Cardboard under mulch is my go-to too. It’s kind of wild how satisfying it is to watch it just melt away into the soil, like it was never there. I tried landscape fabric once and regretted it—pulling up those stubborn plastic bits a year later was a nightmare. At least with cardboard, if the weeds do sneak through, you’re not left with a mess of synthetic stuff tangled in the roots.
The “construction zone” phase is real though. My neighbors probably thought I was building a bunker with all those Amazon boxes laid out everywhere. But hey, at least the worms seem to love it. Sometimes I wonder if the weeds are secretly plotting against me, but at least now I feel less guilty about what’s going into the ground.
I hear you on the landscape fabric headaches—pulling that stuff out is a pain. But I’ve actually had some luck with a heavier-duty commercial fabric, especially in spots where I don’t want anything growing for years (like under gravel paths). It’s not perfect, but it holds up better than the thin stuff from big box stores. Cardboard’s great for garden beds, though. Just wish my dog didn’t think it was a chew toy every time I lay it down...
I get the appeal of the heavy-duty stuff, but man, even that can get pricey fast. I tried it under my patio stones and it worked for a couple years, but then weeds started popping up through the seams anyway. At this point, I’m leaning toward just using layers of newspaper or cardboard—cheaper, breaks down over time, and if the dog gets to it, at least it’s not a $40 chew toy.
At this point, I’m leaning toward just using layers of newspaper or cardboard—cheaper, breaks down over time, and if the dog gets to it, at least it’s not a $40 chew toy.
I hear you on the cost. The heavy-duty landscape fabric always seems like a good idea until you’re halfway through the roll and realize you’ll need three more just to finish the job. I’ve actually tried both newspaper and cardboard under mulch in my own yard. It worked decently for a season or two, but I did notice that after a while, especially in spots where water pooled, the cardboard broke down faster than I expected. Have you thought about how often you’d be willing to reapply or replace those layers? I found it manageable in smaller beds, but for a big patio area, it felt like a lot of upkeep.
I’m curious—did you notice any issues with drainage when you used newspaper or cardboard? I had one spot where the soil underneath stayed soggy for weeks after rain, which led to some funky smells. Maybe that was just my soil type (heavy clay), but it made me wonder if there’s a sweet spot between durability and breathability.
Also, what’s your approach for keeping the seams tight? With the fabric, weeds always seemed to find their way up through the cracks after a couple years, just like you mentioned. I’ve tried overlapping cardboard pieces by a good six inches and weighing them down with rocks, but eventually things shift around. Do you bother with pins or stakes, or just let gravity do its thing?
And about the dog—mine loves to dig up anything new I put down. At least with cardboard it’s not an expensive loss, but sometimes I wonder if there’s anything truly dog-proof out there that isn’t concrete.
Just thinking out loud here... does anyone ever try mixing materials? Like a layer of cardboard plus a thinner fabric on top? Or is that just overkill for most backyards?
At least with cardboard it’s not an expensive loss, but sometimes I wonder if there’s anything truly dog-proof out there that isn’t concrete.
If you find something that’s dog-proof and not concrete, let me know—I’ll buy stock in it. In my experience, layering cardboard under mulch works for a while, but my mutt treats it like a treasure map. I’ve tried mixing cardboard with landscape pins and even a thin layer of fabric on top, but honestly, the dog still manages to rearrange everything. Ever tried using old carpet scraps as a base? I’ve heard mixed things, but never actually given it a go myself.