I normally see the cardboard covered in some kind of mulch to hold it down. Hopefully once my compost bin has started to be productive I will be able to use that at least which should help a bit.
Don't have a lawnmower, but usually just below the surface layer of leaves they are already like confetti.
Previous owner used tarps and the weeds grew through. Plastic strands of tarps are all over my plot because of it and where the edges were fraying a lot.
Suppose it depends on how it comes, but wouldn't it be pretty bulky to carry if you wanted to cover a large area?
Would dead leaves be any good? Could just take loads of those from the floor around trees in parks and fill the bags on my bike. About 70L between them. Still think it would take a while to cover an allotment though.
Also got a compost bin but while nearly full it's going to be a while to rot down.
I think chip drop can be massive volumes though. I don't have enough space for a huge drop. My allotment is off the path and the site would require someone being there to take the delivery to unlock the gate. Both make chipdrop impractical from what I can tell where they want a place that is available to dump any amount at any time.
Recently got an allotment. No dig or not seems to be a fairly big one right now. It sounds nice but I don't have the same Amazon addiction as some people so I don't have 100m² of cardboard that I can lay across the plot.
Buying a shitload of cardboard and mulch isn't an expense I am interested in right now. Over time I do want to move towards more perennial and larger plants so there won't be much digging required anyway other than when replacing something. Or tubers/bulbs that you have to dig to harvest and plant anyway.
I cycle to work, had people tell me they need their car for commuting yet they live and work in the same town.
Cars make you lazy.