Gardening is a great hobby, but it can be tough to start if you're not sure where to begin. Luckily, one gardener on TikTok had an incredibly easy and cost-effective hack to get you going.

The scoop

Wonderfully Ordinary (@wonderfullyordinarygardening) shared a video explaining how you can get your garden ready in the fall with little effort. 

@wonderfullyordinary Save yourself time and money next spring by getting a head start on your garden beds over winter. If you want to start a new garden space, lay down a large piece of cardboard this spring to help eliminate grass and weeds. This will make your spring work so much easier! #startagarden #beginnergardener #gardening #plants #tiktoklearningcampaign ♬ original sound - wonderfullyordinarygardening

She demonstrated that all you need to do is get a "big old piece of cardboard" and lay it wherever you want your garden to be, being sure to add some rocks on top to weigh it down. Over the winter, the grass and weeds underneath will die off, leaving you with a fresh garden bed in the spring. 

How it's helping

Believe it or not, cardboard is one of the more versatile gardening materials available. It's very often free, as you more than likely have cardboard boxes laying around your home from deliveries or other goods, meaning you don't have to spend money on any special equipment to use it the way this gardener demonstrated.

Cardboard breaks down over time and adds nutrients to the soil while also suppressing weeds, according to Good Housekeeping. The outlet described the method as "no-dig" gardening, meaning you don't have to dig into the soil, saving time and effort in creating your garden. 

The easier it is to start your garden, the more likely you are to actually follow through and reap all the benefits that come from it. There's the obvious, including fresh produce that will taste better than anything bought in a store and be pesticide- and herbicide-free (which saves you money, too). The other advantages, less obvious, are the physical and mental health benefits. Gardening has been shown to lower stress and anxiety, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

What everyone's saying

Commenters loved how simple and easy the hack was.

"That's a great idea," one person wrote.

Another was fully on board, writing, "Literally doing this to the other half of my front yard."

Someone else noted they saw their neighbors doing something similar with cloth instead, highlighting another great option to save money with a reusable material.

Would you want a garden that can take care of itself? Sign me up 👍 Depends on the price 🤔 No — that ruins the fun ☹️ I don't like gardening ❌ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.