How to Use Paper and Cardboard Packaging in the Garden
Spring is almost here and that means we’re getting mail from nurseries, seed companies and other vendors that we trust to supply us with what we need to start the growing season. Unfortunately, this also means that we have more packaging waste than we would like to admit.
Here we were getting ready to build a new garden bed. We start by lining the area with cardboard to retain moisture and to help kill the grass underneath.
This year, we’re committed to find a purpose for every compostable piece of packaging we receive, so nothing is going to landfills. Yes, much can also be recycled, but I’m honestly not sure how much of what we put in the recycling bin is actually being repurposed, so I want to do what I can to keep it home and in the ground whenever possible. Keep reading for ideas on how you can use packaging in the garden and how it can benefit your soil.
Why use packaging in the garden?
Paper and cardboard are amazing allies in our gardens. It’s a great source of carbon, providing microorganisms with the nutrients and energy they need to build healthy soil.
When composting, I find that aiming for a 2:1 ratio of carbon/browns to nitrogen/greens (kitchen scraps) keeps the pile going smoothly and without weird smells. But while we wait for our little food forest to grow and provide us with enough leaves and sticks to supply our carbon demands, we struggle to find enough of it to balance the nitrogen waste we produce in the kitchen. Since most of what we buy comes packaged in cardboard, you should have a constant supply of carbon for your compost.
It keeps packaging from going to the landfill, where it constitutes about 40% of our solid waste.
Earthworms love paper and cardboard!
Cardboard is a great weed barrier when building new garden beds and when turning lawns into gardens.
We use moist cardboard to top the compost and worm bins to keep moisture in, but that’s because we live in a very dry area, a humid location might have the opposite problem and need to control excess moisture in their bins.
Earthworms love paper and cardboard
Although it’s not very nutritious, earthworms seem to find it delicious and shredded cardboard and paper are great materials for the first layer of “bedding” in a worm bin.
When feeding worms paper, make sure to offer a good variety of nourishing foods like fruits and vegetables to balance their diet, but feel free to offer some soaked cardboard and paper in small pieces!
What cardboard is safe to use in the garden?
We only use kraft paper packaging and brown cardboard with minimum printing, unless it specifically says it was printed with non-toxic vegetable inks.
What to avoid?
Heavily printed materials that might contain toxic inks
Anything that’s been bleached white
Packaging with shiny coating or that otherwise seem to contain plastic
Cardboard that feels or looks waxy
Our Grow Oyas arrived in the mail a few weeks ago and we were happy to see the packaging was 100% compostable. The boxes are beautifully designed and printed with vegetable dies so we had no problem using them to line a new garden bed.
How to use paper packaging in the garden
Before using cardboard in your garden, make sure to remove anything that isn’t paper like plastic tape, liners, and as much as possible remove shipping labels as well.
Use cardboard as a weed barrier
Use brown cardboard boxes as a weed barrier in new garden beds. Lay large pieces on the ground covering the area you need, water thoroughly and then lay several inches of mulch over it. Keep the area moist and the cardboard will slowly decompose under the mulch. It will add carbon to the soil and aid in retaining moisture. The weeds/grass also decompose over 6 months to a year, adding nitrogen into the soil. You can plan in the bed at any moment by removing the mulch and digging out a hole large enough to plant through the cardboard, grass/weeds and dirt underneath.
Use cardboard to line a wooden compost bin
In dry Southern California, we’re always looking for ways to keep moisture in. And that’s absolutely true for a wooden three bin compost system. What I like to do is use cardboard to line the bin before starting a new pile. I also put a layer of soaked cardboard over the pile. This helps keep moisture in and provides delicious food for earthworms in the compost.
Compost additional cardboard material
Shred any protective kraft paper that comes with your mail and use it as carbon in the compost or as bedding for your worm bin. Any leftover cardboard, get soaked, ripped apart and thrown in the compost as well.
Shredding paper packaging is an fun job for this toddler. It’s not easy to straighten the paper and aim to push it through the slot, but she loves working at it and squeals in delight when she’s successful.
Do you have other ideas on how to use packaging materials in the garden? Please share in the comments!
