Amen, keep it moist and the benefits never end.

{{gwi:272580}}

Earthworms, and other members of the Soil Food Web, like the soil conditions created when mulches are used, cool, moist soil, so any material used as a mulch will get them there. Shredded cardboard will work, but I am not sure that the extra labor involved in shredding cardboard is really worth the effort. I see very little difference in my soil if the cardboard is laid down unshredded or if I shred it, except I need more shredded cardboard to get the same results as with unshredded cardboard, and the shredded cardboard allows more "weed" growth then the unshredded cardboard does.

Thank you for your responses. I want to use shredded cardboard because it is easier to spread around my plants. Also, it will decompose faster. For areas without plants, I will put cardboard sheets to suppress weed groeth.

First of all, I do use cardboard under mulch etc., But lately I have been wondering if one needs to worry about the glue or whatever chemical they use to make cardboard? Do they have harmful elements when used in vegetable beds? Since we really don't know where all these cardboard came from.

I use shredded cardboard to raise worms in. Worms love to eat cardboard, more importantly the microorganisms that worms eat love the glues in cardboard. Cardboard will break down faster if it is ground. I found shredding the cardboard to be a labor intensive job as well, so I created a card board shredder to donthe job fast. Check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9JHbRpwbwQ

I heard the glue they use is sugar based so not harmful.....

When I clicked on the link I got "diversity and inclusion, love has no labels" Smooching skeletons! Nancy

sorry the link must not have worked try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9JHbRpwbwQ

If you had interlocking, counter-rotating blades, or rotating and stationary blades you could feed from the top and have the blades pull the cardboard through.

I bought one of those shredders and it works a treat.