Gardening technique uses cardboard to suppress weeds

A method for managing garden beds after harvest involves using plain, unprinted cardboard to suppress weeds. By covering weeds with thick, grey cardboard—free of plastic tape, labels, or staples—light is blocked, causing rhizomes of plants like couch grass and dandelions to die off due to a lack of photosynthesis.

This technique mimics natural forest processes. When covered with compost or mulch, the moist cardboard attracts earthworms, which help aerate the soil and produce humus by spring. This approach avoids traditional digging, which can bring dormant weed seeds to the surface and disrupt soil microorganisms.