Knowledgebase

Using cardboard to create new garden beds #861712

Asked March 17, 2024, 6:46 AM EDT

This link gets shared over and over on social media. It comes from a “dot com”, which makes me question its validity. Plus the only research I’ve found is one single article by an author on this site. Can you please provide some guidance on how we as master gardeners should respond to these claims. https://gardenprofessors.com/cardboard-does-not-belong-on-your-soil-period/?fbclid=IwAR04owsikQZeqUDguNiiy1B7EWr3a3AgEOhIMMU2y2yBlwJ37qGu1ZXFGZs_aem_AZAuaZAo2wFY-F3noy6BAs1zzBuvQE2Grh1xrLkbCCGRxlh0sdGspYMx4C39_uJOi_Y

Charles County Maryland

Expert Response

Hi, 

We have not done this research through the University of Maryland. The link you provided for the Garden Professors Blog while be a 'dot com' is written by Linda Chalker-Scott who is an extension professor at Washington State University. She lists multiple points of research and while we are not aware of other links about the cons of using cardboard in the garden we also steer people away from it. There is no way to tell if there are PFA's or 'forever chemicals' in the cardboard and using arborist woodchips is safer, especially around edibles. The wood chips or mulch allow for greater water and gas exchange in the soil as well. 

If clients are asking about using carboard to smother things in the garden, a thick layer of woodchips 8+" does the same without the risk or harming the soil. 

Emily


Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied March 18, 2024, 2:07 PM EDT

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