Sheet mulching is a zero waste way to convert turf areas of any size to water-saving landscapes adapted to California's dry summer climate.
Sheet mulching is basically a layered mulch system. First you place a biodegradable weed barrier such as recycled cardboard on top of mowed or flattened weeds or grass. Then you layer compost and mulch on top of the cardboard. You can plant trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals right through the sheet mulch.
Use this sheet mulch source list to locate bulk recycled compost, mulch, and sheet mulch materials from vendors in the east bay. Sheet mulching is a way to remove a lawn by layering cardboard and mulch right on top of the grass.
Designer: Jennifer Smith, The Greensmith
Location: San Leandro, California
Sunset Zone: 15 (What’s a Sunset Zone?)
Learn more about building healthy soil with this guide that provides tips to help you get started in your garden. It covers soil building strategies including composting, sheet mulching and cover cropping.
This one page brochure covers the basic steps for sheet mulching your lawn. It's an easy process of layering cardboard and mulch right on top of the grass. Plus, you can plant your new garden right into the mulch.
Did you know that you don't need chemicals to kill your water-thirsty lawn? Sheet mulching is an easy process of layering cardboard and mulch right on top of the grass. Plus, you can plant your new garden straight into the mulch. Our Lawn to Garden website has resources that will make your lawn conversion projects easier, including a directory of vendors who provide bulk compost, mulch and other sheet mulch materials.
The Benefits of Sheet Mulching:
Ready Set Recycle's revamped website encourages Alameda County residents to recycle by providing resources and rewards for reducing their waste. New features on the site emphasizes the importance of food scrap recycling, and offer opportunities for residents to win prizes through educational games and challenges designed to test recycling skills.
Bay-Friendly Basics are nine fundamental steps for creating a healthy garden or landscape that saves water and reduces waste. Many jurisdictions in Alameda County require certain landscape construction projects to meet the Bay-Friendly Basics requirements. Even if local regulations don't require your project to be Bay-Friendly, these practices make good sense for almost all landscape projects.
The Mulch Guide (available in English and Spanish) has detailed information about using mulch to save money, control weeds, and create healthy landscapes. It includes information on types of mulch and how to use them successfully, sample maintenance specifications, information about using mulch for erosion control, photos of mulch installations and more.
The Mulch Case Study showcases the experience of a local landscape professional with chipping and reusing plant debris as mulch.
Having trouble with your worm bin? Here are tips for some of the most common questions.
