I smothered my front lawn to create a native plant pollinator, wildlife garden. The earth was initially hard- a pain to dig- and its color was medium brown, to light brown, not much organic matter visible. It felt rocky. So I did the easiest thing: put cardboard down, mulch, straw and use raised beds in the meantime. I started this in l…
I smothered my front lawn to create a native plant pollinator, wildlife garden. The earth was initially hard- a pain to dig- and its color was medium brown, to light brown, not much organic matter visible. It felt rocky. So I did the easiest thing: put cardboard down, mulch, straw and use raised beds in the meantime. I started this in late 2019, completed in 2020. So last year, I didn’t see much improvement yet and didn’t start the back as a result, which is a very large project. This year the front is amazing! The most beautiful black earth FULL OF earthworms. I can almost feel the microbial activity down there! Obviously I regret not starting the back now, which I will do piecemeal. I did do the furthermost rear, where the deer go. The rest is fenced for my dog and pig. I am putting in no mod native grass varieties. I highly recommend doing this. Just a few layers. I did a little mulch under the cardboard, a layer of cardboard, more mulch, and straw. The latter needs frequent replenishing. Throwing refuse- leaf litter etc- is a good idea too. Last year I added kelp meal, gypsum, natural amendments, worm castings, etc around too. Minimal work. Seriously, supporting nature and letting her processes work for you is the way. My bee and butterfly population exploded almost right away. I previously only saw wasps.
Yeah for cardboard! I live in fear that one of these days the merchants who now give it away will recognise it as the precious resource it is and start charging.
My county has public bins to recycle cardboard so if I don’t have enough, I just go there (5 minutes away) and pull out what others leave. People look at me quizzically. The biggest pain is getting rid of the tape but I got lazy and let nature do it. After a while, it dries up and peels off by itself.
I am in the Black Hills of SD. I moved up from the southern hills, which were big time clay. Now in the central hills and its more loamy silt with an area that’s really sandy.
I smothered my front lawn to create a native plant pollinator, wildlife garden. The earth was initially hard- a pain to dig- and its color was medium brown, to light brown, not much organic matter visible. It felt rocky. So I did the easiest thing: put cardboard down, mulch, straw and use raised beds in the meantime. I started this in late 2019, completed in 2020. So last year, I didn’t see much improvement yet and didn’t start the back as a result, which is a very large project. This year the front is amazing! The most beautiful black earth FULL OF earthworms. I can almost feel the microbial activity down there! Obviously I regret not starting the back now, which I will do piecemeal. I did do the furthermost rear, where the deer go. The rest is fenced for my dog and pig. I am putting in no mod native grass varieties. I highly recommend doing this. Just a few layers. I did a little mulch under the cardboard, a layer of cardboard, more mulch, and straw. The latter needs frequent replenishing. Throwing refuse- leaf litter etc- is a good idea too. Last year I added kelp meal, gypsum, natural amendments, worm castings, etc around too. Minimal work. Seriously, supporting nature and letting her processes work for you is the way. My bee and butterfly population exploded almost right away. I previously only saw wasps.
Yeah for cardboard! I live in fear that one of these days the merchants who now give it away will recognise it as the precious resource it is and start charging.
My county has public bins to recycle cardboard so if I don’t have enough, I just go there (5 minutes away) and pull out what others leave. People look at me quizzically. The biggest pain is getting rid of the tape but I got lazy and let nature do it. After a while, it dries up and peels off by itself.
Actually at many stores they won’t let you take it because they get paid to recycle it
Oh, the irony! The most well intentioned measure can have unintended negative consequences.
I should’ve explicitly said compost- not just mulch- but compost below and above the cardboard.
So awesome! 🤩 do you mind me asking where you’re located?
I’m doing the cardboard smothering + compost method for veggies
I am in the Black Hills of SD. I moved up from the southern hills, which were big time clay. Now in the central hills and its more loamy silt with an area that’s really sandy.