For covering grass, is a layer of leaves as good as cardboard?

[Russ]

I used the cardboard method last spring and it seems to have worked OK, but now I have to move the plot to another part of the yard, so I have to cover a new part of the grass.

I have lots of wet, compacted leaves and not much cardboard. What would happen if I laid down a layer of leaves?

[urbanfarmer]

Very deep wet leaves will work fairly well, but if there is a peep of light the grass will find it. If it isn't at least 8 inches, it won't work as well.

[MEA]

You can use thick layers of newspaper under the leaves.

[Emeline]

The grass will grow right through it.

They don't say "perennial as the grass for nothing". 

Grass is great where you want it and one of the most darn persistent and annoying weeds where you don't.

Can you use newspapers?  Or if you have time to kill the grass first you could lay down sheets of corrugated iron or big plastic covers if you had any of those.

Good luck!

[Russ]

Thanks, I had forgotten about newspapers.

So I guess I'll use newpapers, what cardboard I have, and a thick leaf layer.

Sounds like a plan.