https://www.nacaa.com/journal/index.php?jid=1024 (I updated the link to the public one). Sorry, but no. 3 Easy DIY Steps for a Weed Free Gravel Path - Abbotts At Home The only way deep layers chips will not keep weeds out is if they are invading from adjacent, unmulched areas. Ive been thinking about citizen science and just read the article on it that you linked to a recent commenter. On this page you have said, among other things: The only research Ive seen that uses cardboard is for termite studies (its their preferred food)., This blog promotes science and there is no published science behind using cardboard as a mulch. I guess the cardboard would work for a while, and then it decomposes, and youd be left in this situation regardless. We had planned to focus more on the monitoring of the earthworm population, but the record setting rainfall added complicating factors of earthworm behavior into the mix. I dont think youll find many gardeners reading this post who use cardboard alone. Thats what pre-emergent herbicdes will do. If you read far enough down, youll find these paragraphs: The two growing seasons during which this study was conducted presented many challenges. They use oxygen and release carbon dioxide just like other non-photosynthetic organisms. Youll have to let us know how it goes. But anyone who was to conduct a field experiment comparing mulch types would now have one research-based reason (as opposed to a theoretical reason) why cardboard would not perform as well as wood chips. I am concerned about using wood chips because I have read that they can deplete the nitrogen in your soil. What Im hearing is that I should look at this idea when I have either: won the lottery and can pay off a university or grad student to do this for me; or have my closest 19 friends on board. And weed barrier is of very limited use against weeds, in my experience - new organic material (leaves, etc) get into the spaces in the gravel along with weed seeds and you have new weeds growing on top of the weed barrier in short order, unless you are going to vacuum all the rocks up, wash them and replace them regularly - I don't consider that to be a viable use of my time anywhere, much less under a shed. Why Landscape Fabric Weed Barrier Doesn't Work + Solutions - Garden Mentors There are many studies on the benefits that arborist wood chips provide to soil. However to keep floor height even I need to use either 1/2 plywood over the brown (sound board?) You are never doing only one thing in gardening (or any act for that matter), so it is very important to think about the short, medium and long term effects of sheet mulching; which by and large have many more advantages than perceived problems. Here is what happens when you install weed barrier: Weeds grow in the bark dust that you put on top. A garden or landscape mulched with cardboard (or heaven forbid several layers of cardboard as part of the science-free lasagna mulch method) is now covered with a tough, relatively gas- and water-impermeable material that will take some time to break down. Unfortunately science isnt sufficiently affordable to spread to this kind of studies. Im glad the site owners allow critical posts, and respond to most of the posts they receive. Best Landscape Fabric Under Rock - Gardening Adviser Dig your drive. It depends on the species. It is easy to work with and comes in a 3-foot wide roll that measures 150-feet long. Roots, on the other hand, never go dormant and continue to grow as long as the ground isnt frozen. In good lasagna garden designs cardboard should be relatively close to the bottom, which, as I said above will ensure that it breaks down and seeds the layers above and below it with nutrients. Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott has a Ph.D. in Horticulture from Oregon State University and is an ISA certified arborist and an ASCA consulting arborist. It consists of two layers of linerboard sandwiching a layer of accordion-like fluting material. I am now using beneficial nematodes and other insect predators and mulch and avoiding all pesticides and herbicides. Linda, you say there is no science behind using cardboard, but then you say there is no science around it period! Its not the type of project that funding agencies would care much about so its not too surprising that no one has done it yet. Remove the attached underlayment and use my own? Why do they put an A/C vent in the utility room? In both cases, I plant the plants crown even with, or a litle above, the top of the chips. But may other things. 2. There are none on cardboard. Q: I am looking for an inexpensive real wood flooring that might be a good bet in Salt Lake City, Utah. Linda, you keep saying that you have a proven scientific study showing the reduction in gas transfer. How We Maintain Our Gravel Driveway and Keep it Free of Weeds! Interesting thoughts regarding cardboard and sheet mulching in general. For anyone considering sheet mulching in a hot, arid environment I would urge caution as the cardboard doesnt readily break down. Keep your soil no matter what. Once you've done that, it's time to fill er back up. That will give me something tangible to address. Similarly wood chips are tough and take time to break down. Hopefully that helps answer your questions? Boxes from appliances are ideal for this type of application. Or does the gas exchange have to be even more restricted? Given my experience, how do I get back to academic research collaboration? I DON'T want really hard stuff that won't get beat up. Also youve saved us a lot money burlap isnt cheap, and neither is hiring a landscaper with a bobcat. If you look at the photo at the bottom of this post (https://gardenprofessors.com/mulch-murder-misinformation/) you will see what such experimental setups look like. Your own reasoning begs the question so what? In fact the corrugation in cardboard is ideal for leaving pockets of permeability. Hi Linda! Maybe I am being too cautious, but I would really like to obtain more information from trustworthy sources about research to confirm this. I was psyched for your delawning process of putting on 8 of chip, waiting, & then pulling aside to sow seed. They find cardboard and mulch a perfect home and protection while they dine on my garden. Youve been saying proponents of cardboard mulch should fund a study to prove it works and this would be putting the labor on us citizens. Cedar wooden chips laid two inch thick maybe? So my anecdotal observations are supported through related research, even though the plant material is different. Anything that is covered with compost is pretty much decompsed, the stuff that is only covered with mulch is still intact, for the most part. Many layers of cardboard will form incredibly dense forms of mycelial mats which can seed the surrounding soil for years to come with beneficial fungi and encourage processing of all types of pollutants. In either case, if I lay 4 of mulch over the whole parkway to suppress the goutweed, will it harm the trees? Dig over the ground once or twice to enhance the condition of the top layer of soil. According to SF Gate, one of the main reasons people add landscape fabric under gravel is because it stops weeds and other invasive plants from growing through. Cheers, You can layer on wood mulch or gravel to keep the cardboard in place. As you say, its behind a paywall but the abstract states, Despite the different diffusion coefficients of the different mulches, CO2 and O2 concentrations in the soil under the various mulches were not significantly different as compared to the control. University research is quite expensive to conduct and you wont find faculty willing to do this work without support. Your argument against cardboard mulching is based on the scientific method as you deftly explain so theres no arguing with that. They are all adhered by corn startch, not glues. And could I actually submit a paper to a scientific journal? Also, are you saying that cardboard has no effect on whether former lawn grass returns, that chip type and depth are the only variables? Make sure any joints or gaps are overlapped by a minimum of 100 millimetres. I am excited & inspired! Isnt cardboard full of adhesives and recycled paper that has undergone many industrial processes to make it usable again? 12 inches) to keep the regrowth from ever reaching sunlight. In fact, smoothness is measured using an air leak method the smoothest materials have the least air leakage. And also, if someone obtains results with a practice, and can convince others without the need for science, it is likely that he wont do the extra effort to make it also scientific. Simple brown kraft shipping boxes or rolled one side faced corrugated is recommended. Using 20% acetic acid try to kill the really nasty weeds. Do You Have To Put Fabric Under Gravel Driveway? - recetaseco 4- I have a flamethrower for the gravel areas. Digging out long rooted plants like dandelions . To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. What kinds of pathogens, and what harm might they do? So why do you argue against it? You can layer on wood mulch or gravel to keep the cardboard in place. Do I have that right? Cardboard Gravestone : 6 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables I thought about putting down a layer of cardboard, cutting out a 4-inch diameter circle in the center of each square-foot, and planting inside that area. Prune any plant branches or stems in the area you plan to use the cardboard and rake away any thick piles of leaves or debris. It got me thinking, and I googled, and here we are Thankyou Linda (and everyone/discussion). There is no published research demonstrating any beneficits to using cardboard sheets as a mulch so any discussion of it is anecdotal. Ill try mulch, although a goat sounds fun. I suggest you read the article I linked. Landscape fabric under gravel works especially well because the weight of the gravel helps hold the fabric in place. If you have one or two specific questions to discuss, thats fine. Although I dont agree, I wonder what your response is? It is also a remnant product of the patriarchy that has subjugated wise women and country folk for hundreds if not thousands of years. Keep smiling. If you have allergies, or are immunocompromised, I would wear a mask when you can see clouds of spores when the pile is disturbed. I cant emphasize how great it is to have found a site and author like this with a strict research focus in a field riddled with hearsay and culty permaculture gurus. Mycorrhizae takes a long time to really establish and tilling breaks the fibers, which disrupts the networking. When I cannot ignore it, (b) I use a really high concentration of RoundUp; let photosynthesis do its thing a few days; and then cover the plant with cardboard and wood chips (if the vine is long, I wind it up into a clump to minimize the size of the cardboard). Cardboard just encourages and protects them from detection. Neither is a good option for maintaining healthy soil conditions. You could use a 2 foot x 4 foot piece of plywood to tamp down each section and make sure there were no more low spots.