A TikToker gardener demonstrated their brilliant mulching method that is inexpensive and easy to follow.
Jay (@jaysgardenjournal) showed her followers sheet-mulching, a tried-and-true way to expand garden beds without breaking the bank.
@jaysgardenjournal #ilovesheetmulching 📦 = 🌱🌼 Sheet-mulching is my favorite method for creating or expanding garden beds. Check out my YouTube channel for more #sheetmulching projects. #jaysgardenjournal #gardening #flowergarden ♬ original sound - Jay
She laid down wet sheets of newspaper across where she wanted to build a bigger bed of soil. Then, she piled compost on top, with two inches of mulch to finish it off.
Sheet mulching is a great way to reuse old newspaper sheets that would otherwise have been thrown out. The paper helps suppress weeds without chemicals while the bed begins to flourish, and as it decomposes, it provides organic matter to support the soil.
The only expense is a bag or two of mulch. Compost, which is also used in the process, can be made at home for free from food scraps or garden waste.
Not every mulching technique should be encouraged, though. Volcano mulching, a process in which mulch is piled at the base of a tree, promotes fungal growth and pest activity while causing bark to rot.
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Sheet mulching is much better for garden growth and health than landscaping fabric, which still allows pesky weeds to poke through and chokes out the necessary oxygen for plants to survive.
As monoculture lawn grass is known to require a lot of water for upkeep, adding to the cost of water bills, making the switch to a rewilded yard is an intuitive and aesthetic way to lower costs and promote plant life.
Native plants consume much less water and don't require regular mowing or pruning. This saves both time and effort. Low-maintenance groundcover, such as clover or buffalo grass, is another way to cut costs and reduce gardening work.
Commenters on Jay's TikTok were quick to point out the efficiency of sheet mulching, noting that they've "used this method so many times" and that it's "such a great idea" for expanding a garden bed.
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