Sheet Mulching Examples Courtesy of Our Vet Crew

One of our ongoing projects has been with Bay View Methodist Church above Padilla Bay in Skagit County. It's not unusual for conservation corps crews to be hired by other counties or agencies to complete projects.

In this case, we thought it would be a great example of how you can turn a weed infested hillside into a beautiful garden bed with a little elbow grease and cardboard.

BEFORE: The hillside covered in grasses, dandelions and other weeds.

MID-WAY: Cardboard is used to cover the weeds. It will eventually break down and become part of the soil landscape.

AFTER: The bed was then covered with mulch and appropriate plants to help retain water on this slope.

And, here's another example of setting up raised beds for growing food in Monroe. We hope that many residents of Snohomish County and Camano Island, or anywhere for that matter, remove some of their lawn and replace that square footage with growing food sustainably. In this case, they also placed a rain barrel nearby that can help save the resident money by utilizing the rainwater that falls on her property. 

This is a simple example of natural yard care and more information can be found on our resources page for Lawns to Lettuce.

BEFORE: Taylor and Sara remove the grass near the house.

MID-WAY: The Vet Crew places large strips of cardboard across the section to keep the weeds down naturally.

MID-WAY: Chris prepares the gutter to be attached to the rain barrel.

AFTER: Cedar chips are added around the bed to keep down weeds and grass, and provide a permeable surface so rainwater can infiltrate into the ground.

AFTER: The Vet Crew with the home owner.

Download Sheet Mulching Fact Sheet