An avid gardener's unconventional plans to overhaul their garden and lawn have attracted some attention.
On the r/NoLawns subreddit, a user shared a photo of their backyard, with cardboard covering a good portion of the grass."
"Soon. A native paradise," the Redditor titled the post.
"Covering everything with cardboard to kill the remaining grass," the OP wrote in their caption. "The plan is to cover everything with a layer of compost and mulch, then mark out pathways, and plant natives."
It appears this user is attempting to "kill" their lawn using a method called sheet mulching, with the goal being to replace the dead grass with a native plant lawn. According to the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, "sheet mulching with cardboard or the heavy paper is sometimes applied as mulch and can be inexpensive and relatively easy to apply. Sheet mulching can decrease weed growth until a newly planted ground cover fills in open spaces and grows enough to shade or crowd out weeds."
Additionally, sheet mulching can be a major money saver. It reduces the consumption of valuable resources like water that are often exploited to maintain grass lawns and can help you
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conserve time and energy on lawn maintenance. All of these incidental benefits will add up over time and help you build a more sustainable lawn and garden instead of centering traditional methods that often use harmful chemicals.
The OP's commitment to such an unusual plan for their garden impressed commenters.
"Amazing!" one user wrote. "I've been meaning to do this to the front yard but the hardest part is getting started. This is definitely inspiring me to start!"
Another reader offered actionable advice.
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Not enough time ⏳ "Get a feel for how much you're ready to take on," they wrote. "It's very easy to get excited and plant more than you're ready to take on. Native plants are awesome but you'll always be dealing with weeds. …The bigger the beds, the more the maintenance until you get great ground covers established."
A third Redditor reminded the OP to cherish the journey.
"Step by step = progress," they noted.
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