‘You can plant into it straight away’

An expert gardener shared how to create a garden in minutes — and you need only two things.

The scoop

In the Cottage Garden (@inthecottagegarden) posted a 34-second TikTok, showing it’s possible to start a garden with just cardboard and compost.

@inthecottagegarden Start a garden in minutes! 🌱 The easiest way to make a garden bed, and you only need cardboard and compost! #gardening #growyourownfood #gardeningtips ♬ original sound – In The Cottage Garden 🌻

“This is the easiest way to create a garden bed. You can plant into it straight away,” the creator says. “Start by laying down some cardboard onto the ground where you want your bed to go. Make sure the pieces of cardboard overlap.” 

According to the TikToker, the cardboard prevents any light from reaching the ground, so anything underneath — including grass and weeds — dies to give you a clean slate for your garden. The cardboard, meanwhile, is biodegradable and breaks down naturally with time.

“Then soak the cardboard thoroughly with water, and it’s time to add compost,” the TikToker says. “Homemade compost is best, but if you don’t have any, then shop-bought peat-free compost works fine. Spread the compost over the cardboard. Ideally, you want it to be at least three inches thick so you can start planting into it straightaway.”

How it’s helping

With this no-dig hack, you don’t have to have a green thumb — it can help anyone get started.

It’s worth it because gardening really piles up returns. If you grow your own food, you can save money on trips to the grocery store and know you’re eating crops free from chemicals.

Community gardening has also been shown to improve mental and physical health, as those who partake are more optimistic and less stressed, and they report significantly higher levels of subjective well-being.

Getting into the dirt also increases your physical activity, and it leads to increased fiber intake, which can have a range of health benefits, including lower cholesterol levels and even a longer lifespan.

Finally, you can reduce your environmental impact by decreasing the demand for store-bought food, which is often shipped long distances — sometimes even across the globe.

What everyone’s saying

“No-dig is awesome,” one commenter wrote.

Another user said, “We love cardboard,” and the creator jokingly responded, “Half my time in the garden is just spent ripping up boxes.”

“This attracts worms and it’s great for roots,” a third TikToker added.

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