Is Cardboard Killing Your Garden?

For more on how to use packaging in the garden, watch this next

Gardeners' Gold or Toxic Waste? Is cardboard really killing your garden and poisoning your crops?

In this week's episode Ben uncovers the truth about cardboard and how to use it safely in the garden; what to keep, what to discard and how to put it to best use so you can sleep easy knowing that your garden and your crops are happy and healthy.

[matthewfriday]

Former paper mill manager here. Ben's advice is spot on... I'd say if it's brown, put it down. But beware of anything that is white and recycled, like paper towel or the cardboard that comes in that new dress shirt or whatever. We manufactured everything from post-consumer content and that stuff is heavily "cleaned" with lots of chemicals. It can also contain bits of glass, metal, and other debris. Most of it is filtered out but some always remains in the finished product.

[caylarivera]

Printing press operator here, many of the "soy based" inks on the market at least in the United States have a large portion of petroleum content. They have soy oil in them as a way of making them seem more environmentally friendly, so be careful. If it's a heavily printed box I wouldn't use it in the garden.

[NanasWorms]

I ripped off that paper tape from Amazon boxes and fed it to a worm bin for months. At the end, I had a big clump of those strings. I then put that big clump in a compost pile that went to thermophilic temperatures. After several months, there was still a big clump of string. So, in my opinion, those strings are not biodegradable. The only thing I didn't try was UV light.
~ Sandra

[RelentlessHomesteading]

Hi Ben - the white stringy stuff is glass fiber, as used in making 'fiberglass' and the tape is usually referred to as fiberglass tape.
Always enjoy your videos !!

[CloverleafFarmsDC]

Thank you for this! We farm cardboard for every reason you listed and more! Our potatoes love cardboard and we've been able to construct elaborate hugelkültur beds using cardboard and other sturdy biodegradable materials. ❤🎉 I will be sharing your video! My tomatoes love cardboard. My worms love cardboard! It blocks my chickens from ruining ground. It sucks up snow melt and freezes fast to the ground and then holds the snow and ice that falls.... Protecting my carrots, potatoes, garlic, horseradish and other tubers over winter because cardboard holds in heat! (Wisconsin USA)

[Wellbaby]

For the past 2 autumns we have been using layers of cardboard topped with mulched leaves to suppress weeds in a garden under a walnut tree. Last year I had a large tote that had gathered rain water and found that after a very brief soak, packing tape peeled right off and the cardboard was more pliable to lay down. A real game changer

[Stu-Vino]

Cardboard is how I started growing vegetables, laying it down for my no-dig patch. Three years on, and it's going great!

[Debbie-henri]

I was a bit worried by that title for a moment.
I first use cardboard to line my new ducklings 'nest' and food trays (as they are quite wet and messy), adding a layer of hay on top of the card in their nest tray.
I change this cardboard daily, putting in fresh for the ducklings, and putting the used stuff down around my young basket willows and blueberries (to keep weeds down).

[hardeepbains]

I put torn-up egg cartons and other soft cardboard in my worm farm to balance the moisture from veg and fruit peels. Worms seem to absolutely love it

[bowtielife]

In our humid Florida environment and pure sand cardboard is a dream! I will flip beds and start new ones with a thick double layer that will be permeable in as little as 3 months with compost or other growing medium on top. I prefer 6 to 8 inches of free compost because of our lifeless sand.

I have a friend in my local big box hardware supply that saves large 6 foot by 8 foot sheets of double walled corrugated with no ink, tape, glues or even labels that is used in the shipping process of large appliances. I can pick up anywhere between a dozen or two sheets. All I want whenever I need! I am a HUGE corrugated cardboard fan!

[Wendy-ii]

Thank you, as I’m creating a new garden I’ve found cardboard helpful for killing the grass. Excellent video with lots of good tips cheers From Australia 🇦🇺

[trapped]

So glad you are tackling this subject Ben. I am always a bit confused. God bless you and yours and please pet that little puppy dog for me. Lol.

[weechrd]

Great video, as always. I flatten my brown boxes and lay them on top of my compost until it rains. The idea is that it keeps the compost heat in. After the rain, all labels and tape come off easily and the cardboard is easy to break down into small piles. I can also frequently separate the outer layer in one pies and use it on top of empty beds as mulch before planting.

[Oktopia]

I use cardboard often and with all of the methods you showed. I got the idea originally from Charles Dowding. Thanks to cardboard I've established a wonderful growing space I've enjoyed for over two years. You answered my questions about gardening with cardboard quite thoroughly, thanks!

[webenbanu]

Great video! I'm saving up a bunch of cardboard to smother my entire lawn and replant it with something more environmentally friendly, but every now and then some folks comment worrying about glues and chemicals. This will be a nice, informative video to direct them to!

[michlardot]

I use card board since the 90 and never had any issues, always had good healthy veggies and fruits don.t be afraid of everything
And yes I even had my soil tested and it was very healthy

[peemo]

I read somewhere that the strings holding packing tape together are made of fiberglass. Love your content - thanks for the videos!

[keithwiehrs]

This is how I started my raised bed garden. Works magnificent. The cardboard broke down great in my area and climate. No digging!

[cbak]

This video hits every area you need to know about cardboard use in the landscape and garden. 👍🏼👍🏼

[MaryzEasyRecipes]

I have tried to use cardboard to suppress grass growing in my garden. Surprisingly the grass was gone. But in future I need to be a little careful with the tape and any metallic material on the cardboard. Thank you Ben for always being there to give your words of advice.❤