Summer is the perfect time of year to get outside and spend some time sprucing up your garden. But no matter how experienced you are, there’s one issue that can crop up time and time again without much warning.
Garden weeds can be a nightmare to deal with, as they can spread fast and prove very difficult to get rid of. Weedkillers can be pricey or even dangerous, so many gardeners will be looking for more natural ways to stop the spread. And according to garden experts, a simple sheet of cardboard or two can do the trick.
According to gardening experts, anyone with spare cardboard boxes in the house should consider laying them outside rather than stuffing them in the recycling bin right away.
They can be extremely useful for getting rid of weeds, eliminating the need for you to spend hours on your hands and knees digging them up, or resorting to harmful chemical killers.
That’s because cardboard prevents sunlight from reaching weeds and stops them from growing through the soil surface.
“Cardboard is great for killing existing vegetation to create a garden bed,” horticulture extension specialist Aaron Steil told at Martha Stewart.
To stop weeds growing in your garden, all you need to do is lay down a couple of damp sheets of cardboard in affected areas. Be sure to remove any glossy parts, or any bits of plastic or tape before you do this.
You’ll need to overlap them if you want to cover a large area, so that any sunlight is fully blocked out. Then, place some mulch or compost over the top to weigh the cardboard down.
This will effectively ‘smother’ the weeds, and as the cardboard naturally breaks down, this will enrich the soil too.
This was echoed by the experts at Garden and Gun, who say they can ‘vouch for its ease’ after using this method for a whole year. However, there are a few important things to remember if you want to use this technique.
First, it’s best to use plain brown cardboard, and try to steer clear of anything with a plastic or waxy film. You’ll also need to layer the boxes on the ground before you put the mulch on, then hose them down so that they stay in place.
And try to do this on flat ground only – carrying out this method on a slope could end up being a tripping hazard for any unsuspecting guests.