As the weather gets colder, it’s officially the season to wind down gardening. Your plants and lawn aren’t growing as much, but there are still a few tasks you can do to prepare your garden for when the warmer months return.
And while I’ve followed the 7 simple tips to prepare your plants for winter, I’ve just found a useful method that’ll prime your flower beds whilst helping you use up old cardboard — and during the festive season, I certainly end up with an excess of this around my home.
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What is the cardboard method?
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The ‘cardboard method’, also known as sheet mulching, involves using flat cardboard as an additional layer over your existing soil.
It creates a ‘lasagne’ effect that will degrade over time and feed into the soil, which is a super easy way to reinvigorate those lackluster garden beds without having to dig them up or till them.
Using The Cardboard Method To Prep A Garden Bed 🌻 #gardening #gardeningtips #gardeninginspiration – YouTube
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As well as saving you money by recycling cardboard you’ll have at home, it’s also an incredibly low maintenance method because once the cardboard is laid out, you can leave it to do its magic. But, how exactly do you do it?
How to do it
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Firstly, you’ll need enough cardboard to cover the garden bed(s) you’ve got your eye on. Place the flat squares over the soil until every part you want is entirely covered.
Then, using a hose, thoroughly water the cardboard until you’re satisfied it’s completely wet. This helps the cardboard to decompose over time and also means it integrates into the soil to let plant roots grow through it.
After this, you use bags of soil mix, or you can try other organic materials like wood chips, to cover the cardboard up until it’s no longer visible. This will then integrate the cardboard into your garden beds, killing weeds buried beneath it and allowing you to plant new crops on top.
For example, you might want to lay new bulbs for plants and flowers, or even replant your grass seed, ready for a lovel,y luscious lawn when spring comes around.
But what’s really great about the ‘cardboard method’ is that by following these steps, you can simply cover up your old soil rather than having to dig up your garden, making it better for the planet and incredibly easy for beginners.
Eventually, the cardboard will decompose, which is also good news for your soil as it nourishes it as it disintegrates. But before it does, it’ll trap moisture and warmth into your soil, which is very useful in those cold, winter months.
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