Sheet Mulching Instructions
This does not work for Bermuda grass, Johnson grass or Nutgrass. Verify the type of weeds and grass you are trying to eliminate before proceeding.
You will need
Weedeater or lawnmower on lowest setting
A garden hose
Contractor’s spray paint for painting the ground
Newspaper, craft paper or cardboard
Compost
Mulch
Shovels
Soil rakes
Wheelbarrow
Scissors
Directions
Lay your garden hose out along the edge of your new flower bed. This will define the shape of the bed.
After you decide on the shape, use the spray paint to mark the perimeter of your bed.
Use your mower or weedeater to cut the weeds and grass inside your new bed as low as possible.
Begin to lay out your newspaper, craft paper or cardboard inside your new flower bed. This will smother the weeds and decompose to become part of the soil. If you use newspaper, put it down five or six sheets thick. If you use craft paper, lay it out three sheets thick. If you use cardboard, make it two sheets thick.
As you lay out your base layer of paper/cardboard, overlap the sections a little so there are no gaps. Wet the base layer as you go along so they don’t blow away in the wind and so they can begin to decompose easily.
Use the wheelbarrow, shovel and rake to spread a 2 inch layer of compost on top of your base layer. Do not dig the compost in. Just simply spread it over the top of the paper/cardboard layer.
If you plan to water your new plants with a soaker hose or drip lines, now is a good time to install that.
Spread a 2 inch layer of mulch on top of the compost. If you installed a soaker hose or drip lines, you can cover them with mulch to hide them.
Water the area thoroughly so the compost layer is wet like a wrung out sponge.
You may need to use the scissors to cut the edges of the paper/cardboard to fit the shape of your bed.
Wait about one month.
Plant your plants. Just scoot the compost and mulch over, out of the area where your planting hole will be. Poke a hole in the cardboard/paper layer. Dig your hole, but keep in mind that you will dig a hole much shallower than you would if you were planting right into the ground. You want the top of the root ball to be flush with the top of the mulch layer. Put the bottom of the root ball in the hole. Then backfill the hole with the native soil that you dug out of the hole. Then push the compost and mulch back around the rest of the root ball.
© Colleen Dieter 2015
