It might look messy for a while, but cardboard boxes can be recycled as ground cover in the yard and garden. They serve several purposes in fact.
We get a lot of deliveries coming in cardboard boxes and now that I am planting, they have become useful in the yard. I keep all sizes!
I began using cardboard and newspaper when I gardened in New Hampshire. In order to create a new garden space for the following summer, I would layer paper and cardboard over the garden spot and leave it all winter.
Florida growth is different, and quite difficult to control, especially since it gets to grow year round! In winter it slows down, and many vines die back. But, in summer it’s like some horror movie where the vines grow faster than I can cut them back. And everything here grows by vines and runners.
Soil Protectors
Now that it’s hot, I am using my old boxes to keep this bare garden cool and wet as I plan what to plant.
The cardboard works great to keep weeds from growing. It is also perfect to create quick walkways. It’s helpful to have some mulch or dirt to put on top, but when it’s wet, and not windy outside, it will stay in place.
Once the garden area was tilled, I had nothing really to plant. Placing cardboard over the dirt keeps the weeds and grass from filling back in. Fontana likes it too. I’ll be planting here in Fall – oops, I planted here in July. One tomato seedling needed a home, so I planted it here. Also, two sunflowers sprang up on their own! Next I put in some Suyo Long cucumbers, which are supposed to do well in the heat.
Outdoor Cat Beds (and Walkway Markers)
I’ve noticed that here in Florida, placing cardboard on grass won’t kill it. The runners just come out the sides and continue on! The grass here is tough. But by using cardboard and then mulch on top, you can make yourself a pretty nice walkway. Once the yard it covered, this will be much more manageable.
Skittle’s Bed
My black cat Skittle has a favorite, shady outdoor spot. She sleeps under the raised, wooden bed my son built. When the cardboard gets wet and dirty from rain, I just switch it out with a new piece, and use the dirty piece for the garden.
By the way, even though it’s very hot this time of year, my cat loves to be outside. She stays in the yard, ignores the birds, and comes in every so often to cool off and eat. I don’t know how she stands the heat, but she loves it. This is her happy place.
Did you know that earthworms like paper and cardboard?
I find lots of nice, juicy earthworms under Skittle’s bed! They like that cool space too. Sometimes I will move the worms into a garden bed. I do have a lot of worms in each of my raised beds, which I worked at.
Kneeling Mat For Planting
What is there to say? I kneel on cardboard to plant gardens when there is a good size project to accomplish.
Cardboard Tray For Little Pots
Any time I get these cool little trays made of cardboard, I keep them. They can hold garden things, or be used to move small pots indoors. They won’t work well for pots that need to be watered, but this coconut coir takes a while to dry out.
I also keep some little cardboard boxes in the back of my car. They work well for bringing new plants home from the nursery!
Moving Boxes and Their Many Uses
Did you just make a big move? Many Floridians are new to the state. If you have just made the big move, the cardboard boxes may be overwhelming your space.
We’re featured in Rent.’s 10 Ways to Get Rid of Moving Boxes article. Find out what we had to say here!
Hydrangeas Blue 