Smothering unwanted grass with newspaper or cardboard is a simple way to prep the area for water-saving garden beds.
If you want to start a new landscape bed, you’ve got a couple of different options for getting rid of the grass in the area.
You can go the labor-intensive route and dig it up, or you can solarize the site, but this can take some time and patience. Herbicide is another option, but it carries risks of toxicity for non-target plants and animals — and it can run off into local watersheds.
A common and relatively simple method you can use is sheet mulching or sheet composting. Basically, you smother the grass with cardboard or newspaper layered with organic material on top, so the grass is smothered at the same time decomposition is taking place. Eventually you can just plant the area without further effort.
There are many versions of sheet mulching, but at its most basic, the steps take just a few hours to complete.
- Mow existing grass or plant material.
- Lay down multiple layers of newspaper or cardboard and soak it with water. Make sure there are no gaps for grass to peek through. Most scrap cardboard should do, but you’ll want to avoid waxy cardboard or newspaper with colored ink.
- Add layers of organic material on top. You can add just mulch or compost with mulch on top; or you can add your own organic materials that will break down into compost. (If you choose this method, make sure to balance nitrogen rich greens with carbon rich browns.)
After you sheet mulch, you’ll want to wait some time for the organic material to decompose before seeding and plants. Cardboard can take several months to a year to decompose depending on the local conditions. However, if you’re planting perennials from pots, you may have success transplanting them immediately if you cut holes or x’s in the cardboard so they can get established in the soil.
Sheet mulching is also a great alternative to regular garden mulching. The layer of cardboard will act as an extra weed suppressant. Simply use the cardboard around preexisting plants and add compost/mulch on top.
There’s a reason many gardeners swear by sheet mulching. As with anything, do your own research to find out if sheet mulching is a suitable option for your landscape conditions.
