Our Homestead

In my experience the cardboard doesn't decompose quickly enough and then I'm stuck with a mess the next spring when it's time to till the garden. It does a good job preventing the weeds from growing.

It decomposes much quicker if you put a little soil on top of it. That, or grass clippings.
Make sure to put a hole in the cardboard here and there to drain water because the water tends to sit on it after a good rain.

I still have not decided yet. My biggest concern is that it would not be completely decomposed by the end of summer. It would be an awful mess to get rid of. Maybe I'll do one part with cardboard and another without.
Still thinking...

One thing I want to add after reading all this.
If it's for a garden that needs tilling every year, always apply your cardboard in springtime, never in Autumn. The reason is that it takes about 6 months to decompose so if you apply it in autumn it will not be decomposed in spring and you'll have a mess to deal with since it would all need to be removed.

Another problem with cardboard is that you would need a lot of compost to keep it down. Some people will keep it down with stones which is great but then you will need to remove all the stones before tilling.  
Depending on the size of your garden, this could be quite a bit of work.

lol thank you bard!

Pros of using cardboard as a weed barrier:
[ul]
[li]Natural and biodegradable: Cardboard breaks down over time, enriching the soil with nutrients as it decomposes. This avoids the issue of plastic landscape fabric not degrading and potentially creating long-term waste.[/li]
[li]Effective weed suppression: When covered with mulch, cardboard effectively blocks sunlight and smothers existing weeds, preventing them from growing and germinating new seeds.[/li]
[li]Cost-effective: Cardboard is often free or readily available at low cost, making it a budget-friendly solution for weed control.[/li]
[li]Improves soil quality: As cardboard decomposes, it feeds earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms, promoting healthy soil structure and drainage.[/li]
[li]Suppression during bed preparation: You can use cardboard to suppress weeds while preparing new garden beds, giving you time to amend the soil before planting.[/li]
[/ul]
Cons of using cardboard as a weed barrier:
[ul]
[li]Temporary solution: Cardboard degrades within months, requiring reapplication for long-term weed control.[/li]
[li]Not completely weed-proof: Determined weeds, especially perennial ones, might push through the cardboard as it weakens.[/li]
[li]Attracts pests: Cardboard can attract slugs and other unwanted creatures seeking moisture and shelter.[/li]
[li]Requires additional materials: You need to cover the cardboard with mulch for effective weed suppression and to prevent it from drying out and blowing away.[/li]
[li]Uneven breakdown: Cardboard might break down unevenly, leaving gaps where weeds can sprout.[/li]
[li]Not suitable for all situations: Cardboard isn't ideal for use under permanent structures like gravel or paths, as it can decompose unevenly and create an uneven surface.[/li]
[/ul]
Overall:
Cardboard can be a good eco-friendly option for weed control in certain situations, especially for temporary suppression or in new garden beds. However, it's not a permanent solution and may not be effective in all scenarios. Consider the pros and cons, your specific needs, and the presence of persistent weeds before deciding if cardboard is the right choice for you.
Here are some additional things to keep in mind:
[ul]
[li]Use thick cardboard: Double or triple layers provide better weed suppression and last longer.[/li]
[li]Overlap the cardboard: Overlap pieces by at least 6 inches to prevent weeds from growing through the seams.[/li]
[li]Wet the cardboard: Moistening the cardboard helps it stay in place and decompose faster.[/li]
[li]Choose the right mulch: Use a thick layer of organic mulch like wood chips or compost on top of the cardboard.[/li]
[li]Monitor for problems: Regularly check for weeds pushing through and address them promptly.[/li]
[/ul]
I hope this helps!

I recently thought about using cardboard in the garden because it makes sense. It will decompose and blend in with the soil. Any commercial weed barrier will get stuck somehow and it's a total pain if you want to remove it at the end of the season in order to till the garden.

Last night I did some research about this. Little did I know that many people before me had the same idea. After doing some reading up on it, I didn't learn much that I didn't know yet because a lot of it is common sense. I did learn a few things, however, including that it is safe to use cardboard as weed barrier as long as you follow a few guidelines, all of which make total sense.

- Don't use cardboard with glue or too much paint of any print. Too many chemicals.

- Put some flat stones on top of your cardboard to hold it down.

- Put something over it as well, like mulch. I am planning on just covering it with straw that comes out of the sheep stall every week. This will give some extra fertilizer to the soil.

- You need 2 or 3 layers of cardboard to really keep the weeds from growing. OK I didn't know that part and it's a bit of a bummer because I'll have to figure out where to find a ton of cardboard. My gardens are huge.

- Depending on the climate and how much rain you get, most cardboard will be blended in with the soil after six months.
I see a problem here. What if it's not. How would we tell the gardens. Again, my gardens are huge.

- Cardboard can and probably will attract snakes. This is not a problem for me since we don't have poisonous snakes around here and snakes don't bother me one bit.

- Cardboard will also attract some small living creatures that are food for birds and the birds might poke holes in the cardboard. I'm not worried about this in the least.

To give you an idea of the size of my gardens, here is one of them.

[attachment=0]july202314.png[/attachment]