How does cardboard/mulch seeding work?
Central Alberta (boreal/foothills transition zone)
So I recently watched a video of someone starting a native prairie in their front yard. Their method was laying down cardboard, then covering it with a layer of hay. I believe they left it like that for the summer, then spread seeds over it in January. Then the seeds germinated in the spring. My question is, how do seeds germinate in the absence of soil? Does the hay decompose enough over the winter to act as soil? Okay, let me rephrase. I get that seeds can germinate without soil, but how do they sustain themselves? It takes a while for their roots to break through the cardboard, doesn’t it? Or is the cardboard so decomposed at that point that roots have no issues poking through?
I’ve done something similar with cardboard a couple years ago, but I spread a layer of bagged soil on top then spread grass seeds over that in the spring and they germinated in a few weeks (wildflower seeds too, but I haven’t seen a single one). That was my plan to do again this year, but I’m wondering if the mulch method is better?
Birds are a big thing for me. I have tons on my acreage so I don’t want seeds to sit for too long and get eaten. Then for weeds I mainly have dandelions and great plantain.