Under or over?

[Raybon]

Can anyone tell me why overwintering compost/manure goes on top of a cardboard layer, rather than under it?
Seems to me that cardboard would be best on top while all the wormdoings were going on underneath, but I may be missing something? Thanks.

[Samurailord]

Hi Raybon

I use a cardboard layer in the base of my beds to stop the annual weeds from coming through the compost or manure mulches on top.

It wont stop the nasty weeds though, like dock or horsetail, but it will slow it down a bit.

I wouldn't use cardboard on top of an established bed, though, unless you had a serious weed problem there too.

Andy

[Raybon]

Aha! That makes sense! Thank you.

[Two_Sheds]

Can anyone tell me why overwintering compost/manure goes on top of a cardboard layer, rather than under it?

Simply to hold the cardboard in place, instead of it blowing about the place

The thick light-blocking mulch kills off, or seriously weakens, the weeds. The cardboard breaks down gradually, completely disappearing in time (months, not years).
The compost enriches the soil.

[Raybon]

I use bricks, certainly not as attractive!

[Two_Sheds]

you can use almost anything to hold down the card, I tend to use old weeds because I do surface composting (chop 'n' drop) so the soil is covered in old foliage anyway.
My c'tee have decided card is "untidy", so now I'm having to cover it all up with netting as a cunning disguise

[Raybon]

Do you dig it over in the Spring, or leave it as it is and plant through? Thanks.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't dig at all.

I don't plant through either, because the card disintegrates really quickly. When I come to plant a crop I just push the mulch aside

[Raybon]

OK, am going to give that a go! Thank you.