The thing is, it’s a matter of taking care of the plants that turns a lot of people off to the idea. “I don’t have the time to grow them and take care of them,” you might say. And honestly, that’s an oft-used excuse for just about everything new in your life. The fact of the matter is you do have time to take care of something as simple as plants, you just don’t want to. Admit that to yourself the next time you say you “don’t have the time” to do something. (Because you do.)

Anyway, we’ve come up with a few ideas for getting plant life to abound in and around your home using cardboard boxes. Yes, cardboard.

Plants in your house.

Cardboard can be used as a makeshift or placeholder “pot” of sorts for your newly purchased plants. No, we’re not recommending you throw soil in a box and hope the plants take off. We are suggesting, however, that you use those plastic pots that plants typically come in and place them in your spare cardboard boxes for the time being to have them all nicely arranged together in a spot until you figure out where to pot them (inside or outside your home). One of the reasons so many people freak out about trying a new hobby like growing their own plants is because of the costs associated with the extra stuff like soil and pots. For now, though, you can use a box.

Compost.

Never thought of this, did you? Cardboard boxes can be shredded (or cut into tiny pieces) and used in compost. It takes awhile for it to begin breaking down, but by tossing these pieces into a compost pile with other organic material, they’ll serve as a paper product to be used for great soil on your next grow.

Growing Plants Using Cardboard Part II

Need a little inspiration to spice up your home? A livening up of your main pad? Well, look no further than introducing some plant life into your place of living, because it helps to get you in good vibes, a good mood, and a better living overall.

Taking care of plants allows you to respect life in general, which is a mood booster. Additionally, having greenery around the place makes the atmosphere fresher, sometimes yields cooking ingredients, and in general just makes your home look and feel livelier.

The thing is, it’s a matter of taking care of the plants that turns a lot of people off to the idea. “I don’t have the time to grow them and take care of them,” you might say. And honestly, that’s an excuse for just about everything new in your life. The fact of the matter is you do have time to take care of something as simple as plants, you just don’t want to. Admit that to yourself the next time you say you “don’t have the time” to do something. (Because you do.)

Anyway, we’ve come up with a few more ideas for getting plant life to abound in and around your home using cardboard boxes.

Mulch!

Did you know you could make mulch out of cardboard boxes? It seems a bit far fetched, but it’s totally possible with a little work.

Essentially, the cardboard needs to be cut into flat panels that can be laid out across the area of your ground you’ll be mulching, with each panel laid side by side. From there, it should be hosed (enough to weight it down to the area) and rocks or heavy items should be placed on the corners to hold it down. Once this done, all you’ll be doing is putting other organic mulch on top the cardboard (and any manure or compost you have for introducing some healthy nutrients to the soil). The cardboard shouldn’t be “seen” once the top layers have been put on.

Have you ever worried about plant’s roots growing together in a bigger pot? This may be a concern, especially if the pot is merely a placeholder for the multiple plants and you plan to remove them and repot later. By taking a patch of cardboard and wedging it into the soil between the two plants (but still buried so it’s not seen), you can avoid roots entangling, which would make the repotting process a bigger hassle than it needs to be.