Converting a lawn to a native plant garden using cardboard to cover and kill the grass is an environmentally friendly and low-maintenance method. This process is called sheet mulching or lasagna gardening, and it involves layering materials to suppress grass and weeds, improve soil quality, and support the growth of native plants.
Why replace your lawn with native plants
Multiple benefits: As the cardboard and organic materials decompose, they will enrich the soil, making it more fertile and supporting the growth of your native plants. Over time, your native plant garden will become a low-maintenance, biodiverse, and sustainable landscape.
Environmental benefits: Native plants have evolved to thrive in the local climate and soil conditions, which means they require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than non-native plants. This can reduce water usage and pollution, as well as support local wildlife by providing food and habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
Cost savings: Maintaining a traditional lawn can be expensive, as it requires regular mowing, fertilizing, and watering. Native plant gardens, on the other hand, require less maintenance and can help reduce water bills and other landscaping costs.
Aesthetics: Native plant gardens can be just as beautiful as traditional lawns, but they offer more variety in color, texture, and form. Additionally, native plants can be arranged in creative and artistic ways to create a unique and personalized landscape design.
Educational opportunities: Converting a lawn to a native plant garden can be a learning experience for children and adults alike, as it offers the opportunity to learn about local ecology, biodiversity, and conservation.
Community building: Creating a native plant garden can be a way to connect with neighbors and build a sense of community, as it can be a collaborative effort that involves sharing plants, knowledge, and resources.
Steps to transform lawn to natives garden
Plan your garden: Decide on the size and shape of your garden, the native plants you want to grow, and their locations. Research native plants suitable for your climate and soil conditions.
Mow and water the lawn: Mow the grass as short as possible without damaging the soil. Water the area thoroughly to promote decomposition and support microbial life.
Gather materials: Collect cardboard (preferably large, flattened pieces without any plastic, tape, or glossy print), compost, topsoil, leaf mulch or mold, and native plants or seeds.
Lay down the cardboard: Remove any plastic, tape, or glossy sections from the cardboard. Overlap the pieces to ensure there are no gaps, completely covering the lawn area. This will smother the grass and weeds beneath, eventually decomposing and adding nutrients to the soil.
Moisten the cardboard: Lightly water the cardboard to help it conform to the ground and speed up decomposition.
Soil and amendments: A blend of several ingredients is best for soil on top of the cardboard. Mix equal parts of topsoil, compost, and leaf mulch or mold. This blend will provide a balanced combination of nutrients, organic matter, and beneficial microorganisms to support native plant growth.
Add the soil mix: Spread a layer of the soil mix on top of the cardboard, making it at least 4-6 inches thick. A thicker layer (8-12 inches) is recommended if you want to plant larger plants or have particularly poor soil beneath the cardboard.
Plant your native plants: Dig holes through the soil mix and cardboard for each plant, ensuring that the holes are large enough for the root balls. Place the plants in the holes and fill in with the soil mix, pressing gently to eliminate air pockets. For seeds, follow the sowing instructions on the seed packet.
Mulch: Add a 2-3 inch layer of mulch, such as shredded bark, straw, or wood chips, around the plants to help retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds.
Water and maintain: Water your new native plant garden thoroughly after planting, and keep it well-watered during the first growing season. After that, native plants typically require less water and maintenance than a traditional lawn. Monitor the garden for weeds and pests, and remove them as needed.
Native plants in Illinois (Zones 5 & 6)
This is not an exhaustive list. There are many more native plants that can grow in Illinois. It's always a good idea to check with your local nursery or garden center to see what native plants are available in your area.
Natives for attracting Butterflies and Pollinators:
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Sun Loving Natives:
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Shade Loving Natives:
Wild ginger (Asarum canadense)
Solomon's seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
“Grow Your Own Food” blog posts
See the full list of our Grow Your Own Food blog posts. Each post is assigned ”tags” which are under the post title. If you need a quick answer to a gardening question give us a call or send a text to our customer support team – support[at]deep-roots-project.org AND 708-655-5299.
Deep Roots online store
See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.
Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card in the store or by check.
(708) 655-5299 and support[at]deep-roots-project.org
Sign up for our newsletter
Please leave your cell phone number when you sign up for our eNewsletter, if you want text message announcements now and then.
Donations help us provide organic kitchen gardening education to individuals, organizations, and entire communities. Thank you in advance for contributing to our community and for sharing our website and blog with friends and family.
