great scheme of things. Just don’t use colored inks going forward; they can contain more unwanted ingredients than plain black, but don’t always. I only worry about the really colorful stuff, not the occasional splash of color in the newspaper’s logo or anything.
I want to make a new flower bed where presently there is grass. This is late Octoboer. If I spread cardboard, newspaper, compost ( in that order) over the grass, will the cardboard be disintegrated by Spring so I can plant. Or will I have to cut holes in the cardboard to plant?
Hi, Fanchon. Yes, or you can even cut holes now and plant. Fine either way. I like to wet the paper down a bit to speed things and make it easier to keep it in place, resistant to wind. The compost may not be heavy enough so I use a little bit coarser composted mulch, but use your judgment.