Convert Your Lawn by Sheet Mulching

This slide show demonstrates how to remove your lawn using sheet mulching techniques. Learn more at www.LawntoGarden.org

[@staciegulizia4144]

You were way ahead of the game! Ten years ago you were already doing the no-dig/sheet mulching that has become so popular now. I started using cardboard/compost/mulch last year. It works if you use enough mulch.

[@D12075]

This video aged incredibly well. I can't believe people were doing this over 10 years ago and still hadn't heard of it until 6 months ago.

[@inthegarden881]

Just did this last year. Boy, did we stop cars! And a couple of neighbours stopped to ask “What the * was I doing!?” One guy went so far as to insult me. But, by the time summer came about, and the flowers started blooming, and the bumper crop of tomatoes that I have NEVER seen in my life, the compliments were flowing. Might even have converted some, as I see a couple of other lawns on the street “converted”. Can’t advocate for this back to Eden type gardening enough. Conserves water, up-cycles paper waste, moves away from chemical use, feeds the soil, creates habitat, and if you plant native plants, supports bees and birds. What’s not to like?!

[@kimberlyallen9591]

I’m in the process of sheet mulching and I’m experiencing the same reaction from my neighbors!

[@lindaburrows509]

😂 I would have said, mmm I'm just killing my grass 😂, wait for the reaction, then explain, but I'm going to start on this such an amazing investment

[@wmhfv992]

Hahaha, my neighbors think I'm insane. I think they're insane spraying pesticides and herbicides! Killing native plants and deterring beneficial insects! My garden is so lush and healthy because I've let it heal.

[@politicaltwinkie2370]

Nearly ten years later, 2019, this video is still valuable.

[@pleaseplantme-n3b]

Political Twinkie Yes

[@Marcel_Audubon]

as long as you keep procrastinating, it will always be valuable!

[@kimberly-mo5cp]

I'm watching mid 2022

[@grlnexdoorable]

11 years now.

[@KMeade24]

I've been searching for answers for hours and you've just answered everything I needed to know in 7 minutes

[@LuisSanchezLouieLouie]

Wow! Easy instructions! Simple and to the point! Recently, been getting into gardening. Hope this video inspires more people! Great job!!! Thank you

[@lalalulu-x4q]

I followed these instructions 10 years ago in my front yard and it worked like a charm. I highly recommend this approach.

[@boumkwo]

I'm doing this so I don't have to mow the lawn this summer. Thanks for the video.

[@peterl.104]

Loved her presentation style. Couldn’t find part 2 that she’d mentioned, so I’m watching the other StopWaste Sheet Mulch Steps videos.

[@janetbransdon3742]

I have a small front yard so I am following this method but working in sections. I am using leaf mulch and other organic matter from the rest of my property. It is working well. I am already receiving compliments from the neighbours. Thank you .😁🌻🍃

[@dmon2009]

The track in the background is "Work It" by Miguel Plascensia on Paradax Records. Thanks for choosing our track on your video :) Peace!

[@Alarmo05221]

It’s actually called Three Pointer Long on Imovie. The work it song is actually wrong.

[@Petite43]

I stumble onto your video, I recently moved, I'm going to try this in my backyard. Thanks for sharing. I just subscribed to your channel.

[@stopwasteorg]

Great! So glad it was helpful and thanks for subscribing!

[@flowergirl3438]

I would not have cut through the cardboard to put the new plant in until all the grass and weeds under the cardboard died. I also noticed that the mulch and compost was still green and not aged enough so there could be weed seeds that start growing from the mulch. This was a great idea and I will probably try it when I want to create a new bed and not have to dig out all the grass.

[@cathymaynen324]

Also the "green" parts of the mulch will create heat as it breaks down so depending how much it could get really hot

[@user-rw7xg6wg1h]

It won’t get hot.

[@v.britton4445]

I have done this for many lawns, and over scrubby weedy areas , looks great...

[@mrsoap3]

you just throw cardboard or weed fabric down and then cover in mulch, plant etc? No need to spray lawn or rip it all off first? Wanting to do this keep delaying due to the details

[@Murphis55]

I was getting a lot of boxes so I did this. I went from dead soil to rich dirt in a few yrs. I now have a beautiful back yard and not many weeds. I also use a lot of wood chips and mulch. Plants love it. Now I’m doing raised beds for veggies and fruit trees. What lawn I do have is clover. Bees love it and it smells great. Fierce a few mows the clover gets dwarf.

[@barbbirdyard]

I’ve been doing this for several years. Works great here in Indiana .

[@mayrastyrene6204]

Can you start a flower garden this way?

[@vbickford]

I don't have to get help, I don't have to wait until there's money for it, I can do all of this myself with healthy materials. This changes everything.

[@lilyarsecularatne3456]

Me too

[@xyz-pg3zd]

True! To think I was going to pay about $500 to have my grass removed u.u

[@Mojo_3.14]

@@xyz-pg3zd You can also get the wood chips for free and usually delivered right to your house by a local arborist. They usually have to pay someone to take their wood chips when they trim or cut down a tree, so it's a win win situation for them and you. Just research the matter so you don't get bad wood from a diseased tree. There are other problems but a quick google search will answer most of your questions. And you can get cardboard from local restaurants and stores for free, just remember to ask first and remove the plastic tape and labels and metal staples in the cardboard.

[@shadyman6346]

x y z I’ll do it for 499.99!

[@OfftoShambala]

I have used this after paying for cut, burn and poison method. This should be the go to method for most scenarios.

[@MarkWoodChannel]

Did part of it today, saw my neighbor was going to bag his 1/2 acre when he mowed so I had him drop it on my cardboard patch. Need to bag my own lawn one more time to finish. Turned out I had all the cardboard I needed on hand, and the basement is a lot cleaner. :)

[@MarkWoodChannel]

And just for the record, in our community we recycle yard waste into mulch and dirt that you can pickup for free.

[@katallack]

It is indeed a Japanese Maple, which is funny, because I don't use them in my California gardens. But it was a handy seedling for the video. Does look like pot a bit though...

[@bryanvagenos5089]

this is how will be doing a dry creek bed in my backyard to guide rainwater around my home. I did my rasied beds with the cardboard but didnt know about the water.nice tip

[@cruehead6308]

Thank you for sharing that with me about the cardboard I didn't know how to get rid of that grass cuz I want to lay mulch in front of my house around my porch side of my house it's not very big area I appreciate your input

[@storungz]

BRILLIANT IDEA!!! Can’t get any easier! Thank you, Thank you!! 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@bearchild4352]

Thank you for this wonderful presentation!

[@gaylemartin3094]

AWESOME!!! I’m on the right track. In the middle of doing this right now. Thanks for sharing

[@panda873]

such a pleasing voice! :-) great, thorough video.

[@MarkWoodChannel]

I am doing this with a section of yard very soon, I'll just use bagged grass clippings. Putting a couple willow framed raised beds on it.

[@OfftoShambala]

I’m sure the neighbors were freaking out when they saw the cardboard going down and the cannabis looking plant going in. Good tips, it seems... entertaining video either way.

[@misskim2058]

Seems like there would be people “pruning it” whenever they got a chance. Still, it’s nice to see it planted in a yard, the poor plant has been maligned for far too long. And I see that it’s just a maple but still it would be nice to see people openly planting them...

[@marset.designsplus3813]

Yes..😁😅🤣 it does look like cannabis ‼️🙈

[@oneness319]

StopWaste, this is an advanced concept to most human in this planet.

[@sharonmcmann-morelli4896]

i would like to try this but it’s winter now so i will wait thank you ❤️

[@ranjithseena]

Great video. Can I use fall leaves and grass clippings for mulching. Should I add soil to keep the leaves down and to keep them form flying around.

[@stopwasteorg]

Thanks for asking - you can leave the leaves under the trees, grass can go around roses or back onto the grass. We usually don't put soil down on top. For sheet mulching (lawn conversion) a course mulch like tree trimmings, arbor mulch or pallet mulch are best. Visit www.lawntogarden.org/residents/gallery/mulch-catalog#block-block-8 for more info.

[@ranjithseena]

Thanks for the reply. I will try it out.

[@redemptionsong123]

What are amendments and is it necessary to test the soil prior to starting the project? Can I also use this to grow healthy, weed free grass? What if I decide to put gravel instead of compost, just using the cardboard as an organic weed-free barrier instead of landscape fabric, will it keep the soil healthy and weed-free for a fairly long time? Thanks.

[@sixteenstone007]

I can see my neighbors now lol.. thinking I've lost my mind as I cover my beautiful lawn with cardboard and then activate the sprinklers

[@Blayze1017]

Hey Roll Tide!!

[@Blayze1017]

Jeremy Alford This looks like it would be “moccasin friendly” where i live lol

[@joeyv9688]

Jeremy Alford Hell yeah man. Roll Tide!!

[@Jrizzle716]

RTR!!!

[@misskim2058]

Better than ripping out the lawn and putting down rocks and mulch, then I guarantee the neighbors know you’ve lost your mind if you do that. This way, they’ll get over the cardboard thing when they see what a great yard it looks like afterwards...

[@glenorie8530]

Watching from Trinidad and Tobago.

[@farooq2000]

Very informative video, thanks! 👍 Is sheet mulching also recommended if you plan to plant a rock garden with succulents/river rock?

[@stopwasteorg]

yes you can sheet mulch with succulents!! Since mulch holds water really well I'd suggest making sure not to put the mulch too close to the base of the succulent. Give it about a good 6 inches of space and fill the open space with potting soil. Larger rocks can be incorporated as design elements on top of the mulch.

[@johngalley4048]

Beautiful garden

[@meagan_thee_artist]

This was very informative thank you!

[@susanmetz9892]

I had so many weeds in my neglected flower bed that I actually dig up about 2 inches of topsoil and weeds. Mi then planted about 20 hosta s. When they were a few inches tall, I placed a thick layer of cardboard around them and added an abundance of mulch. The end result looked great. However, snails and slugs thrive under cardboard. They ate my hostas. I’m hoping they will grown again this spring.

[@stopwasteorg]

Snails and slugs thrive in moist conditions for sure. However, you might be happy to know that mulch is also home to the predaceous ground beetle whose favorite food is snails and slugs (their eggs too).

[@katec9893]

Try out beer traps for slugs and snails if you haven't already. Sink a clean empty tin into the compost next to the plants then fill it with beer/lager.

[@mmangla5575]

Thank you for the information

[@seaside1454]

Any suggestions on getting rid of the grasses that spread underground by rhizome? Sheet mulching didn't work.

[@tanyawales5445]

You can solarize the area in the summer in 3 - 6 weeks (longer for things like Bermuda grass) using black plastic or black silage tarp for large areas. It will kill the plants and sterilize the top inch of topsoil killing weed seeds. Be sure to use landscape pins, large heavy rocks if they are available or sandbags to hold down the edges of the black plastic as it will want to fly away during windy conditions. You can use www.chipdrop.com to get free ground up tree branches for mulch after the black plastic is removed. Call the City to see if they have free mulch at the dump or a part of their street maintenance program. Watch the chipdrop video to see if it will meet your needs.

[@asky314]

This is a great teaching video! Thank you! One question: if you have visible tree roots in the area where you want to sheet mulch (trying to suppress weeds and allow for a cottage-style garden bed between spaced out trees in my yard), is it ok to put the cardboard/mulch over those roots? I know absolutely NOTHING about gardening so forgive me if this is a stupid question.

[@Shepz963]

I have the exact same question! I saw one place that said it was ok, another that said don’t do it around the trunk, another saying exposed roots need to breathe. 🤷‍♀️

[@DynSounds]

from my experience it should be fine

[@2218_life]

Grow your own food in the yard, minimize dependency. Inoculate that cardboard with mushroom mycelium, as well. Oyster mushroom from the grocery store work well and they taste good, too.

[@ashcash111296]

How do inoculate with store bought mushrooms?

[@2218_life]

@@ashcash111296 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fp-vpWOOoNJgftU

[@mayrastyrene6204]

Can you start a flower garden from seeds using this method?

[@hunnersahings7375]

I have done this but got access to a lot of cardboard from a neighbour who works in a paper mill and as a landscaper used all the grass clippings, shrub trimmings and leaves from my business. That was all of last year's waste on top of a seriously think layer of cardboard. The last area was finished before the end of October and the cardboard still hasn't broke down. It is that thick I have to jump on it with a fork to get through it and underneath there is no life. All the leaves breaking down etc is from worms on top of the cardboard. Has anyone had any experience with this and have any suggestions how to get it to break down quicker?

[@mckohtz]

It needs lots of water to break down.

[@mildredwilkins5781]

Megan said it. Water.. Keep it wet

[@deuxcheveux7268]

Well done! Really enjoyed your video.

[@mwelborn62]

Great approach!

[@sweets6865]

That is so cool I'm definitely going to try this I have so much cardboard in my garage.

[@laurentallman2918]

When you sheet mulch large areas, do you have to dig up all the sod first??

[@mustardofdoom]

Ahead of its time. Great video.

[@dh2950]

Question. I’m in southern CA and it’s fall now. Can I still sheet mulch and plant directly , without needing to wait a few months for the lawn to decompose first? I always thought that was the case, ie best done in the summer?

[@chelseaclerke3582]

I'm curious about when you cut through the cardboard to plant your plants, do you not have to remove the grass underneath the plant if it is still alive or do you just plant over top of the live grass? I currently have wet cardboard down on my lawn with compost, topsoil and mulch on top and I'm afraid to move forward. It is Mid-May and I would like to have all my spring veggies planted in my garden by the end of the month. Is that actually possible or do I need to wait for things to decompose?

[@jonathansoto4654]

so when shes says you are going to need a lot of mulch, does she mean compost? and then this would be followed by a small layer of wood mulch on top. i just wanted to see if i got this right.

[@zawarudo93]

So if I lay down cardboard instead of landscaping fabric it is more effective at blocking out weeds from growing??

[@fullofideas1343]

Yes, I just watched another video and that is a fact.

[@stopwasteorg]

Cardboard is an excellent weed blocker and more effective for many reasons: Permeable so water and nutrition can get to the soil. Landscape fabric doesn’t allow for either of these benefits. Cardboard can make a thicker barrier than fabric too. Especially if you are trying to block invasive weeds like Bermuda grass.

[@chuatigris9858]

I have seem a couple of vic and yours is done nicely and professionally and well explain.TQ

[@priceandpride]

Make sure you take off any plastic tape and labels first before you lay down the cardboard!

[@jeffportnoy3863]

Hi, would sheet mulching work to kill back morning glory in an area? Or would it just poke through since it has rhizomes?

[@stopwasteorg]

Sheet mulching suppresses weeds by blocking sunlight and preventing seed germination. It will help suppress morning glories from re-emerging and spreading via their rhizomes but expect to need to hand pull any plants that emerge as the sheet mulch decomposes. Make sure to hand pull them before they flower and go to seed. In case you’re actually dealing with bindweed, which looks similar to morning glories, you’ll need to persistently sheet mulch and hand pull across multiple seasons - managing bindweed is a long-term battle and won’t be dealt with quickly!

[@jeffportnoy3863]

@@stopwasteorg Thank you!

[@kval1015]

I have a lot of weeds surrounding the base of pine trees in our backyard. Im considering using this method, but I am also looking to add groundcover plants like phlox or creeping thyme. Would you still plant groundcover below the cardboard or would you just do so on the compost /mulch area?

[@ellesbells902]

Anything growing under the cardboard dies (besides those invasive species she mentions you should remove before putting down cardboard) and the cardboard itself eventually decomposes in the moist darkness.

[@davidthiel5600]

Loved the video. curious as to what the small plant you used in the video was. It looked a lot like cannibas. Love it! I have several plants that resemble it...one is a chaste bush...Just curious!!

[@stopwasteorg]

It is a maple.

[@mezleona]

David Thiel That is a small Japanese maple

[@roderickbrown8094]

You’re awesome! Thanks for posting!

[@stopwasteorg]

Glad it was helpful. We have more helpful resources on www.LawntoGarden.org.

[@leetomlee7265]

Thanks for sharing. But i am not sure what you are doing.

[@safi456]

Funny, I did this yesterday and today I see this video. I covered my entire front lawn with coffee grounds, watered it in, then cardboard, then compost. Then watered it really well. Do I need to add mulch or can I leave it with compost as the top layer? Also, what about maintenance? Do I keep the area moist at all times, or is it okay to not water it and just let it be?

[@stopwasteorg]

While we certainly recommend a mulch layer on top of the compost (it will keep the compost moist, which allows it to be the most beneficial to your soil), you could get away with just a thick layer of compost on top. Especially if your garden is shaded, compost can be used as a mulch. If your garden is very sunny, we would suggest a layer of mulch on top.

[@prettypothos4me290]

Boy, some of the comments. Some leftist haters who want resources for the video, remarks about cardboard being for the homeless, about snakes, etc. This was very informative, required no college degree on your part, just pure common sense for something we used to do the hard way and it works great. Thank you for showing the critics that simple solutions are often the best. I did this with my new vegetable garden for the bottoms of the raised beds and the walkways. I grew amazing plants in 6 inch deep beds with the cardboard on the bottom. Good job! ,

[@melissa_renae]

Leftist haters? Are you for real? Just because you see a douchebag comment, doesn't automatically mean they must be from the opposite political party as you. Nobody in the comments is talking about politics except for you. Nobody else is being "a hater" here besides you.

[@Metqa]

That grass is beautiful. I would have bought your grass to use as sod.

[@jessicastafford5535]

Your voice is so pleasant, I stayed engaged the entire video and comprehended it easily. Thank you!

[@christian9506]

What does Bay friendly mean?

[@romeoaberin2307]

I have a problem with gophers. Will wire mesh work between the grass and the boards?

[@yulizachanona-lopez6135]

I'm doing this but will it be safe for my fall bulbs planting? Will they grow in the spring?

[@stopwasteorg]

Assuming your bulbs are not planted among grass, you could remove the cardboard where you expect bulbs to grow. If you have bulbs out of the soil that you plan to plant, you can plant them directly into the compost layer, and their roots will break through the cardboard to access the soil underneath.

[@mykvass]

Great , this is what I'm doing right now ! in the Bay area. Where can I get the wood chips ? Thanks

[@stopwasteorg]

Hello! You can check out lawntogarden.org/marketplace to find locations where you can get recycled OMRI compost, mulch, and sheet mulch materials.

[@lisalee2885]

Also call your local tree companies....they will drop it at your home 😁 They are always looking to get rid of it 😁

[@hadisabagh7803]

Thanks for the instructional video.🇮🇷👏🤝

[@saltlifegull4091]

Oh Heck Yeah! Just what I wanted to know. Old people can't get out tillers, etc. This is the answer. Thank you so much!! Going to find cardboard:)

[@regularprivateuser]

Thank you for the video. How do you prevent the mulch from spilling into the sidewalks? What’s the best way to clean the Galen leaves in autumn, to keep the mulched areas looking neat?

[@TrevorEditor]

Garden landscape edging will prevent the mulch from spilling over. Leaves on top of mulch can be lightly blown off with a leaf blower, but you probably won't get all of it. Which is okay as the leaves will just break down and feed the soil.

[@whomadethewordword5035]

Will this method get rid of horsetail

[@CamilleGG451]

I keep encountering instructions everywhere for folks who want to get rid of weeds and larger areas of lawn etc but keep the soil healthy for plants. I'm trying to find a way to purely remove a swath of pure lawn and replace it with mulch. I therefore don't want any soil underneath it to be healthy- I just need a way to remove a lawn and replace with mulch on this one whole side of my lawn. Does anyone have a suggestion on this?? TIA!

[@DG123z]

Where are the resources accompanying this presentation?

[@tylerk.7947]

life, and common sense.

[@jaytee3baxter]

Learn more at StopWaste.Org/SheetMulch.

[@geaj4214]

Do I have to use card board or news paper or can I just put it down my yard had mostly no grass it will not grow

[@stopwasteorg]

Hello - Yes, you can lay card board down on top of existing lawn or area. I recommend you watch the video here which gives a details step-by-step to get started.

[@jessicaknutson4502]

i thought my brain was melting - I'm trying to learn how to do this while also painting my nails with Holo Taco nail polish ... this is the same royalty free music Simply Nailogical has used in her videos for years ...

[@Wranm9l]

😂

[@TaiJ-Aird]

Can I do this with rubber mulch I just want to get rid of the lawn in an expensive way

[@prettypothos4me290]

Rubber mulch may last forever, but weeds and grasses WILL grow in it and under it eventually and you will be picking all that rubber out. Every time you plant or weed in that area, rubber will fall into the soil and never leave.

[@jammosu6498]

I’m wondering if this will kill Lilly of the valley. It has taken over

[@melilu2845]

She says remove Bermuda grass first but my lawn IS Bermuda grass. So will this not work for me?

[@burritofever]

Which is more cost-effective? This or removal?

[@stopwasteorg]

Sheet mulching is cost effective in the long and short term!!! Short term: you don't need to remove the lawn and pay to dump or rent equipment/labor to remove. With recycled boxes, locally sourced tree mulch and local water agency rebates (CA) that cuts down on the cost of the project significantly. Long term: savings on your water bill, no need for chemicals cuts down on costs as well.

[@JB-lr1tf]

Can you do this then add gravel

[@2Boutofsight]

So you say get rid of creeping things first.I have Resisted using chemicals, so I don’t think this would work on creeping Charlie here in Illinois. It would be nice if it would because I certainly don’t want a great beautiful green lawn I want great beautiful flowers and interesting things with paths from here to there. Any other ideas?

[@stopwasteorg]

We’re not very experienced with Creeping Charlie. Generally, to remove plants that spread by rhizome you’ll need to cut back the above ground growth to prevent stems from touching down and forming new roots, water and loosen the soil around the root masses with a garden fork, and then pull out as much of the root mass as you can. Then go ahead with sheet mulching. If you have a large space, do sections at a time. Add more mulch when any neighboring creeping Charlie flowers to keep any seeds from germinating.

[@foppo100]

This is all very nice if you like gardening.I do, plant bee friendly shrubs and enjoy it.Where I live in the UK no matter how small the gardens the majority are a mess.Or car parks and it doesn't look nice.The car is king.

[@queeniethu]

So that’s why one of my neighbors has cardboard down in her yard lol

[@yannethperea1358]

Hello. I digged the existing grass to make a little garden. But I want to used this grass some how to make my piece of garden higher. I watch some videos about.( This is my first time to do some like that) Nobody is talking about reused the grass. Do you know if I can do it? And if yes how or what I can do. I have to wait until the grass dies? It is a different way? I appreciate if you can help me with that.

[@kaceywaceyy]

I watched a video by The Rusted Garden (kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp_EooRqe6afn6s) and he showed how he used the dug up grass as the soil for his garden! I'm planning on doing this method instead because I don't have that much money for buying loads of compost and mulch. If you're asking about what to do with the grass afterwards, at 9:25 of the video, he shows how you can mix together the dug up grass with peat moss and fertilizer to make a container mix which I believe you can use for planting future crops. Hope this helped!! :))

[@bek.becky.bekah.rebekah]

I just sheet mulched the area I want to put raised garden beds but I did not put compost down over the cardboard. I just put dyed wood chips down. What do you recommend?

[@stopwasteorg]

First off, it’s great that you are covering the soil with wood chips! Doing so, even without the compost, is adding fantastic organic matter into the soil and will help suppress weeds. No need to worry about going back, moving mulch, and adding compost since you’ll be putting in raised beds. When you put in your raised beds, remove any mulch at the bottom of the bed so you can see the cardboard, fill the raised bed with soil, then add two inches of compost on top of the soil. And if you are planting outside the raised beds and directly into the cardboard and mulch, you can move aside the mulch, cut into the cardboard to dig a hole and plant your plant, and then put 2 inches of compost around your plant.

[@QueenNemesis327]

Can you do this over your existing flower garden?

[@raleighmck3986]

The scrub turkeys in my area would have a field day with that mulch!

[@nreed7718]

What's a "Bay Friendly Garden"?

[@johnames6430]

A garden to show how diverse and tolerant you are.

[@watermelonlalala]

GAY Friendly.

[@fainitesbarley2245]

Weeds

[@gillnewlyn1151]

Very helpful thank you. Can you tell me the name of the plant that you planted , it has a beautiful leaf shape.

[@stopwasteorg]

It's a Japanese maple! Glad the video is helpful!

[@Aphorism89]

Gardening... Makes you look like an insane patient running around the garden. When the neighbors see you out, they probably sit tight and wonder: "what now". Even you question yourself sometimes lol But hey, it all works and looks pretty!

[@357QueenBee]

What’s the name of the grass being replaced?

[@stevebernstein6970]

Could you use this format to do a side yard perennial wildflower meadow. What would you use in place of the mulch some type of soil?

[@stopwasteorg]

We usually don't recommend broadcasting seeds in sheet mulch - just doesn't take for most situations. Instead we recommend starts which you can plant right away even into a deep layer of mulch. Hope that helps and happy mulching!

[@carissawilson7921]

Would coffee bags work? My local coffee shop has a lot of burlap bags they get beans in. I would like to lay those down under my mulch intead of card board. Will that work?

[@stopwasteorg]

We don’t recommend burlap bags for lawn conversion - weeds and grass can pop through. But, if you have a sloped hillside, it’s fine to use burlap in tandem with cardboard to keep other materials from shifting. We recommend using landscape stakes to keep it all in place.

[@littlejoe9381]

One question: How do you keep cats from using your beautifully mulched flowerbeds as a toilet? 🤔 Pepper and essential oil sprays have not seemed to help me. I have used motion activated water sprinklers with some success. However, I have not found a hose that does not eventually leak in one place or another.

[@Theneedlepatch]

I need help with this too. I take in strays and unwanted cats. I sure don't want them making a mess out of it after all of that hard work.

[@xXKillaBGXx]

Don't worry. It's good natural fertilizer.

[@littlejoe9381]

@@xXKillaBGXx : Perhaps, but it stinks and it carries parasites. 🤢

[@derangedpinke]

@@xXKillaBGXx unless you’re growing fruits or vegetables - carnivore scat is not a safe fertilizer for food crops.

[@lorrieprothero2175]

What is "bay friendly"?

[@steveniannelli2756]

how do you sow seeds direct into soil with this no dig method instead of using seedlings? how is it possible for that to work?

[@stopwasteorg]

Hi Steven, sheet mulching is best paired with transplanting either 4-inch,1 gallon, and 5 gallon plants. Their roots can punch through the cardboard to access the soil beneath (as long as you water enough for them to get established). However, if you are growing a garden by seed and want to use sheet mulching at the same time, a slight adjustment can be made to the recipe. After laying down the cardboard, place a 2 inch layer of a soil mix on top of the cardboard, then a 1 inch layer of compost. Seeds will want easier access to soil as young seedlings may not be able to push through the cardboard layer. Hold off on laying down mulch until after your seeds germinate and begin to mature and it is safe to mulch around them. With vegetable seeds, you can utilize straw instead of wood chips.

[@steveniannelli2756]

@@stopwasteorg thankyou. Only problem is it wont retain moisture as well. What do u refommend to water the no dig beg?

[@denesestanley3966]

Trying... thanks

[@thomassmith8700]

If I sheet mulch an area of my lawn now/this fall, will it be ready to garden in the spring? Are there additives I can put in there to speed it up? Like maybe chicken manure or something?

[@daniele.5163]

It should be. Watering it also help to break it down, therefore making it faster.

[@mwngw]

How quickly does average thickness cardboard break down?

[@acatnameddragon1330]

In another place, they said it takes a year.

[@wilfredoriverajr.]

wonder how this will work over a mowed down palmetto grove?

[@stopwasteorg]

Ahhh Palmetto is a very tenacious plant. Any chance of tackling this will require a few extra steps. 1. If the existing plant has a trunk diameter larger than a foot, I’d recommend stump grinding it over mowing it. You’ll want very few traces of what’s left. 2. Several overlapping layers of cardboard on the area of the stump and outward at least 2-3 feet. 3. Thick layer of mulch min 4 inches. The palmetto will want to try and grow back. Be on the lookout for seeds that attempt to grow from the top. Check the integrity of the cardboard after the rainy season to insure it that it’s still intact. If not, push back mulch and reapply dry layers of cardboard. Replace mulch and add more mulch to the top.