How to recycle cardboard effectively in the garden this summer

June 28, 2019 11:07 am Published by

It might sound strange but leftover cardboard boxes can be extremely useful to the green-fingered. It’s also a great way to recycle your cardboard, and it also eliminates the risk of it ending up in landfill, which is always a plus. So with that said here is Bosworth Wrights top tips on effectively using cardboard in the garden.

Mulch it for compost:

 As a biodegradable source, cardboard is ideal for composting but in order for it to be most effective, it will require a little prep work.  Start by shredding your cardboard boxes into small manageable pieces and soaking them in water, this will allow it to decompose at a faster rate.

 To start your compost pile, layer the cardboard and then add nitrogen-rich materials such as grass clippings and fruit peels. Add soil and then start on another layer repeating until roughly 4 cubic feet.

 Make sure the pile remains moist; the cardboard will absorb any excess water, and be sure to turn the pile every 5 days or so to get an even spread.  After about 6 months it will be ready to use in the garden.

 Weed barrier for planting beds:

Cardboard can also be an effective way of controlling weeds in your planting beds. Simply break down the cardboard box (having removed any packing tape etc. first) then lay the cardboard down in your planting bed and wet it with a garden hose. Cover the soaked cardboard with a layer of mulch, and once you’re ready to plant simply cut a hole for each plant.

 It’s not just planting beds that can benefit from this method of weed control. If you have a woodchip walkway in your garden laying down cardboard in a similar fashion can help eradicate and control the formation of weeds in and around the pathway.

Once you have laid the cardboard down, you can then add the woodchip to create the pathway. Be sure to remember that woodchips breakdown over time so replenishing the cardboard and the woodchip is part of maintaining the walkway, otherwise weeds will reappear.

At Bosworth Wright we are very keen to promote the recycling of your used cardboard boxes; whether it’s through re-use of our covered solid board boxes or the gardening use of our corrugated cardboard boxes.

For more on your local Leicestershire recycling schemes, visit the Leicester City and County Council recycling pages, respectively. For more on how Bosworth Wright can help you with your wholesale packaging supplies follow the link.

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